Zelkova people...Which one would you buy?

Adair M

Pinus Envy
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While standing and talking with the nursery owner I realized that none of these would be the broom style bonsai I'd hoped one could be. I'd already disturbed the moss on one tree thinking I was doing it a favor...(I didn't realize how many people covet moss.) I didn't want to start digging for nebari on trees that were already giving me a sinking feeling. There was no point. Had one seemed like a great candidate and I planned to buy it I would have done whatever I needed to do to see the roots.

I don't doubt that growing my own would result in the best tree but right now my mind isn't focused on growing from cuttings. That may change but it wouldn't be the choice I'd make right now. (it's surprising how badly I feel when even a cutting dies that I've cared for)
The Japanese do it differently than we do. The hobby growers there will start several dozen if not hundreds of cuttings, grow them for a year or two, then cull them to pick 5 or 6 to work with in the future. Rather than try to take one tree and micromanage it to perfection, they let nature do the work. Once they have a manageable number to apply techniques to, then they get to work using good starter stock.
 

penumbra

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The Japanese do it differently than we do. The hobby growers there will start several dozen if not hundreds of cuttings, grow them for a year or two, then cull them to pick 5 or 6 to work with in the future. Rather than try to take one tree and micromanage it to perfection, they let nature do the work. Once they have a manageable number to apply techniques to, then they get to work using good starter stock.
So do they trash the ones they reject?
 

Adair M

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Some…the rest they export to the US.
The commercial growers, yes.

The hobby guys probably trade some of the “better” culls with their friends, but the majority are trashed.
 

Katie0317

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Wanted to mention...

Even though I'm a Fl native I forget that 90 minutes north or south can make a dramatic difference regarding which trees will do well in my specific area.

The Zelkova that does fine even 60 miles north of me is considered outside of my zone because we don't get the cold snaps here the way they do just an hour or slightly more to the north. So a Zelkova may not be suited for me for that reason as well.

We're in the process of buying palm trees and have learned how delicate some are to cold weather and natural and unnatural environmental impacts can raise or lower the prospects for the tree. We're surrounded by a lake and that takes the temps up a couple of degrees here and we're in a city and traffic also raises the temps slightly. The palm trees we're going to install are borderline because they could freeze but we're going to get them because the lake should keep them safe.

Have seen others in my area with a Zelkova but having learned this I wouldn't risk it. I've heard people talk about using refrigerators but I was told by another student that they don't work because there's no exchange of gases amongst other reasons. I believe him.
 
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