Zelkova Serrata #1 (Japanese Zelkova)

[Orion_metalhead]

Pruned up my zelkova today... some pictures. Was gifted the tree. Thinking a low wide broom style for it. Needs a lot of root work potentially so my plan next year is to repot, work the roots, and - if they are poor - try a ground layer followed by Ebihara method to get a good flared base.

Before... has been growing out all season full sun no work to it.


After pruning...




Tossed on some aluminum to get some branches in position...






Would like to potentially chop the apex off at the red line...

 

[Adair M]

With broom, all branches go up, not down or horizontal. Think “Y”. Vase shaped.

 

[Paulpash]

I'd also chop to the first branch and move it up in the Y shape, @Adair M talked about. You need a far more compact image with thinner branches of similar girth you have at present. For such a prescriptive style it's really helpful to work using the WAGOLL principle (what a good one looks like). I hope the images below help you. Good luck!

 

[leatherback]

WAGOLL principle

never heard that one before. Nice

 

[Paulpash]

never heard that one before. Nice

I was a teacher for 25 years. For students producing coursework we had to produce wagoll resources in chunks. I guess if I were teaching this style I'd "chunk" or highlight these elements with accompanying images:

1. Even, radial nebari with roots uniformly distributed around the trunk.
2. Smooth, straight, scarless trunk
3. Branching commences 1/3 to 1/2 way up the total height of the tree.
4. Branches all move in an upward "Y" shape, apart from the lowest which move more horizontally in their search for light (see pics). Homogeneity of angle, branch spacing and taper establishes visual rhythm.
5. Branch diameter should lessen with each fork.
6. The periphery should have masses of fine twigs.

I'm quite happy for others to add to my wagoll... Playing chess and writing this list may not produce the best results!

 

[ctravisc]

Peter Chan’s video on Zelkova was very enlightening for me. He also mentions Zelkova in a broom style is the most challenging form for this species, so they’re held in high regard.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Thanks all, perhaps "broom" style wasnt the right term, I'd like to keep the low branch so I guess it would just be a standard informal tree.

How do you all feel about cutting the apex off where I plan?

 

[Adair M]

Peter Chan’s video on Zelkova was very enlightening for me. He also mentions Zelkova in a broom style is the most challenging form for this species, so they’re held in high regard.

Well... you have to understand that Heron’s nursery is too large for Chan to manage. Stuff gets neglected. Faults occur, get bigger, then later he tries to mitigate the faults. Which creates lumps, bumps, and even more scars and reverse taper. He’s right, he repeatedly says, “You have to stay on top of it”. But he doesn’t. So that’s why he says broom styles are difficult.

 

[Paulpash]

Well... you have to understand that Heron’s nursery is too large for Chan to manage. Stuff gets neglected. Faults occur, get bigger, then later he tries to mitigate the faults. Which creates lumps, bumps, and even more scars and reverse taper. He’s right, he repeatedly says, “You have to stay on top of it”. But he doesn’t. So that’s why he says broom styles are difficult.

Quantity over quality...

 

[Adair M]

Quantity over quality...

I don’t think this was something he intended. It just happened.

Way back in the day, when I first started bonsai, I wanted one of every species, in every style. I gobbled up every tree I could find. I suppose I had over 200 trees. I had to set up an automated watering system. Of course, I couldn’t keep up with it. I’d miss important pruning, repots, etc. some trees I could develop nicely, some became overgrown, leggy. Some got too much sun, some too little.

Today, I keep about 30 regular size bonsai. They’re manageable. And I have about 20 Shohin. The Shohin are actually more trouble since they have to be watered more often!

But now, I’ll only aquire a new tree if it is a significantly better tree than something else on my bench. And then I’ll sell or trade a lesser tree.

There’s a thread on this concept: “Keeping things simple”, or something like that.

 

[Paulpash]

I don’t think this was something he intended. It just happened.

Way back in the day, when I first started bonsai, I wanted one of every species, in every style. I gobbled up every tree I could find. I suppose I had over 200 trees. I had to set up an automated watering system. Of course, I couldn’t keep up with it. I’d miss important pruning, repots, etc. some trees I could develop nicely, some became overgrown, leggy. Some got too much sun, some too little.

Today, I keep about 30 regular size bonsai. They’re manageable. And I have about 20 Shohin. The Shohin are actually more trouble since they have to be watered more often!

But now, I’ll only aquire a new tree if it is a significantly better tree than something else on my bench. And then I’ll sell or trade a lesser tree.

There’s a thread on this concept: “Keeping things simple”, or something like that.

I've been reducing mine. I think 30 + 20 will be a good "retirement" number for a personal collection. Comstock's business looks fun too, apart from the thousands of pine cuttings he has to do. I wouldn't mind doing that as a preamble to retiring.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

At a certain point, 1 larger more developed and refined tree is just as much work as 10-25 less developed trees... so you really have the same amount of work, just better trees.

 

[Adair M]

At a certain point, 1 larger more developed and refined tree is just as much work as 10-25 less developed trees... so you really have the same amount of work, just better trees.

That’s true. Highly refined trees are more work.

 

[Mikecheck123]

a broom style is the most challenging form for this species

I'll have to check this out.

My Zelkova grows like ground covering--it's about a foot tall, but it has about 6 branches that are all about 4 feet long growing straight horizontally. Literally resting on top of other plants.

 

[BobbyLane]

like the ones above, you already have a main trunk that splits in two.
so one option is to cut at the red and wire the two leaders up n out.
they will thicken quicker, then you cut them back and repeat.

 

[BobbyLane]

another option is to trim at the red and let the two leaders shoot up and extend and have the secondary shoots go horizontal or up n out

or

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Worked on this tree today. Pruned it wired a couple branches into place... desperately needs a repot so it will be a priority for next season. Im going to find a nice size training pot for it.

Before:


After pruning:


Wired some branches:


Top down.


Figured I would try some cuttings for future use as root grafts/ misc new projects:

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Pruned again after everything extended. I also unwired since some wire was biting in. I have to make a decision on the apex, the more I look at this the more inclined I am to cut back to the branch in post #1.

Before:


After Pruning:


Reminder of chop point. In thinking of removing the two branches with the "x" on them.


Close ups of those branches im thinking of removing:

 

[0soyoung]

I think it would be better to chop down to those 2xx branches you are presently planning to remove and use one of them as your new trunk leader. The one in back appears to be green and would be far easier to wire onto an interesting trajectory. Regardless, those two branches could drive rapid regrowth over the wound, which is a +.

The 'rule of thumb' bonsai guidance is that the tree ought to have a height that is 6 to 12 times the trunk caliper. More than that tends to get the composition into the 'stick in a pot' category, unless there is unusual/interesting trunk movement, which you don't have with the trunk as is.

Maybe it will help to keep in mind that all that upper growth you're going to throw away had only one purpose - that is to make the trunk coming out of the ground thicker. Than it for doing its job when you cut it off. Don't fall in love with it. Don't fear that the rest of the tree will miss it. You'll create the tree you want a lot faster being in this frame of mind, IMHO.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Did a late season clean up, cutting off some branches I know I do not want and getting a better look at the structure. Some things became clear after this work...

Before:


After:


Air layering the top:


New leader, the branch earlier determined would be good leader:


Tree needs a serious repot... planning on making a proper sized grow box for this next spring and get it out of this big pot.