Dormancy for Chinese Elm

Camay123

Im thinking of Buying a Pre-Bonsai Chinese elm for a couple of year. as I really like this tree.

Im hesitant because im in zone 5a/4b, im just on the border. The chinese elm is zone 5b-10. Im worried that the winter will be to hard on my tree so I have no way of giving the tree the proper dormancy period.

Now, I was told that by the place I would buy the tree from, and this is an exact quote of the email :



Is that true ?

Also I ask if I keep the tree in a non heated/non insulated garage it would be ok and I was told yes.

Any more opinions on this ?

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clrosner

Dear Camay123:
I have never heard of defoliating a Chinese Elm as a dormancy ploy to the tree.
Would you explain why you cannot give your tree some sort of protection for its dormancy period. Are you in an apartment? Do you have a porch, deck?? Even space in your refrigerator

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Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
arteacher3725@yahoo.com

CHECK OUT MY UPDATED WEBSITE AT[B]:
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Camay123

Well I can give it protection for the winter.
I could leave it in the non heated/non insulated garage but im worried that even with this , temperaturewill be too cold for the tree.

Refrigerator would not have enough space

clrosner

Dear Camay123:
I keep my trees in a garage from Thanksgiving until late March.
I water the trees well, then I place mulch under, around, and on top of the soil up to the first branch.
You can place the tree in a large box with the top removed. Slit the corner of the box and place a piece of wood at one end (opposite the slit) This is so that when you have to water, the water will run out the slit.
Place a bamboo skewer into the soil and check it weekly to see if it needs water.
I may water the trees two or three times during the Dormancy period.

Here is a picture I took the winter of 2001. All my trees mulched in, they survived a bitter cold winter with weeks in the teens.

Attached Images

garage - dormancy 112801 b.jpg (49.8 KB, 442 views)

__________________
Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
arteacher3725@yahoo.com

CHECK OUT MY UPDATED WEBSITE AT[B]:
www.carlrosner.com

rockm

Manually defoliating a chinese elm, or just about any other deciduous tree in the fall can produce a spurt of new growth which will be killed off with the first frost. That can weaken or kill a tree. Chinese elm given some protection from the worst of winter can be kept out side with little problem. The set up in the pics here gives a great idea of what can be done. Root protection--mulch-- is a must. Protection from dessicating winter winds is also advisable for fine twigged species like chinese elm.

Camay123

Thx clrosner for the replys and pics. This gives me a good idea of how to prep tree for the winter. But you are still in zone 6/7 while im in zone 4/5. There is an 8-10 degree celscius in our winter.

At rockm: Defoliating at fall must be done if you want to keep the tree inside all year round. Therefore, no danger of killing the spurt of new growth.

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rockm

Not sure I follow. Why would an elm have to be defoliated if kept inside?

clrosner

I am a little puzzled about defoliating an Elm.
First off the only Elms I have ever had the leaves are quite small.

I have kept Elms indoors, but found that they were not happy, since the time spent outdoors gathering strength seemed to ebb when they were brought indoors in the Fall.
Conversely, by allowing the elm a dormancy period, the tree explodes with new growth and the pinching is constant.

__________________
Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
arteacher3725@yahoo.com

CHECK OUT MY UPDATED WEBSITE AT[B]:
www.carlrosner.com

Camay123

I was told it would mimic the dormancy period.
I am asking this to the forum because I had never heard or read about it.

Im kinda asking for a second opinion.

As per your response, you do not seem to believe it or heard of this.