Chinese Elm Question - bonsaiTALK Community

4-Nov-2005	#1
mgodbee bonsaiTALK Expert Join Date: Aug-2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Country: USA USDA Zone: 8 AHS Heat Zone: 8 Posts: 176	Chinese Elm Question I recently acquired a nice, but unrefined, chinese elm from a nearby bonsai nursery (Bonsai by the Monastery, www.bonsaimonk.com). It has a trunk diameter of about 4.25 inches and is a fairly large piece. I have been into bonsai for quite a while, but have never tackled a chinese elm before, but it was $100 bucks and I just loved it. My question is, what do I do for the upcoming winter? I am getting mixed information on this. I asked the nursery, they said they had just received the tree a week prior so they did not know for sure if it was raised indoors or outdoors (I heard this makes a difference). I live in Atlanta, so our winters are fairly mild, but we get a few nights below freezing. I have a Zelkova that stays out year round, should I treat it the same? I really want to leave it outside if possible, but have room indoors with my tropicals if necessary.

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5-Nov-2005	#2
RedPine bonsaiTALK ArchMaster Join Date: Jul-2004 Location: AR USDA Zone: 7a AHS Heat Zone: 7 Posts: 2,895	Hi, Zone 8 really won't throw out anything an elm can't handle,I know this because zone 7 doesn't either really.For one that has had some root work or recently styled or something you can bring it indoors or protect in an unheated garage or structure untill the hard freeze is over.Also simply mulching the pot next to the south side of your house would work well.I would leave it outdoors full sun and only use mild protection for the really cold nights you mentioned. __________________ http://gongshi.freeforums.org/index.php

5-Nov-2005

007

Secret Agent

Join Date: Nov-2004

Location: Detroit, Michigan

Country: U.S.

USDA Zone: 5/6

AHS Heat Zone: 4/5

Posts: 832

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedPine

Hi,

Zone 8 really won't throw out anything an elm can't handle,I know this because zone 7 doesn't either really.For one that has had some root work or recently styled or something you can bring it indoors or protect in an unheated garage or structure untill the hard freeze is over.Also simply mulching the pot next to the south side of your house would work well.I would leave it outdoors full sun and only use mild protection for the really cold nights you mentioned.

I'd agree with the above . . . if you're concerned on the nights where it gets below freezing, just bring it indoors for the night and back outside when the frost is over.

__________________

Here's to a long life and a merry one, a quick death and an easy one, a pretty girl and an honest one, a cold beer and another one!

5-Nov-2005

hansvanmeer

bonsaiTALK Master Craftsman

Join Date: May-2005

Country: The Netherlands

Posts: 931

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgodbee

I recently acquired a nice, but unrefined, chinese elm from a nearby bonsai nursery (Bonsai by the Monastery, www.bonsaimonk.com). It has a trunk diameter of about 4.25 inches and is a fairly large piece. I have been into bonsai for quite a while, but have never tackled a chinese elm before, but it was $100 bucks and I just loved it.

My question is, what do I do for the upcoming winter? I am getting mixed information on this. I asked the nursery, they said they had just received the tree a week prior so they did not know for sure if it was raised indoors or outdoors (I heard this makes a difference). I live in Atlanta, so our winters are fairly mild, but we get a few nights below freezing. I have a Zelkova that stays out year round, should I treat it the same? I really want to leave it outside if possible, but have room indoors with my tropicals if necessary.

check outh:
"chinese elm dormancy" by chrisM.
There you will find some good advice!
Hans van Meer.

5-Nov-2005	#5
mgodbee bonsaiTALK Expert Join Date: Aug-2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Country: USA USDA Zone: 8 AHS Heat Zone: 8 Posts: 176	Thanks, I was just getting mixed responses about it. My friend in Florida said it would be too cold. My friend here said it would be fine, but he knows less than I do (which isn't a lot)... I had read it really didn't matter, but what mattered was how it was raised. If it was raised indoor, then it will need more protection than one raised outdoor... I should have thought about it, but it had to be raised outdoor considering how big the trunk is. It most likely was raised in the ground, hence I should have assumed that. What is the best time to do some pruning and wiring on Chinese Elm's? The thing has a lot of growth on it, and I would like to remove about 50% or so. No large branches though, the thing just has some long, leggy growth on it... It is in a training pot, and I will leave it like that for another year to let the roots go wild.. I will try to get a pic up.

5-Nov-2005	#6
007 Secret Agent Join Date: Nov-2004 Location: Detroit, Michigan Country: U.S. USDA Zone: 5/6 AHS Heat Zone: 4/5 Posts: 832	Major pruning should be done in spring. __________________ Here's to a long life and a merry one, a quick death and an easy one, a pretty girl and an honest one, a cold beer and another one!

7-Nov-2005	#7
rockm bonsaiTALK ArchMaster Join Date: Oct-2003 Location: Fairfax, Va Country: USA USDA Zone: 7 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 4,561	"I'd agree with the above . . . if you're concerned on the nights where it gets below freezing, just bring it indoors for the night and back outside when the frost is over." Do NOT bring the tree inside if you're overwintering it outdoors. You will have problems either with early bud break or with shallow dormancy. I have overwintered Chinese elm outside with nothing but a mulch covering and a windbreak here in Zone 7 for ten years. Have had no real problems. Besides, it's too early now to begin worrying about overwintering here in Zone 7 or 8. I wait until Thanksgiving to put any of my trees into winter storage (and that's when it's really cold. We have very warm weather this fall. I suspect I will wait until well into December before moving anything into storage.) Temperate trees need exposure to a frost or three and a freeze to help hardent hem off for winter storage. Denying the tree those can lead to problems. I leave mine, including "warmer weather" species like live oak and bald cypress, out on the benches until we've had at least two early winter freezes--when temperatures don't get below 25. Then store them.

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