Chinese Elms - Indoor or Outdoor - that is the question?

JennyLynne

Hello

I live in the South East of England
I was bought a beautiful 30 year old Chinese Elm, grown over a granite rock in July for my Birthday and I fell in love!
During the Summer it remained out in an East/West facing garden and loved it
I brought it in during a cold and rainy September (as instructed by the shop from which is was purchased). It stayed in my lounge
It lost its leaves and I pruned it lovingly. Its re-growth was fantastic!
I has now begun to lose leaves from the centre section of the tree.
I lovingly water it following everything I have learned from books and the forum and tend it and remove the dead leaves from the base as they fall.
I also currently have significant regrowth, but having read so much of the news on the forum I am scared of several things:-
1. Should she really be indoors at all? (our temperatures fluctuate from 2.0 to 14.0 degrees constantly and within 24 to 48 hours sometimes!
2. Is the leaf drop a signal of distress within the root system as discussed so much on the forum?
3. If she should be outside - where?
4. If inside - where and at what optimum temperature?
I love this tree so much, I will do anything I can to ensure it remains beautiful and strong, so your help would be most grateful.

Kind regards
Jenny Lynne

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Alasdair

In england they are perfectly hardy, you can leave them out all winter in a sheltered position and it should be fine, acting as any other deciduose tree would. Just protect it from the harshest of over night colds, when it drops to -7 or so. It works for mine.

This year i got a new elm and went for the indoor root to see the difference. At the first sign of winter i brought it in to a room which is constantly around 18 degrees C and it's gone crazy, a whole bunch of new growth as if it where sp[ring again!

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metree

Hi jenny,

I am in the same boat as you are. In fact I asked that same question a while back. For the most part i got alot of responses that elms should be outside and it depends on the type of elm. As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I brought mine inside when the temperatures dropped and i couldnt reverse the process. meaning that they didnt stay outside to get used to the conditions and if i tried to take them out , that they might not survive. Nevertheless, they seem to be doing quite well indoors, and have been pushing new growth the entire time. I would like to mention that this is my experience and would not like to generalize, as i am a novice. Also, while having said that I keep my elms indoors, I have decided that i will keep them outdoors next winter. I hope that they are able to adjust to such a change. They say that these trees are very hardy and forgiving. let us know your progress. And the dropping the leaves part; thats pretty much normal behavior.

JennyLynne

Thanks Alasdair

I will transfer mine to a cooler room in the house, although the position won't be as good for viewing it. Provided I am not overly stressing her by moving around, I will watch the new growth to see what happens and hope that it remains healthy until I can place it back out.

JennyLynne

Hi Metree

Scary this new Bonsai habit - isn't it? I will keep you posted and it is great to have others to discuss this with. My Husband thinks I have gone a little batty but as he bought it for me - he only has himself to blame!
I will try not to panic the next time a host of leaves turn yellow and drop off, but in a cooler room I am hoping I won't stress the rootball too much...........so here goes!

Emperor Fish

Jenny,

Welcome to the addictive dependency that is bonsai.

My thoughts:
1. No, the tree should not be inside in our climate. Chinese elms are perfectly happy outside all winter in southern England. Do not believe this shop that told you this nonsense. Your tree needs to rest during the winter and not be fooled into thinking it is Spring and growing by having it indoors. This will only weaken it.
2. The leaf drop could have been due to a lack of light indoors, or due to the tree being fooled into thinking Spring had arrived, and it was time to push new leaves and leave the old ones behind. Chinese elms are usually very reluctant to lose their leaves at all, but they do constantly push off old ones as they are replaced.
3. The tree should be in as much sun as it can handle without baking it. Quite a lot in our climate. Mine stays on a post and gets sun all morning and into about 2pm in the summer. Chinese elm are tougher than the myth and will happily cope with frozen solid -5C once acclimatised.
4. You now have a dilemma. Is the tree strong enough to go outside and enter dormancy, or will the shock kill it? Will it survive the winter indoors without a dormancy?
If the tree was strong beforehand, I think that your best option is to find the brightest window you have in the coldest part of the house (not freezing), and nurse it through to spring. Next year, let it recover. Please do not go root-pruning or it might croak. Next year, you will be better prepared.

Oh, and please disregard anything that these shop people say.

Regards,

Fish.

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Newt

I am in a colder zone that you but here is my experiance. Nearly everyone will scream to keep them outside. Last winter was my first winter with chinese elms. I had a $30 one and a seedling. I was assured that they would make it outdoors so I kept the large one outside in my shed, protected and the small one inside with my tropicals (flourescant lighting and humidity trays). The large expensive one left out is dead, the small one kept inside is doing great. This year I left all out till the first snow, they had all dropped their leaves except the Hokkaido (and it's leaves were brown). Brought them in and they have gone crazy. Have had a second spring this year!!! Have had to trim twice already.

I am new to bonsai (finished my third growing season, entering my third winter so take it or leave it. Just my experiance.

Newt