New Chinese Elm

jdstod

Well I broke down and bought better stock. I got this chinese elm and it looks like it will make an excelent formal upright/broom style. I am not sure what to do with it. I think it is in need of a repot, but I think it may be too late in the season. As this is a more expensive tree, I want to take my time.

It is definately in need of a trim, just too scared to do it. I think I will let it grow for a bit and really think about it.

Anyway, any suggestions on where to take this tree?

Dimensions: 13" tall, 14" wide and a 1" trunk.

Attached Images

	ChElm1.jpg (32.1 KB, 176 views)
	ChElm2.jpg (30.9 KB, 100 views)
	ChElm3.jpg (30.0 KB, 48 views)

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eeiko321

i think the bottom branches are too low to be anything...

need to wire the upper branches and get the pads shape foliages

ficusfanatic

leave the lower branches for now, what bothers me is the 2 giant opposing branches that form a Y (acutally it looks like 4-7 branches right there), one of those larger branches should go immediately imo, it will only be harder later, they are already creating a bulge there, but i do like the overall shape of the tree.

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-chris-

ElGringo

If you have a 'Y' shape where the trunk divides into 2 major branches, one thing you can do is rotate the tree slightly, so that one branch is slightly in front of the other one, then it won't be as noticable.

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Richard

dagruber

Pardon my ignorance (I'm still learning), but what is the benefit of keep those thin lower branches? Thanks.

ficusfanatic

leaving lower branches will help thicken the trunk, and i personally like some low branches. most people would take those off first and leave a lollipop. i like the very natural feeling of the tree. taking them off would look like a topiary. but of course do what you like and listen to the opinions that make most sense to you. it's your tree afterall.

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-chris-

RedPine

I would train the tree as an elm broom style, no foliage pads needed.

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constantstaticx

I love the tree. If it were mine I would leave it as is for now and just let it grow. I wouldn't re-pot until next year because it may be too late and, since you said it was expensive, you don't want to risk it. In the winter I would prune the top branches back a bit to a lower branchlet on each one. From here you can create a new canopy that will be in better proportion to the trunk. You can leave the lower branches if you want, its all in personal taste.

Tom

jdstod

Thanks for all the replies. Up until now I have just messed around with regular old nursery stock that isn't too critical. What attracted me to this tree was it does look fairly natural, maybe too natural. I do like the idea of lowering the canopy to put it in better proportion to the trunk.

There is a different angle that doesn't have the "Y" shape, but the branching isn't as good from that angle. I probably won't do anything on it this year. I think I need to observe the growth habits this year and keep it alive as I am still fairly new to this.

Wouldn't keeping the lower branches cause a bulge in that spot making a really bad inverse taper? I know elms are notorious for that (I just did a trunk chop earlier in spring on my Seiju elm, really bad bulge).

One other issue is wiring the upper branches may be difficult as they are very stiff. I would only be able to get very minor movement.

Thanks again!

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"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."

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