Zelkova Serrata

zube

The tree is in not very good condition. First you need to get it healthy. Good sunlight, water, and feed with a balanced fertilizer such as MiracleGro. It should start putting on a lot of new growth this summer. You need new growth closer to the trunk to start.
zube

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m_s_ifland

That make sense. I'll do that.

ozzerbon

Well Dude,

That's definiotely a Zelkova, styles can be Literati, Octopus, Semi-cascade, and lastly Slanting.

Zelkovas back-bud quite readily, so I'd begin by choosing a style, then I trim some of those branches back a tad.

We are coming into Summer over here, and if you're on the same time line then it's not too late to repot, but only if you use something like akadama.
But choose your style first and stick to it like glue.

Will take about a year maybe two to get a good head of foliage, leaves should be zig-zagging, can bear mid-day sun.

Wouldn't dream of thinking of trunk-chopping, Zelkovas are elegant trees and trunk chopped trees are NEVER.

Wire cautiously, can sometimes be brittle, but will self-heal. New buds should be red.

No further time just now.

Regards and success,
Nigel

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zube

Oh, Nigel. You left out the classic zelkova bonsai shape. Broom style. And there are plenty of elegant bonsai in the world that have been chopped.
zube

http://www.infojardin.com/fichas/fo...ta-bonsai-2.jpg

http://images.google.com/images?q=z...G=Search+Images

__________________
Sorry doesn't put thumbs back on the hand, Marge.
H. Simpson

rockm

"Wouldn't dream of thinking of trunk-chopping, Zelkovas are elegant trees and trunk chopped trees are NEVER."

Never say never. This is an effective technique for this species. Almost all broom shaped zelkova bonsai are from trunk chopped stock. That's the intial treatment that produces the mass of primary branching.

http://www.absbonsai.org/articles/zelkova.html

Trunk chop shohin:
http://www.bonsainl.nl/BPG/BS_A0147.HTM

Natioal Arb. shohin trunk chopped---Japanese gift--5th photo:
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/pic/nat/nat4.html

ozzerbon

Ah, well Yep Dudes,

That was deliberate, I've got a couple of brooms myself, but they take forever to style, and I was applying my thoughts [only] to the tree in question.

I/we have a different view of the meaning of elegance, and that said I shall leave it there.

Best regards,
Nigel

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