Chinese Elm Gone Wild!

paranoize

Pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgeyboy/179841604/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgeyboy/179840525/

This is a chinese elm I bought one year ago. It was on a small pot so i repotted it to a bigger one (unfortunately i couldn't find a good "bonsai" soil) and left it to grow unrestricted as I was suggested to do.

And now it is at this situation. There are some branches way too long and i have no plan about how what shape i'm going to give it. Unfortunately I think that the main trunk has only slightly got thicker - or maybe not at all. Shall I leave it to grow unrestricted for more time or I should start to prune a little bit, like leave only 4-5 leaves on each branch?

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comrvf

i dont know much but i would start by taking back some off the big leavesand rfine the strugture of the plant i whish the elms in my yrd were like that

Repotter

Trim the long growth that is beyond the shape of the main body of the tree.
This will not only help to make it back bud but will keep it in check as to shape and style.
Elms grow fast and need constant pruning, always leave at least two sets of leaves on each branch.

Good Luck, Hector

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theelmboy

trim it back. it looks like you have a trunk with little or almost reverse taper. i think with a ch elm you can solve this by just trimming the new growth at the top of the tree and letting the growth on the lower branches grow out so you get a thicker trunk at the base. maybe this will get you a nicer trunk.

luckyluke

Hi paranoize,
your little elm has lots of branches to choose from, i would retain branches growing from the outside of a curve and remove those on the inside of curves
to enhance the 's' shape of the tree. any branches near the top can be pruned back hard to one or two leaves and lower branches left longer or even
left to grow unchecked for a season to thicken. when the basic shape is established new growth should be pinched back constantly.

paranoize

thanks for all the replies there, although i could say the last two ones where more informative Meanwhile, based on the first two replies and on some articles I read, I already did some pruning (before reading the last two replies).

So here's the result:

here's is front
http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgeyboy/180772762/
here's back
http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgeyboy/180772564/
here's back detail (apex)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgeyboy/180773122/
here's sideways
http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgeyboy/180772372/

you can choose view all sizes to see larger image/more detail

yes you are right there's is almost inverse taper. i tried to prune more at the upper part but still there is way more volume on top. But would be safe now to cut again back to one or two leaves? And is it the right time to do so?

And you lucky luke you are right there area lot of branches to choose (look those at the top!), some of them are at the inside of the curves but most of them are at the lower part so i thought i should leave them so the tapering won't get worse.

Also notice at that back detail pic how the upper part of the tree is, what should i do about it?

So what i do now? Should i cut more? Is it the right time to shape it? I've already pruned more than 1/3 of the foliage!


PLEASE HELP!!!

jeremy_norbury

Paranoize

You should trim the top more than the bottom. The top naturally grows more agressively and can easily take it - secondly the lower branches will fatten out the trunk in the right place. Lastly opening up the top more will allow more light through to the lower branches - thus stimulating more growth where you need it.

For future reference - you can plant all of those cuttings and they very easily grow roots - and before you know it you'll have a whole house full of them. You can even just just put them in a glass of water on a window ledge...

I suspect this tree does not get enough light - the internodes (spaces between the leaves) seem long and that's a tell-tale sign. Other than that it appears healthy.

Jerry

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jeremy_norbury

Jeez, quoting myself now...

I re-read what I said and to clear up any confusion, I'd leave any further trimming for now. My comments about trimming the top were intended for "later" future trimming exercises.

These things grow very rapidly and you'll need to probably trim it a further 1-2 times this season. Then just trim the top back...

Jerry

__________________

All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Spike Milligan
I told you I was ill. Spike Milligan's Gravestone

theelmboy

you need to really thin out the top on that elm or it will only get worse

with these species you can cut all the way back to zero branches and start over with new more condenced and thiner branches. i would let the lower partof the tree grow out to thicken that part of the trunk more to fix your reverse taper. or like i said earlier these trees can take heavy pruning so you can just trunk shop it and start with a new branch as your leader.