Chinese Elm Styling

ArcLad

Hey everyone!

I recently transfered to VCU in virginia and currently majoring in Urban Planning and minoring in Horticulture. I thought that it would be pretty cool to bring my tree to school. I really glad I did because I have alot of time to really study the tree at school as well as back at the dorm. My mom bought me a chinese elm for my birthday and it was probably the best tree i have in my arsenal lol. I try to style it but it seems like it doesn't have much on there to style. However, I have two ways of styling the tree. I included two postings of chinese elm pictures from different people. I labled the people who posted them. The first picture is my actual tree at this point in time and I have one picture that shows if i just kept growing it and pruning it it will get that grow and cut look. However, there is another picture the one by Thomas J is the way i want my elm to look. However I have no idea how to style it to that kind of shape. I just want a very uniform and very kepted look for the tree however, I have no idea where to start. Can anyone help?

Attached Images

	Chinese Elm.jpg (64.4 KB, 87 views)
	Ron Martin.jpg (69.7 KB, 71 views)
	Thomas J.jpg (66.8 KB, 76 views)

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BrianP03103

ArcLad,

First and foremost, WELCOME!

Second, though I am still too much an apprentice to give you valid pruning suggestions, I can tell you that so far, job well done!

FWIW, I prefer the third picture to the second, especially on your tree. It just seems a more natural fit from where your tree is currently.

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ArcLad

Thanks alot! I thought about it too for a while. I thought, does it really look right on my tree because the shape of the tree might not support too well. I was actually going to grow it upwards to get that huge umbrella like tree in the picture in the middle. Not sure if i should just let it grow out or not. If I did, i don't know how to manage it.

__________________
Family Guy:

Niles: Well Frasier, you're so corpulant that when you sit around the magnificently appointed tusken villa, you sit AROUND the magnificently appointed tusken villa.
Peter: Huh, this is the smartest show on TV!

weeijk

Hi there and welcome,


What I see is a Ulmus Parvifolia in a typical "S" shape, a so called Mallsai. It´s been growing (read manufactored) by the thousands in Korea or China.
In its form as it is now, you can´t project it on the trees you´ve shown from Thomas or Ron. In the picture you´ll see the trunklines of the 3 different trees by the red line, to clearify it for you. For getting a little in the right direction, you´ll have to cut it down and let it grow, cut down and let grow.
Look at this site:

http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/AT...ksforbonsai.htm

I tried to show you what I mean, first the cutting point, than the replanting position.

Hope this´ll help, good luck.

Wessel

Attached Images

	ulmus.jpg (59.7 KB, 23 views)
	ulmusfirstcut.jpg (72.3 KB, 24 views)
	ulmus direct future.jpg (41.6 KB, 41 views)

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ChrisM

using the clip and grow method is the best way to get the nice tight pads, but, as with anything in the bonsai world, it will take time to get from where you are to where you desire to be. i would suggest that you take the tree out of the bonsai pot and put it in a slightly oversized grow pot for the next few years and let it grow. clip back as needed to form. thats it in a nutshell, unless i'm forgetting something.

chris

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ArcLad

That sounds like a really good idea. I was actually debating either to take it out and just let it grow or not. Would it do any harm to just let it stay there for a few years because I don't have to repot for another 2 - 3 years since the last repot was rather recent. I think the clip and grow is the way to go. I think to hid that S shape I think i'm gonna make it completely umbrella like. But to get that I might have to take it out and put it into a pot like you would suggest. I really want it to look like the second picture by RonMartin.

__________________
Family Guy:

Niles: Well Frasier, you're so corpulant that when you sit around the magnificently appointed tusken villa, you sit AROUND the magnificently appointed tusken villa.
Peter: Huh, this is the smartest show on TV!