Serissa + Elm

ArcLad

I just bought myself a Chinese Elm and recieved a Serissa as a gift! Wonderful gift the serissa and a wonderful buy the elm was also! The Elm I left outside under some protection I don't know if it really needs proection, I hear from everywhere that you just bury it into the soil and cover it with either peat poss or mulch. I just placed it semi off the ground and with a metal plat sitting ontop of two other plates kinda forming an incomplete pyramid missing one side. My serissa on the other had is another story. When I got it, Moss basically covers the ENTIRE surface. However there is one side of the surface that is broken and I just noticed that there is a little stub growing! I see leaves forming too soo exciting really! I've heard that moss is hard to keep alive and wasn't sure if I should even keep the moss or throw some away...But if I keep it how can I sustain the ground cover? I really want to maintain the grass like illusion.

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soonami

Chinese Elms can be kept inside over the winter, they don't always need a dormany period. That said just be careful with it mak sure that is not exposed to the wind, keep it close to the house so the ground is warmer there

With the serissa, remove all of that moss it doesn't do the tree any good to have it on there. I had moss on my big serissa and all that did was invite algae to take over the trunk, and make the already stinky roots stinkier. As for the little shoots, you think it's cute now, but wait a couple years when you want the tree to be fuller and instead of sprouting new growth on branches it just keeps suckering at the roots instead. :O

Good luck with your trees

MoSinister

To keep the moss alive, I think all you need to do is keep it moist and in a shady spot. An old humidity tray with old bonsai soil ought to do the trick?

I also just learned of a book called Moss Gardening by George Schenk. Might be worth swinging by the old library and seeing if they have it...