collected elm

mat

Last summer, I collected a siberian elm and put it into a big nursery pot with soil from the site (very sandy). I'm new to bonsai, so I thought it would be something to learn from.

It grew happily for the rest of the summer. I chopped it back severely in the fall and it seems to have survived the winter and now it has started to bud. It is still in the same nursery pot with the original soil from the site I collected it (mostly sand with some decomposing leaves etc.)

My question is - should I repot it or just leave it alone for another year? I have a fruit crate I could put it in as a grow box. It has a thick tap root, and I've heard you should get rid of those, but I don't want to be too hasty. I'm not sure I could even get it in the fruit crate unless I cut the tap root back at least somewhat.

Since I brought it home, I've learned that siberian elms aren't used for bonsai much but I'm just trying to learn here so any advice would be appreciated.

Attached Images

	elm0307.jpg (23.2 KB, 109 views)
	elmroot.jpg (46.5 KB, 80 views)

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TreeBay

You need to sort out the root base. Sometimes you get roots at more than one level, or complex root systems, so when you transplant it, you have an opportunity to bare-root this deciduous tree (not a good idea with most conifers) and inspect it critically.

Regards,

Matt

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mat

Thanks for the reply. To clarify- you think I should repot it now and when doing so, take all the dirt off and then decide what to do with the roots?

It looks like may well have more trunk under the soil line and then roots deeper down. What am I looking for exactly? In bonsai books, the illustrations for trees being repotted all have such nice rootballs, I bet mine won't look like that. Am I just looking to cut below wherever there are a significant amount of finer roots? (I apologize if these are basic questions!)

CScott

It might be safer to wait one more year but you could get away with transplanting now. Usually the best time to transplant deciduous trees is when the buds are just starting to swell, not starting to show green leaves. In your case, as long as the tree grew vigorously last season it should be OK.

Have your shallower pot ready but also be willing to put it right back into the same large pot if the roots don't allow for a smaller volume pot.

Since this is your first repot from a collected tree don't go crazy with the cutters. It would be wonderful if you could get rid of all three of those aerial roots with this repot, but if the lower roots are few or weak, leave the two smaller aerial roots for now and cut off the larger one in the middle.

Usually my first transplant from a collected tree is two years post collection. Then only the larger, nasty shaped roots are trimmed back partway, the tap root is shortened if possible, and some arrangement of the smaller roots is made before replanting in a box for two more years. For my oaks it takes at least four years before the tree can be placed in a reasonably sized growing box. Elms are weeds, so you should be able to speed up that process.

Have fun, it looks like a rewarding project.

Carmen

bonsainotwar

All elm species can make great bonsai.Here in Albuquerque,Siberian Elms grow like weeds,after first being introduced in the 30s/40s,by Mayor Clyde Tingley.A few years ago,the city banned the planting of anything other than Chinese Elms.Siberians were declared invasive.There are a lot of them around,and every year more seeds germinate.The problem is,finding a good specimen that would make a suitable bonsai.They are quite rare,given the tendency of the tree to grow up,before it puts out branches.Also,if you do find a decent specimen,it is often growing out from under the pavement,making collection impossible.Maples,and other trees with widely scattered small seeds,face similar problems.

My very first tree as a bonsai,was a spectacular five-tree kabudachi/stump style Siberian,that was about twenty years old,when I collected it.The second year I had it (1999),the winter was quite cold.I had the tree in a wooden box,and it was too big,and heavy to bring inside.I lived in an apartment,with no yard at the time.Dispite my best efforts with heaters, lamps,and blankets,it died.I found another,though not as nice,after two years of intense looking.I posted a picture of it this morning. http://pictures.bonsaitalk.com/showphoto.php?photo=6267 My camera is dying,and works erratically,but I plan to post a few more photos of other trees in the next few days.