Cultivating American Elm from the wild

[JasonRedwood]

As long as the dust doesn't clog everything up i don't see issues not sifting lol. I'm pretty new to bonsai, so i haven't actually used many different growing mediums, but i do think i'll try your idea, at least one one of two plants i cultivate!

 

[M. Frary]

Part of the whole bonsai journey is trying different things and figuring out what works best for you. Plain and simple. I'll be trying different things in soil this year. Maybe add some pumice maybe some lava maybe some turface. The D.E. is working fine for me at the moment though.

 

[Dan W.]

Just throwing in a fun fact here: An American Elm won the National show last year; Created by Suthin Sukosolvist. In the picture the leaves looked like they had reduced nicely as well.

https://valavanisbonsaiblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/national.jpg

http://valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2014/09/17/4th-us-national-bonsai-exhibition-report/

 

[Tieball]

I tried cat liter once. I bought the kind recommended....non scented non clumping I recall. It had the right ingredients from what articles stated. I did not like it at all. It seemed to turn into a mushy clay mix in no time at all. It was not to difficult to wash off the roots....but what a mess everywhere. I don't think it was healthy for the trees either. No air. Just gray mush mud. I stuck with Turface after that incident.

 

[Tieball]

Just throwing in a fun fact here: An American Elm won the National show last year; Created by Suthin Sukosolvist. In the picture the leaves looked like they had reduced nicely as well.

https://valavanisbonsaiblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/national.jpg

http://valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2014/09/17/4th-us-national-bonsai-exhibition-report/

Sweet! Awesome inspiration to see an American Elm exhibited. I have not previously seen any exhibited. There is hope for the mighty Elm.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks for posting the links Dan; that tree crossed my mind too. It's hard to gauge the sheer size of Suthin's tree from those pix; easily a 36" wide canopy, and the leaves were beautifully reduced to around an inch.

 

[sorce]

Trying cat litter, the recommended one too, lead me to oil dry.

Cat litter is no good.

Oil dry is cheap, Color changing, and available! Sure it's a little small, but I'll show you the roots I'm getting soon.

No good for a show maybe, great for growing!

Had an elm fall (3 stories) last year, it held the shape of the deli container it was in, I folded it over a bit and stuck it in a smaller pot, it grew an s load last year, and we didn't sprout till May, that's like 5 months growing time!

Sounds like you might be better off finding some nuisance saplings to dig up!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Found some pics!

Before. First shoots 5/4/2014. It was lacking roots on the one side so I had a toothpick size seedling next to it. That one died early.


And after the fall, out of a container the same size as the one next to it! This is how it ended the season.


It broke another branch off too, Same size as the other big one!

That wound is pretty well healed.
And that trunk goes on up about 3 more feet!
Sorce

 

[Tieball]

On the left in the second photo you show, surrounded by a plastic bag I think, there are a couple of stubby knarly twisted Elms. American Elm? Anyway, a couple of my trees began life that way. I continued to prune the knarly branches on the tips only and let the knarly shape develop. After a few years the trees look fabulously natural. As I pruned back the tips more branches developed off the trunk and off branches. The trees probably break all the bonsai rules....but they look naturally cool and interesting..

If you can give the trees more growing room....larger containers....or open ground....they will grow more quickly and you'll have fun trimming back here and there. The tree will respond within a couple weeks, or sometimes less time, with new adventurous buds. The American Elm buds back easily. Give it plenty of water. Lots of sun....or even partial sun. BUT...don't let it dry out in that container pot for very long. The tree, drying out, will respond by dropping branches to survive....or just give up. Some soil components, Turface as one example, hold moisture well just below the surface...assuming the container has some depth.

I hope you're having fun with these trees also.

I would show photos but I am traveling and not around those particular tree photos.

 

[Giga]

I have a American elm that Mother Nature decided to give me in my back yard. There very ez to get thick trunks and I been chopping it down each year and it grew 12 feet last year!

 

[Giga]

Here's what I mean

Chop almost healed in one season


18' in one year!

 

[Waltron]

First, eliminate any that have opposite buds - seems like 90% of those are box elder. Of the volunteers with alternate buds, I bet half will be either elm or hackberry. Either can make a good bonsai.

do box elder not work well for bonsai? I have quite a few nice specimens i was planning to dig up. -SE Michigan

 

[BrianBay9]

Waltron, box elder are not ideal in my opinion - coarse growth, long internode distance, unattractive and large leaves. I've never seen a box elder bonsai, so I guess most people must agree with me. On the other hand, what's the harm in giving it a go? Post a pic when you prove me wrong.

Cheers
Brian