Elm Root Cuttings

[Smoke]

Thanks for updating this one Smoke! Your climate is different from mines, so you are generally a little ahead, which when Working on a similar project means your updates seem to come a month or two prior to me doing this work myself!

I am excited to see how yours grow and what you make of them... If you are Ok with me continuing to piggy back in your thread, I may post some updates on mine around February...

works for me, I always have them on my blog also.

 

[Tentakelaertje]

You won't see it in the first year, takes like 4 to 5 before you see that. I'll take photo's of the ones I did in 2008 that are on the first page. You can see the top of the root cutting and branches along the sides. Post 130 above shows a set of branches coming well below the cut end of the root. Take a small piece of brass tube from a hobby store and twist the tube in the root where you want a branch. Remove the piece of cambium confetti and a branch will grow there. In the growing season.

Like drilling with the tube in the root? Do you take it out after you twisted it in the root? I don't understand..

 

[milehigh_7]

Well I had to try this again having screwed up last year. That and the irresistible bonsai fever that comes every year at repotting time... Anyway I came across a few Chinese Elm roots . Sorry for the horrible quality on the one with the caliper but the largest is a touch over 3".

 

[milehigh_7]

So I cut em up and put em in the dirt. I ended with approximately 74 cuttings sizes from pencil to the 3" fella.

 

[milehigh_7]

a few more... Now to see how they do.

 

[sorce]

few

Glad to see your time away has done absolutely nothing to lessen your addiction, or add to your understanding that you have a big problem!

Nice shoe laces! There is a thread for those too!

Sorce

 

[milehigh_7]

Glad to see your time away has done absolutely nothing to lessen your addiction, or add to your understanding that you have a big problem!

Nice shoe laces! There is a thread for those too!

Sorce

Well I thought I could quit any time... Turns out all I needed was a few nights in the 40's and my roots began to grow again... Thanks for the props on the laces. The kids seem to dig em.

 

[milehigh_7]

@Smoke or anyone else, have you noted a difference in success or time to leaf with diameter of the root being the variable?

 

[Smoke]

No difference with roots as large as two inches and roots as small as a pencil lead. All sprout within a week of each other. About fifty days.

 

[Eric Group]

I did a bunch of work on my two largest ones recently while visiting my buddy Ken... Got some good advice from him on one... Kinda did my own thing on the other... Prolly screwed it up! LOL. It was fun though. I will compare them a couple years from now and see what I got. I think there is potential in both to be honest. I will have to update with some pics at some point.

 

[milehigh_7]

No difference with roots as large as two inches and roots as small as a pencil lead. All sprout within a week of each other. About fifty days.

Thanks! About 43 days to go!

 

[Woodland Spirit]

I'm a fan of elm

One thing that is sure to make them grow EXTREMELY fast is to put them next to a building where they can rip the foundation up or you can plant them near a water line or sewer pipe.

A lot of people hate them for that but I say if you find a tree that will grow here you've found a treasure.

 

[Smoke]

or you can plant them near a water line or sewer pipe.

Fruitless mulberry works really well for this. Nothing like getting a rooter and pulling orange roots out of the pipe!

 

[GrimLore]

near a water line or sewer pipe.

Add Chestnut and Willows to that list

Grimmy

 

[Smoke]

And Pepper trees.

 

[Woodland Spirit]

We all have our "pest" trees.

most are excellent pioneer trees for restoring forest land.

 

[M. Frary]

pioneer trees

But most like willow,birch and poplar don't make very good bonsai.

 

[Woodland Spirit]

I've seen some nice willows here.

 

[milehigh_7]

@Smoke or anyone else. How cold hardy are these after you have have stuck them but before they bud? We had been reliably in the 30's and 40's at night so I thought I was good. We dipped into the upper 20's a couple of times in the past month and now I am worried... It has been 1 month today.

 

[Eric Group]

And Pepper trees.

Also Quince and Crepe Myrtle