First time elm collecting, advice

[Aaronkslater]

Hi, I've been scoping a large elm clump for collection and I'm planning it for this spring.
It's an unknown variety, smaller leaves so I assume not american elm. (zelkova, siberian, hybrid?)
largest tree is about 3 inch at base and there are many other small trunks in the clump.

I get the impression that these are vigorous enough to be chopped to bare stump, no branches, dug up with a small amount of roots, and survive. Is this a mistake?

It is possible I could trunk chop in spring and then dig later in the year but it is on someone elses property and I don't want to overstay my dig permission if you know what I mean, I'd rather get it done in one day.

thanks!

 

[Cypress187]

Just do it! I'm kinda new also, but I know elms are practically un-destructible and can get chopped and root pruned a lot. I would advise to wait for better advise from a professional.

 

[M. Frary]

Did this last spring.
This is it a couple months later. American elm.

 

[BrianBay9]

Chop and dig the same day. If anything will survive it, elms will.

 

[sorce]

Nice.

Sorce

 

[barrosinc]

collecting elms sequence:
1) collect elm.
2) celebrate

 

[Aaronkslater]

Did this last spring.
View attachment 96591 This is it a couple months later. American elm.View attachment 96592

thanks for the response! looks like you got practically no feeder roots. Is there benefit to doing severe root prune at the same time to speed up the process of nebari development? I mean more severe than usually happens when I collect
What time of year do you collect like this where you are? I know spring but more specifically?

 

[M. Frary]

I collected this just as buds were swelling. I had to cut the roots out from under a garage. Normally I like to have as many feeder roots as possible. I honestly didn't think this would pull through.

 

[mattspinniken]

Wow Mike, that thing has almost no roots at all. Just a hunk of wood, im going to have to look around for some American Elm this spring.

 

[M. Frary]

The colander is 12 inches across. This spring the mess goes into a wider and slightly deeper growing container I'm going to build with mesh I got from Sorce. It didn't grow as much as I would have liked last year.
I should have tried root cuttings from this. There were 2 tap roots about 4 " across tapering down into the earth. I will this spring though. I left a root poking out of the ground when I dug this out. The sprout is 3 feet tall after a year. I'm going back in and getting as much of the root it's growing out of this spring.
Elms can take drastic root reductions. I'll take pictures when I pull it out of the colander so we can all see what it looks like under the soil.

 

[armetisius]

Don't cut your damn hand off is the only advice I can get you.
Elms? did you say elms? don't stand still too long-they grow
quick and I have been told are ravenous feeders.

 

[M. Frary]

I have been told are ravenous feeders.

They can take all of the fertilizer I pour on them. No small amount.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

elms - don't eat people, black willows do. My Hungarian great Grandmother told me tales of children being eaten by black willows when (born 1885 died 1979) I was 5 yrs, she told a tale was a version of some old country myth. Scared me half to death. If you fall asleep leaning against a big old black willow, it will ''crack open'' and swallow you whole leaving no trace. To this day I am fascinated by the old black willows.

Key with getting away with near rootless collection of elms is to get then as buds are swelling. Once leafed out they are more ''normal'' in needing roots to survive.

 

[M. Frary]

elms - don't eat people, black willows do. My Hungarian great Grandmother told me tales of children being eaten by black willows when (born 1885 died 1979) I was 5 yrs, she told a tale was a version of some old country myth. Scared me half to death. If you fall asleep leaning against a big old black willow, it will ''crack open'' and swallow you whole leaving no trace. To this day I am fascinated by the old black willows.

Key with getting away with near rootless collection of elms is to get then as buds are swelling. Once leafed out they are more ''normal'' in needing roots to survive.

The key to collecting anything with the best chance of success is to collect as buds are swelling. Be it decidious trees like elms or hawthorns or coniferous trees like pines or tamaracks. I never collect trees that have leaves or new growth. It's a crap shoot if the tree will survive. You have to give it special aftercare. And if it makes it the first year there is a larger chance it won't make it through the following winter. Plus time wasted you could be doing other things.

 

[sorce]

Collect it naked!

Pics!

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

Collect it naked!

Pics!

Sorce

You first.
Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[fredman]

Mike there's a lot of wood on that elm. What's your plan for it? Lots of carving I presume...