Ground growing elm progression and air layers

[Rodrigo]

A few years ago I bought 11 lacebark elm seedlings which I used to create a 7-tree forest, a trio planting, and I wasn't really sure what to do with the last one so I just stuck it in a pot.
Last spring, after finally moving to a house with a yard, I planted the last one in the ground.

All last year it grew ok but I think it focused on growing roots because it didn't thicken up much, if at all. In March '24, my landscapers hit it with the weed wacker pretty down low and scarred it pretty bad



Since March, it's thickened up quite a bit and has grown to like 7.5-8' tall. The wound healed extremely quickly, which unfortunately caused inverse taper.


There's a branch that grew right below where it swells, my plan is to chop it right above the right branch to continue the trunk line.


I couldn't let all that growth go to waste though so I started a couple of air layers, a double trunk and a single trunk. I'll chop the trunk after separating the air layers

I'll be keeping this post updated on both airlayers as well as the one in the ground

 

[Michael P]

Good luck with the elm and fire your landscapers.

 

[Rodrigo]

Good luck with the elm and fire your landscapers.

Thanks!

Lol I thought about it but really it was my fault, the grass around it was tall and I didn't tell them to be careful. They haven't hit it since I told them so they're good.
Plus they're cheapest I've found for my yard size

 

[vcnsiqueira]

Did it all thickenfrom March to August? Oh my god! Next spring I will be moving mine to the ground! I've always heard that nothing compares to growing in the ground, but this is not what I would expected! Amazing!

 

[leatherback]

've always heard that nothing compares to growing in the ground, but this is not what I would expected!

Yeah, this is a nice example.
Everyone who debates that trees grow better in full ground have never planted out an elm. I have a 6inch trunk on one in the ground for 3 years now, from a 1 year old seedling.

 

[Dabbler]

I have an american elm in the ground and it grows like crazy in the ground - put up some 20ft shoots every year, even after a couple cut backs - they are pretty insane growers

 

[Rodrigo]

Did it all thickenfrom March to August? Oh my god! Next spring I will be moving mine to the ground! I've always heard that nothing compares to growing in the ground, but this is not what I would expected! Amazing!

Yes! It's crazy right? It's my first tree in the ground so I'm definitely impressed. And its grown like another foot since I posted it lol

Yeah, this is a nice example.
Everyone who debates that trees grow better in full ground have never planted out an elm. I have a 6inch trunk on one in the ground for 3 years now, from a 1 year old seedling.

Have you been taking it out of the ground to work on the roots? Mine is on its second year and I've left it the whole time. I'll probably ground layer it anyways

 

[Rodrigo]

It's been a couple of days short of a month and I'm already seeing the tips of roots poking out of the side of the pot



I don't think there's enough to separate yet but any ideas on when I should separate when it's ready? We don't really get freezes in Texas until about late November or December, sometimes even after that, so I was thinking separating in early fall and keeping it protected over winter.

The rest of the tree seems to have grown another foot since my last post. Can't wait to see how much it thickens in the fall!

 

[leatherback]

any ideas on when I should separate when it's ready?

In my garden the argumentation is: You have roots: Time to separate.
I could imagine that on your side of the world there is a bit less humidity and more heat but still.. It is an elm. You spit on a trunk and roots appear..

 

[Rodrigo]

In my garden the argumentation is: You have roots: Time to separate.
I could imagine that on your side of the world there is a bit less humidity and more heat but still.. It is an elm. You spit on a trunk and roots appear..

Thanks Jelle!
Usually you'd be correct, last year we had over 3 months of over 100 degree heat and no rain, but this year we've had nice rain and hasn't been as hot, which has been nice.
I'll go ahead and separate it next weekend


Surprisingly the main trunk layer doesn't show any roots yet, hopefully soon! If I separate soon do you think it's too late to trunk chop? For context, I don't think it'll drop it'll leaves until early December

 

[Rodrigo]

To clarify, I mean trunk chop down low

 

[leatherback]

To clarify, I mean trunk chop down low
View attachment 565857

I think it would not aid development a lot to chop now. Whereas waiting untill spring to chop would mean you get another fall-swelling of the base added to the trunk. But if you need the space, you need the space.

 

[Rodrigo]

I think it would not aid development a lot to chop now. Whereas waiting untill spring to chop would mean you get another fall-swelling of the base added to the trunk. But if you need the space, you need the space.

It's not so much that I need space, I'm just not sure if I'll be staying at this house when my lease is up in March. If I don't stay, that means I'll have to chop it and dig it up early spring. Looking at how much it swelled when the landscapers hit it, I worry the chop will produce a huge swell. I guess I'll just make a concave cut and hope for the best

 

[Rodrigo]

I separated the twin trunk air layer today


Full tree, it's just kept growing all summer long. Can't wait to see how much it thickens in the fall


After separation. I had to cut a lot off the top to make it more manageable. I think there's enough leaves left to keep it growing, plus it's extremely strong from being in the ground


After removing the pot. There's a good amount of roots. I didn't disturb it much other than to remove the mesh, I'll do a full repot in the spring, fingers crossed there's roots all the way around


Potted up


I also checked the main truck layer because I hadn't seen any roots. Unfortunately it failed, and actually had a whole colony of ants hiding right at the cut point, under the callus


I'll probably recut and try again tomorrow. It was waaayy too hot out there today

 

[Rodrigo]

It's only been a couple of days and it's already not looking too hot. I'm wondering if I left too much foliage for the little roots there were?
If that's the case, will the tree correct itself and kill off the leaves in can't manage or is it in danger of not making it?

 

[vcnsiqueira]

I don't have much experience in it but if I were you I would cut some of the leaves. I don't know in your region, but where I am the leaves will start to drop anyway in a couple of weeks. Other than that, I would have moved to a bigger pot, since you have a lot of work to do. Probably you're gonna need to chop the trunk and it would be better a bigger pot.

I don't know if now it is the right time for a trunk chop. Maybe not, all things considered, but in the end, elms are almost imortal. But now or later, that seems the right thing to do.

My considerations:
1) I would have moved to a bigger pot
2) Cut part of the leaves
3) Trunk chop next spring if you are happy with the trunk thickness. If not happy, let it grow until you are and then, chop.

 

[Rodrigo]

I don't have much experience in it but if I were you I would cut some of the leaves. I don't know in your region, but where I am the leaves will start to drop anyway in a couple of weeks. Other than that, I would have moved to a bigger pot, since you have a lot of work to do. Probably you're gonna need to chop the trunk and it would be better a bigger pot.

I don't know if now it is the right time for a trunk chop. Maybe not, all things considered, but in the end, elms are almost imortal. But now or later, that seems the right thing to do.

My considerations:
1) I would have moved to a bigger pot
2) Cut part of the leaves
3) Trunk chop next spring if you are happy with the trunk thickness. If not happy, let it grow until you are and then, chop.

Thanks for the response!

My area still has a couple of months before leaves start turning brown, and even then, elms are always the last ones to drop for me so there's still time for it to keep going.

I do have a lot of work to do, you're right, but I don't think a bigger pot would help and in fact would actually probably make it worse. There's little roots as is, so a bigger pot would stay wet too long which is not good. My plan was to leave it for now, bare root in the spring to correct any roots, and let it grow. Then depending on the growth in the spring, either chop both trunks low or wait a year and then chop.

As far as the leaves, they are what drives root growth so I don't know if cutting them is a good idea, that's what I'm trying to figure out lol

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[Vince Sartain]

Just my two cents, sure looks like an awful lot of tree for the amount of roots. Also in a very little pot in the heat you are experiencing may be too much for the roots to cope. I think I would chop the trunk down to about 10" or less and keep it in the shade until it recovers which depending on your weather might not be until next spring.

 

[leatherback]

A larger pot will not magically give it more roots.
Trees do compensate and balance themselves out.

I would just ensure this is not in the wind or sun, and leave it alone other than keeping it moist -not soaking wet-.