Hello! Elm question from forum newbee

[AaronThomas]

Hello all! Glad to have found you all... So I'm as much as a bonsai nut as work will allow. I have been growing Ficus for a number of years indoors with great results and have not strayed to other species of trees. Recently we moved to Arizona from New York and had to find homes for my little guys...all except one. As a house warming gift I was given my first Chinese Elm (which is in much need of some pruning). I was told the tree had been grown outside so outside it will remain. My question is... how much sun should it be getting? At the moment I have it facing South West... it gets full sun from around 11am till about 2pm... and there after dappled light till the sun starts going down. The weather at the moment is around 75 during the day and down to the low 40s at night... not unusual this time of year to get down to 30. I'm also concerned that in a few months the days will get up to 110 and nights will remain in the 80's or up.... I'm sure the direct sun of the summer will cook the tree so I'll need to move it to the back of the house (East)... last question... will an hour or two of direct sun in the morning and dappled light to total shade with bright light near by during the summer be enough? I've tried contacting our local club but haven't heard anything as of yet... so any info would be wonderful! Thanks again and glad to be here!

 

[JudyB]

Hi Aaron and welcome.

I do know that Chinese elms are pretty tough cookies, but don't know about the climate you're moving to at all. I'm sure someone will chime in and help out!
Sounds like your plan for sunlight is a pretty good one from what I can tell.

 

[jk_lewis]

It depends on where you are in AZ.

 

[AaronThomas]

Hi Aaron and welcome.

I do know that Chinese elms are pretty tough cookies, but don't know about the climate you're moving to at all. I'm sure someone will chime in and help out!
Sounds like your plan for sunlight is a pretty good one from what I can tell.

Thanks Judy! So funny stressing over the positioning of a tree LOL

 

[AaronThomas]

@ JKL.... Sorry forgot to mention.... I'm located in Tucson!

 

[pjkatich]

Hello Aaron,

I grow my elms in full sun all year. During the summer, that means 8+ hours each day.

I have found that the more sun you give them, the more compact the growth gets each year.

Now for the disclaimer, you need to temper this for the local growing conditions in Tucson.

Look around your location. Are Chinese elms used as landscape material? If not, you are probably facing an uphill battle during the summer.

I think your biggest hurdle will be the lack of humidity during the hottest parts of the year.

Your best bet for good information will be other bonsai growers around Tucson.

Some of the things that I do to mitigate the heat here in Northeast Florida are, use deeper pots, cover the pots to keep the direct sun off of them, and use a soil mixture that retains more water.

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Paul

 

[edprocoat]

I would be worried about full sun, all day long in AZ. I know from roofing that most shingle roofs in AZ. are coated with an asphalt aluminum because of the intensity of the sun which is much more intense than here in Fl., The roofs out there can dry out and need replaced in 5 years time uncoated. I would look into some kind of timed drip irrigation system and place it in a corner to limit the sun and the hot wind exposure to keep it from being just dried out to the point of damage. In the summers when its normally very humid and in the upper 80's in Fl. its usually very arid and in the upper 90's to over 100 degrees in Az. and that kind of heat and dryness would surely affect the tree adversely.

Its a nice looking tree, where did it come from? I am asking as the climate it was used to being grown in may have been much different than where you are now. Good luck with this little beauty.

ed

 

[rockm]

The best people to ask aren't on the Web. Arizona and the desert Southwest are beyond the climates of most bonsaiists. DRy air and intense sun will kill most typical bonsai species in short order.

The best answers about how to keep your tree will come from locals. There are two bonsai clubs in Tucson. Contact them soon:

From the American Bonsai Society's page:
ARIZONA - Tucson

Tucson Bonsai Society, Inc. Meets every third Sunday 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM at Tucson Botanical Garden, 2150 N. Alvernon Way (just south of the Grant and Alvernon Way intersection). For information contact: Gregory A. Baumgartner, (520) 762-1572 or by E-mail. Annual seminars and workshops with instruction by a nationally known bonsai master & teacher to aquire new skills and techniques. Field trips to the mountains for collection of native specimens. We offer beginner classes consisting of 3 four hour sessions on consecutive Saturdays Courses include material selection, styling, bonsai history, basics of care and bonsai styles and types.

ARIZONA - Tucson

Southern Arizona Bonsai Enthusiasts. Meets every third Saturday 10:30 am at Desert Gardens Cumberland Presperterian Church, 10851 E. Old Spanish Trail. For information contact: Doris Cavanaugh, (520) 290-0522, E-mail: doris.c@worldnet.att.net or Loveda Petrie, (520) 886-2446, E-mail: veda27@earthlink.net