Help please I’m a novice w/ a Zelkova Serrata

[Bonsai Guy VA.]

See attached photos many areas just don’t seem to want to leaf out
I get very long spindly branches that are not the look I wanting. And just recently gave it a big trim. Please note the rather bare areas these were mostly hidden under the branches I trimmed. I’d ultimately like rather tightly clustered leaves at the major branches. Note the outdoors photo is how the tree looked 18 months ago when I first received it.

 

[rockm]

See attached photos many areas just don’t seem to want to leaf out
I get very long spindly branches that are not the look I wanting. And just recently gave it a big trim. Please note the rather bare areas these were mostly hidden under the branches I trimmed. I’d ultimately like rather tightly clustered leaves at the major branches. Note the outdoors photo is how the tree looked 18 months ago when I first received it.

More detail is needed. Is the tree being kept inside? for one.

 

[penumbra]

More detail is needed. Is the tree being kept inside? for one.

This^^^
and it is not a Zelkova, it is a Chinese Elm.

 

[leatherback]

One of the challenges seems to be that you keep the tree in a too dark location; The large leaves and long internodes indicate a lack of light.

 

[Shibui]

Agree that this appears to be a Chinese elm. Often confused with zelkova, even by nurseries.

Agree that long, spindly branches and bare sections usually result from insufficient light. Allowing the new shoots to grow only aggravates the problem as lower and inner shoots get even less light because they are shaded by the upper shoots. Can also result from nutrient deficiency. No mention of watering or fertiliser so hard to say if that's the case or not.

More light, better trimming and a lot of patience would be my recommendations to getting where you want to be.

 

[Bonsai Guy VA.]

Wow! Thanks for info. Indeed the nursery that sold it to me sold it as a Zelkova. And due to my apartment complex it has been a mostly indoor tree. With direct led lighting on it 10 hours a day from 24-30” away. After its trim it has been outside for about 3 weeks now. Getting daily to every other day watering and misting.Here on the James River in VA it has been sunny and 95-105 degrees for weeks. Fertilizer every 30 days. Suggestions for when the temperatures drop this winter? As I don’t have a good alternative outside area.

 

[Bonsai Guy VA.]

Update:
After just a month on a neighboring patio my Chinese Elm is filling out.
I will be doing a bit of pruning of the longer branches this weekend. I’m still wanting a more clustered or pad look.
Also any recommendations on whether I should go ahead and transfer the “volunteer” seedling to a grow pot or leave it alone for another year?

 

[Shibui]

Good news, but not surprising. We regularly see similar improvement when indoor Chinese elms go outdoors.

I would wait until spring repotting season to transplant your baby. You'll need to dig down and find enough roots of the small one to successfully transfer it. Spring repotting season allows you to rake out the roots of the big tree to get at the little trunk with less fear of killing them both.
Even if you can get it out now the growth advantage will be miniscule over spring transplant. A few months is just a blink in bonsai terms so be patient.

 

[leatherback]

After just a month on a neighboring patio my Chinese Elm is filling out.
I will be doing a bit of pruning of the longer branches this weekend. I’m still wanting a more clustered or pad look.

At this point you shoul dnot be concerned about looks but about health.
I would NOT prune now. Allow it to grow and accumulate energy: A few weeks is nothing for a tree to restore reserves that were dwindling.

Here is an elm with healthy growth; Note how the leaves at the end of branches start to get bigger, with gaps and the branches itself look lush and fat? That is what you are after now.