help this fella Chinese elm please

[linlaoboo]

Long story short it's not pushing buds where as the seiju elm that was subject exact dormancy conditions spending time in the dark outdoor closet from January to March pushed buds a month ago. I've cut the tips of some branches up top and saw some dry wood with little green under the bark. Upon scratching the bark on the lower trunk it's definately green. I'm just not sure if it's even alive since the buds haven't even swell. One winter ago we had a real winter and top half of the tree didn't come out of dormancy having spent time on the outdoor shelf with plastic covering so this year I made sure it's protected from wind in the outdoor closet which doesn't get that cold. They were but into the closet after all the leafs dropped on Jan. 1st.

seiju elm

Chinese elm

This is from last Spring

2 seasons ago

 

[JudyB]

If there is green under the bark, it is still alive. But is it green under the bark on the branches? Could be you have branch die off, but not the lower trunk. Don't overwater it, just give it some time, and see if it comes back.
It's an elm, you might be ok. Time will tell.

 

[gergwebber]

I say plant the smaller ones out into the garden to fatten up for the season!

 

[linlaoboo]

I live in a condo development so I don't trust the maintnence crew with bonsai in the garden, they might pull it out. I dd have a 3' x 3' grow box on the patio but it's full of ficuses at the moment =)

 

[linlaoboo]

i think he's either dead or in a real deep coma. we had some 90 degree weather today and if that doesn't break the dormany, not sure what will.

 

[linlaoboo]

Hey people, My tree is pushing 1 or 2 buds as of this morning

 

[JudyB]

Yay!!! Sometimes they like to make you wait... Glad to hear it. Just be really careful about watering till it really gets going.