Introducing a New Elm......say Hello Corky.....

just.wing.it · Aug 23, 2019

The next step.

Sorry, no "before pics" this time.
I dug down a tiny bit and see a nice looking flare at the base, on one side anyway....that lowest branch will be removed during repotting next spring.

This one is a real task to stay on top of all the buds that need to be "rubbed off", its hard to rub with corky bark, I use a bamboo skewer to "rub" them away.

just.wing.it · Oct 19, 2019

I was surely not fooling myself when I said something about rubbing off buds on the trunk......Crikey!!! Insane amounts of tiny buds popping all summer all along the trunk.

Been battling Black Spot too, which seems more like a small nuisance to this tree, for now anyway....

Its still growing today, but I'm sure it'll stop for the winter soon.

BubblePopScott · Oct 20, 2019

Sorry I'm quite new, but why didn't you bare root or at least take away the top 1/3 of the soil to find the nebari when you got it? That way you would have found the front? Which would guide you on branch selection? Cool tree, I think its going to be awesome

leatherback · Oct 20, 2019

BubblePopScott said:
Sorry I'm quite new, but why didn't you bare root or at least take away the top 1/3 of the soil to find the nebari when you got it?

Doesn't post #41 not clearly show the top of the nebari?

just.wing.it · Oct 20, 2019

BubblePopScott said:
Sorry I'm quite new, but why didn't you bare root or at least take away the top 1/3 of the soil to find the nebari when you got it? That way you would have found the front? Which would guide you on branch selection? Cool tree, I think its going to be awesome ☺

Mostly because it was already in leaf, and the pot is soooo packed full of roots....figured I'd wait till the proper time.

Most likely I will air layer off the top half at some point, and then chop low.
Maybe next year.

This was my first year with it, and i was just getting acquainted.

just.wing.it · Oct 20, 2019

leatherback said:
Doesn't post #41 not clearly show the top of the nebari?

Nah....the lowest branch has roots coming off of it....and i dug down a tiny bit, but....there is more lurking beneath.

BubblePopScott · Oct 20, 2019

leatherback said:
Doesn't post #41 not clearly show the top of the nebari?

looks like im blind, carry on

BubblePopScott · Oct 20, 2019

just.wing.it said:
Mostly because it was already in leaf, and the pot is soooo packed full of roots....figured I'd wait till the proper time.

Most likely I will air layer off the top half at some point, and then chop low.
Maybe next year.

This was my first year with it, and i was just getting acquainted.

Oh ok cool, I had wondered about that. The reason I asked - I just bought an elm tree its mid spring where I am atm - would it be OK to bare root it now? Or should I wait till next year?

just.wing.it · Oct 20, 2019

BubblePopScott said:
Oh ok cool, I had wondered about that. The reason I asked - I just bought an elm tree its mid spring where I am atm - would it be OK to bare root it now? Or should I wait till next year?

I would only bare root before buds open, early springtime.

just.wing.it · Mar 16, 2020

Repotted today.
What a mess.....
More wide base exposed, creating more movement down low....which is nice.
I'm gonna have to cover this with chopped sphagnum to develop new surface roots.

just.wing.it · Mar 16, 2020

Probably will air layer the top off and build 2 smaller trees in the future....wasn't gonna at first....but now I want to.

Jzack605 · Mar 17, 2020

Yeah I see two trees there.

just.wing.it · Jun 17, 2020

Corky is rolling right along after some major root reduction.
I'm letting it go all year.....and I'll scope it out in fall/winter.
I'm winning the war against Black Spot with the systemic spray.