New Bonsai Chinese elm

[Merlotlo]

I went to Garland's in Corvallis (can't recommend enough!) And bought a Chinese elm in a pot. Looks to me to be about 5 years old (I could and probably am so WRONG). I enjoy the trunk which is why I bought it but upon further inspection it looks like it was planted quite deep in the pot?

I also don't see any wire keeping it in the pot? Is this normal? It only has one drain hole on the bottom so maybe that's why it's potted so deep? It's about an inch and a half of digging before I see roots.

I don't want to repot it any time soon but I would like to be able to see the roots as some point.
Sorry for the bad pictures, morning light is way too bright for photography lol. Don't mind my badly painted nails!

Have a good day and y'all are so helpful and I appreciate all of you!!

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

This looks a bit like a mass produced tree. I can't speak to the why of nebari buried deep, but its been my experience with mass production trees that they tend to be buried deep. I do know that folks actively working on roots will bury them deeper than the final display to keep them safe, but my personal opinion on the mass produced trees is that they bury them because they're not so great, or they are burying as much trunk with no movement/taper as possible. Case in point, check out this little Walmart elm I purchased awhile back. First pic is as it was purchased, second pic is after I unburied it and put in a shallower pot. Uncovered at least 2 inches of trunk from that one and it has no nebari to speak of.

 

[Paulpash]

At repotting time you could address the planting angle so it doesn't rise up vertically and then shoot off at a right angle. I'd also just gently pick off those random bits of stone on the surface - they don't really add to the aesthetic.

Keep it healthy for now, learn how to prune, water, repot and get it thriving. A few years down the road I suspect you'll be chopping it to remove that long trunk section that adds neither movement nor taper. I'm not beating on your tree - I bought worse when I started.

 

[just.wing.it]

Trees like this one (aka "mallsai") are not developed to have a great rootbase, they're developed to sell fast to newbies.

Nothing wrong with that, just means you have a long term project on your hands.

 

[Saddler]

You could repot in spring. Use the time to figure out what you want to use as the soil, maybe a new pot if you like. But most importantly, learn how to make it happy.

Trees in pots are a long term thing so you have a lot of time to correct what you want to.

 

[misfit11]

I’ve noticed you posting frequently on here lately. Welcome to the hobby! Your enthusiasm reminds me of myself when I first got into bonsai in the early 2000s. I remember going to nurseries at every possible opportunity and looking for that “diamond in the rough” or low-priced bonsai.
If I can impart any wisdom that I’ve gleaned over the years it is too really learn about bonsai soil. What we call soil isn’t anything like the potting soil most people are familiar with. Bonsai soil is absolutely free draining and is, more often than not, inorganic (basically rocks). I wasted way too much time trying to grow trees in less than ideal soil and I lost many trees as a result.
Also, I strongly urge you to find a local club and become a member. I began doing bonsai in 2002 but didn’t join a club until 2011. I don’t recommend this strategy. My knowledge, skills, access to resources, etc absolutely took off after joining REBS. This forum is cool and all but there is no substitute for live humans when it comes to learning something as hands-on as bonsai. Also, there are quite a few folks who hand out advice on here as if they know what they are talking about, many don't.
I agree with the previous poster saying that you may eventually want to do a chop on this tree to develop some taper and do away with the “S” bend. I would probably chop at just above the first branch and start developing that as the new top (you could even do an air layer there and have two trees!). This may seem crazy for someone starting out in the hobby though. Until then, just enjoy your new tree and this amazing hobby!

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I can't speak to the why of nebari buried deep, but its been my experience with mass production trees that they tend to be buried deep.

I think I can speak as to why the nebari is buried that deep. It's because these trees are made from cuttings or airlayers that are directly planted in these pots after wiring. Before they're shipped off, the wire is removed (sometimes they forget a piece) and that's about all the work the nursery ever did. It happens with a lot of plants that are propagated through cuttings. The deeper they're planted, the better the results for the nursery. Not always for us though.

 

[Saddler]

If I can impart any wisdom that I’ve gleaned over the years it is too really learn about bonsai soil. What we call soil isn’t anything like the potting soil most people are familiar with. Bonsai soil is absolutely free draining and is, more often than not, inorganic (basically rocks). I wasted way too much time trying to grow trees in less than ideal soil and I lost many trees as a result.

This. This is important. I went through the same thing. Lost many trees to bad soil. Now I have a good mix that I am still fine tuning. I wasted four years with mediocre growth using bad soil with the trees that survived.

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Looks like it was planned deep to forgo wiring it in

 

[Merlotlo]

Thank you for your advice everyone. I will wait till spring and then see what's going on down there under all that red rock.

@Paulpash I like the idea of turning it sideways as it is straight down an inch or two under that Stone and it might help it looking odd.

 

[coltranem]

@Merlotlo looks like you are acquiring trees pretty quickly.

Now see about classes or a club (williamette bonsai society)

 

[Merlotlo]

@misfit11 & @Saddler This elm is planted mostly in red rock (lava maybe?) and what looks to be bark and some white rock. There is a fine soil mixed with sand at the bottom. It drains very well.

For the future I did pick up two different bonsai soils from local nurseries. Not sure how good they will be and I suspect one is better than the other now that you have explained a little further.

One is E.B Stone bonsai soil. It's 35-40% fir bark, lava rock, peat moss, sand, and aged redwood.

The other is Weetree bonsaid soil and it's ingredients are pumice, red cinder, forest products, worm castings, peat moss, and lime (as a pH adjuster)

Would love to know how you feel about them.

I'm having a delightful time studying and watering my trees. When I get into something I tend to jump all in and get a bit obsessive. Bonsai on the brain all the time lol

 

[Merlotlo]

@Merlotlo looks like you are acquiring trees pretty quickly.

Now see about classes or a club (williamette bonsai society)

I emailed them and I'll be going to their next meeting in September. Is it September yet? I'm ready for fall. And yeah....I went from zero trees to seven. I need to calm down

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I emailed them and I'll be going to their next meeting in September. Is it September yet? I'm ready for fall. And yeah....I went from zero trees to seven. I need to calm down

No, actually seven trees is just the start. You need 100.

5 nice trees in nice pots for display.
10 decent trees in final refinement in Chinese pots.
25 trees in large Anderson flats growing like mad that you are getting ready to move into pots... in 1-3 years.
60 trees in large pond baskets or in the ground in early development.

If you have a lot of trees, you can be patient with them. If you only have a few, it is easy to kill them with kindness - by constantly messing with them.

That said, you always need to have a handful that are "finished" trees in pot on nice benches or stands... because otherwise your yard will look like an unkempt nursery!

 

[misfit11]

Ditto what the Head Nut said. He might have been exaggerating a bit when he said 100 (maybe not ), but lots of trees can be a good thing for a beginner. Beginners tend to love their trees to death. If you have lots of trees then you can spread the love around a little.

 

[misfit11]

For the future I did pick up two different bonsai soils from local nurseries. Not sure how good they will be and I suspect one is better than the other now that you have explained a little further.

Those premixed bonsai soils are probably fine for now (I think I bought that Wee Tree soil when I was first getting started). As you progress in the hobby you'll probably start making your own soil mix. Most of us do. I use equal parts lava rock, pumice, and Akadama. Everyone has their own soil mix that they think is the best (there have been wars over it. Do a search on this forum). The point is that you sift out any fines so the water goes straight through.

 

[Merlotlo]

No, actually seven trees is just the start. You need 100.

5 nice trees in nice pots for display.
10 decent trees in final refinement in Chinese pots.
25 trees in large Anderson flats growing like mad that you are getting ready to move into pots... in 1-3 years.
60 trees in large pond baskets or in the ground in early development

That said, you always need to have a handful that are "finished" trees in pot on nice benches or stands... because otherwise your yard will look like an unkempt nursery!

Oh my goodness, maybe one day. My backyard can't support 100 trees. I'm sure I will get more though, any time I pass a nursery all I wanna do is stop by. I would love some more maples though...

I'm trying my best to just water and watch. I'm doing pretty good, except on my experiment boxwood. It got messed with and took one for the team...

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Oh my goodness, maybe one day. My backyard can't support 100 trees. I'm sure I will get more though, any time I pass a nursery all I wanna do is stop by. I would love some more maples though...

I will happily wait here until the day you say "You know what? You were right!"

The first step in recovery is acknowledging... you have a problem. I have over 100 trees... and maybe 200 if I stopped to count. I know people who have over 600 Actually now that I think of it, I have somewhere around 75 JBP seedlings that I am growing for the 6 year JBP contest. They are taking up about 12 square feet, more or less

 

[thomas22]

any time I pass a nursery all I wanna do is stop by.

I'm the same way. I always stop if I have time. I'm about maxed out with 25 trees and 50 2 year old seedlings but I still stop and look for the chance of really good material.
I would recommend you keep going to nurserys but just get more picky and save room the really good stuff.

 

[Saddler]

Oh my goodness, maybe one day. My backyard can't support 100 trees. I'm sure I will get more though, any time I pass a nursery all I wanna do is stop by. I would love some more maples though...

I'm trying my best to just water and watch. I'm doing pretty good, except on my experiment boxwood. It got messed with and took one for the team...

you will be surprised how many tree you can fit into a yard when you start finding ways, like building three tiered shelves on three sides of the yard.