TJ’s Big Siberian Elm
- Thread starter Colorado
- Start date
Colorado
Masterpiece
10-4, thanks Bobby!
Colorado
Masterpiece
Thanks for the input! I think you’re right, and I think it’s in line with what Bobby is saying. I’ll definitely let those lower branches run next year for thickening.
PonderingSage:
Shohin
Looks like you made pretty good progress pretty quick.
I love Siberian elms because you get three or four big flushes a year and you can really see your tree progress.
I love Siberian elms because you get three or four big flushes a year and you can really see your tree progress.
Colorado
Masterpiece
Thanks, I love the species too! I am amazed how much twigging I got in just one year. Once I get the primary bones in a place that I like them, I think it will be able to achieve some pretty significant ramification quickly once I transition to refinement.
Colorado
Masterpiece
Just brought this elm out of winter storage. I have big plans for it this year! I am going to cut the branches back hard and remove some unnecessary branches in the apex to really get it set up for future success.
Nice bark!
Nice bark!
Gabler
Masterpiece
I’m surprised you’re not letting branches extend more to thicken up. What’s your line of thought behind chopping back the branches?
Colorado
Masterpiece
I will let the lower branches extend to thicken, but the branches in the apex are already pretty coarse and straight. I want to reset them to start rebuilding with better/more ramified structure.
I also subscribe generally to the idea of more, but less drastic pruning. Smaller scars to heal, better transition of taper in my opinion. Can always let branches extend in the future, too. Slow and steady!
Gabler
Masterpiece
Thanks!
Colorado
Masterpiece
No problem! Although I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have any refined elms to show off, so the jury is still out on whether this will ever become a good tree
Hartinez
Masterpiece
I think you should consider thread grafting some branches on the side of the tree that has no branching. It’s so easy with Siberian.No problem! Although I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have any refined elms to show off, so the jury is still out on whether this will ever become a good tree
Colorado
Masterpiece
Good idea, Danny. Last summer I got a ton of new buds on the trunk, so maybe I’ll see if I can get lucky and get a few buds in good locations for more branches. If not, thread grafting may be in order!
bonsaiDerek
Mame
just a question about Siberian elm, I've heard that if they don't get full sun all day, they will drop branches
anyone else heard this?
anyone else heard this?
Colorado
Masterpiece
Hadn’t specifically heard that. Also haven’t had any problems with dropping branches on this one. I do give it pretty much full sun.
Hartinez
Masterpiece
I’ve heard about the “drop branches” thing also. But haven’t had any issues as of yet that didn’t have to do with other ill health effects. I had the top half of a Siberian elm die on me a few years ago, but it had nothing to do with randomness or sun exposure, it just dried out way too much from a prolonged heat spell and me being out of town. My experience is if your on top of care and watering branches do just fine.
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
- Messages
- 13,463
- Reaction score
- 32,079
- USDA Zone
- 6a
I've heard that they do tend to drop branches. I've never kept a Siberian elm so can't speak from experience....
... and when are you gonna carve those chop scars??
Colorado
Masterpiece
I've heard that they do tend to drop branches. I've never kept a Siberian elm so can't speak from experience....
... and when are you gonna carve those chop scars??
I am thinking that maybe I will get after those chops with a dremel this year! I’ve seen your approach of initial carving session, let it weather a bit, and then go back and hit it again. I’m thinking I’ll take a similar approach.
misfit11
Omono
I still think ground layering this right at the first bend would do wonders for this tree. That base is really off-putting for me. If you ground layer it, it will look way more powerful and the nebari would would be perfect with completely radial roots. It should be really easy as Elms root easily.
Colorado
Masterpiece
Well I appreciate the honest feedback. So are you thinking about like this?
To be totally honest, I have to say that I don’t find the base to be offensive in any way. I think that ground layering it as above also loses the first section of movement. However maybe I just am seeing it with rose colored glasses because I really like the tree
I will have to think about it more. Thanks!
Gabler
Masterpiece
Well I appreciate the honest feedback. So are you thinking about like this?
View attachment 480439
To be totally honest, I have to say that I don’t find the base to be offensive in any way. I think that ground layering it as above also loses the first section of movement. However maybe I just am seeing it with rose colored glasses because I really like the tree
I’m mostly just seeing stubs of old roots that didn’t heal over right. Could you use concave cutters to hollow out the base of each stub, so it heals over smooth? Do elms tend to swell at cut sites as they heal?
As for the issue of movement, though, there’s a sharp bend at the base, then a long straight section, and then more bends at the top. I’d either cut the tree in half in the middle by air layer or layer away the bend at the bottom to give the overall trunkline a fishhook shape. But that’s just my $0.02.
Last edited:
