sorce
Nonsense Rascal
On 60 acres?
Did you cover it all?
I bet you passed some useable stuff.
Take some pics!
School Monday!?
Sorce
Unknown elm
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- elm semi cascade
On 60 acres?
Did you cover it all?
I bet you passed some useable stuff.
Take some pics!
School Monday!?
Sorce
Tieball
Masterpiece
I think the mother tree looks like what I see in my backyard that is American Elm. Vase shape. Odd direct growth. But I can't see your mother tree's bark. But I think it's American Elm.
Back to your starter question. If it were mine I'd take the wire off and let it grow more upright. Leave enough early trunk wire to create a bend or curve in the trunk. I'd reach for more of an upright style. After you have it growing a few years it will be much thicker. They grow fast in the ground if you can do that growing mether. They also grow fast in a box. You'll have a nice American Elm underway....then....you'll chop some rogue roots off that Elm. The rogue roots will be fairly thick....very flexible...and maybe around at least 1/2" diameter. From a chopped root you can grow an interesting leaning or semi cascade tree.
When I trench around my Elms.....I end up with new tree growing up all over around the cutting circle. I select a few. I've pulled roots out too...and just planted them after even more chopping. They grow.
Back to your starter question. If it were mine I'd take the wire off and let it grow more upright. Leave enough early trunk wire to create a bend or curve in the trunk. I'd reach for more of an upright style. After you have it growing a few years it will be much thicker. They grow fast in the ground if you can do that growing mether. They also grow fast in a box. You'll have a nice American Elm underway....then....you'll chop some rogue roots off that Elm. The rogue roots will be fairly thick....very flexible...and maybe around at least 1/2" diameter. From a chopped root you can grow an interesting leaning or semi cascade tree.
When I trench around my Elms.....I end up with new tree growing up all over around the cutting circle. I select a few. I've pulled roots out too...and just planted them after even more chopping. They grow.
OK
Source so I only covered maybe 5 acres but I live in a trailer so I can't go too big with a tree( I mean like 7in tall max for now) and no school I have spring break this week to make plans for all my trees
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
You won't be keeping them in the trailer.OK
Source so I only covered maybe 5 acres but I live in a trailer so I can't go too big with a tree( I mean like 7in tall max for now) and no school I have spring break this week to make plans for all my trees
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
This is my cork Bark elm. One thing I have had issues with the elms are aphids...they love the elm...doing battle with them right now. I spray with a hose to wash as many off as possible first...then to a weak mixture of dish soap and oil...followed by dust if they persist...they are tenacious!
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You may be interested in this experiment. These are volunteer Chinese elms I found in a circular flower pot at school. I dried them out a bit and pulled them all out of the pot dirt and all...I pulled the plants into a straight line and planted them in this mortar trough with holes in the bottom. I cut the top out of the center elms (about 1/2) and left the outside ones alone. It seems to me the ones I cut the top out of have thicker trunks with larger leaves.
OK thanks all of you and as for not keeping them in side there is little room outside too
My dad is a land skaper and already has a lot of pots and outdoor space taken up so I have to be careful about what I bring home
Anyone know how to keel the elm around a foot tall with a thick trunk
Any advice is greatly appreciated
My dad is a land skaper and already has a lot of pots and outdoor space taken up so I have to be careful about what I bring home
Anyone know how to keel the elm around a foot tall with a thick trunk
Any advice is greatly appreciated
Tieball
Masterpiece
In your mind....what do you see as a measurement of diameter of the thick trunk you want for the tree?
Right now you have a pencil or less. Knowing your target trunk size...I can tell you what my experience with growing American Elm has been. I've grow in plastic pots, wood boxes and the ground.
Right now you have a pencil or less. Knowing your target trunk size...I can tell you what my experience with growing American Elm has been. I've grow in plastic pots, wood boxes and the ground.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
That's kinda truish..
But to get that trunk it has to get mad tall.
Thing is....
You can find one that thick...
Chop it to six inches tall...
And be good to go!
If your father is a landscaper....
He probly knows where you can get some.
We Love Landscapers !
They got the mad hookup!
Sorce
Tieball
Masterpiece
And to get that trunk you want you will have to let this tree grow....a lot....and very tall. Then you'll chop it back. Or, as @sorce suggests, look for a bigger tree to start with or ask the dad landscaper for a bigger tree. It may be unlikely that he has Elm trees...but may know an area where there are some growing...or be able to offer you a healthy substitute tree.
I believe that keeping a stick in a pot and letting it get root bound will result in a root-bound-stick in a pot just a little bit thicker.
This is what I do.....
All my American Elms started as sticks with about a trunk diameter of a whopping 1/8". I take these sticks and first free grow some more roots in a plastic nursery container. I let the trees grow...totally untouched for at least a full season and sometimes two seasons. Then I pull the trees out in spring at bud swelling time and prune off any tap root and any undesirable roots. I root prune. I now move the tree, which probably has a trunk of 1/2" at least into a wooden box. I use a box about 15" x 11" x 4.5" with slats for the bottom. The tree will stay in the box to free-grow again. Sometimes, when I put trees into the box, I chop them back....just because they get to tall and because I want a directional curve in the trunk....and sometimes just because I just need a tree to chop. This early the roots are to young to tie down. I just place baseball size flatter shaped rocks on the surface around the trunk....to keep the tree secure until the roots take a strong hold in the container. It has worked for me...nothing glamorous...just functional.
After the box....I move the very healthy growing tree to the ground. I don't have any clay....excellent! Just a sandy soil so I add some old bonsai soil to the ground area where I'm planting. Once in the ground, planted on a tile (what I use is 16" x 16" floor tiles), the tree will grow...large...fairly quick. I arrange the roots. In 3 growing seasons I can go from a 1/2" trunk to a 1 1/2" trunk. Every three years I trench around the tile shape ( I mark corners with stakes)....but I just leave the tree in the ground. I can't seem to resist the chopping of unwanted wild growth pattern branches....I have to work on letting growth just happen....my chopping seems to slow growth down....but at the same time it does provide movement in the trunk.
Fast forward. About 7 years later I have a decent gnarly trunk with healed scars of about 3.5 "to 4" diameter. I also have reasonable taper developed. Now I'm chopping again and beginning branch development....I hope.
Basically....if you want a thick trunk....I'd find a 3' circle to grow your current stick tree in the ground. And when the tree is tall....cut some branches off and put those new sticks in a plastic container. Water well....grow more trees to turn into whatever shapes you might want to try. Plant them straight...plant them slanted. Chop them. Grow them. Have fun learning how the trees respond to your work. And...watch your dad chuckle and shake his head left and right as he examines your efforts. But...you have a plan.
That's what I do.
As @sorce says though...find a thicker tree to start with and save a bunch of growing years. I choose the growing path because I like that way....I enjoy the growing....and nature is a great helper. But I'd still grow the tree you have out...gives your dad some free joke material for conversations.
I believe that keeping a stick in a pot and letting it get root bound will result in a root-bound-stick in a pot just a little bit thicker.
This is what I do.....
All my American Elms started as sticks with about a trunk diameter of a whopping 1/8". I take these sticks and first free grow some more roots in a plastic nursery container. I let the trees grow...totally untouched for at least a full season and sometimes two seasons. Then I pull the trees out in spring at bud swelling time and prune off any tap root and any undesirable roots. I root prune. I now move the tree, which probably has a trunk of 1/2" at least into a wooden box. I use a box about 15" x 11" x 4.5" with slats for the bottom. The tree will stay in the box to free-grow again. Sometimes, when I put trees into the box, I chop them back....just because they get to tall and because I want a directional curve in the trunk....and sometimes just because I just need a tree to chop. This early the roots are to young to tie down. I just place baseball size flatter shaped rocks on the surface around the trunk....to keep the tree secure until the roots take a strong hold in the container. It has worked for me...nothing glamorous...just functional.
After the box....I move the very healthy growing tree to the ground. I don't have any clay....excellent! Just a sandy soil so I add some old bonsai soil to the ground area where I'm planting. Once in the ground, planted on a tile (what I use is 16" x 16" floor tiles), the tree will grow...large...fairly quick. I arrange the roots. In 3 growing seasons I can go from a 1/2" trunk to a 1 1/2" trunk. Every three years I trench around the tile shape ( I mark corners with stakes)....but I just leave the tree in the ground. I can't seem to resist the chopping of unwanted wild growth pattern branches....I have to work on letting growth just happen....my chopping seems to slow growth down....but at the same time it does provide movement in the trunk.
Fast forward. About 7 years later I have a decent gnarly trunk with healed scars of about 3.5 "to 4" diameter. I also have reasonable taper developed. Now I'm chopping again and beginning branch development....I hope.
Basically....if you want a thick trunk....I'd find a 3' circle to grow your current stick tree in the ground. And when the tree is tall....cut some branches off and put those new sticks in a plastic container. Water well....grow more trees to turn into whatever shapes you might want to try. Plant them straight...plant them slanted. Chop them. Grow them. Have fun learning how the trees respond to your work. And...watch your dad chuckle and shake his head left and right as he examines your efforts. But...you have a plan.
That's what I do.
As @sorce says though...find a thicker tree to start with and save a bunch of growing years. I choose the growing path because I like that way....I enjoy the growing....and nature is a great helper. But I'd still grow the tree you have out...gives your dad some free joke material for conversations.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
You know.....
Truth is....
It might take a long time to get that tree thick.
Keeping it small.
Grow as much foliage as you can at 10 inches...
You can keep it pruned to a 10inx10in box of foliage...
And it will get thick.
Come to think of it...
I have a few elms that didn't grow many leaves last year, and they all bulked up pretty well.
You have the time.
And putting on wood in such small increments.....
I call it Stradivarius Bonsai!
Coveted!
Here's to YOUR elm!
Sorce
Truth is....
It might take a long time to get that tree thick.
Keeping it small.
Grow as much foliage as you can at 10 inches...
You can keep it pruned to a 10inx10in box of foliage...
And it will get thick.
Come to think of it...
I have a few elms that didn't grow many leaves last year, and they all bulked up pretty well.
You have the time.
And putting on wood in such small increments.....
I call it Stradivarius Bonsai!
Coveted!
Here's to YOUR elm!
Sorce
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Thank us by NEVER giving up!
Then in 40 years You Will thank yourself too!
I'm excited for you young bro!
Keep em growing!
Sorce
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
That's actually something your shooting for!
Besides that one heavy branch top right....
The rest are perfect to build from.
They all could be a bit thicker....
But that is nice starter material.
Might as well cut the elm.
Sorce
