Zelkova air layer broom advice

[giharding]

Hi all,

I recently got back into this hobby/obsession after about a 15 year break when I didnt have any outside space. Anyway, I used to have a nice little broom style zelkova that just sat neglected in my mums garden during that time. It survived, but only just and I now have it back in my garden. I left it to grow this year and I was thinking to air layer this part and turn it into a broom. Does that look possible and if so how should I go about it?

Thanks!

 

[Handsome John]

I would use the two large branches at the top as layers first. Theyre both pretty thick and really straight which would be good for starting brooms. Then layer the trunk half way up, just after the gentle curve. But no matter what you're starting from scratch so I would go for having three layers to work with rather than just one lol

 

[giharding]

Thanks for the reply. My first thought was to air layer above the bend and use the three branches as a start to structure the crown, cutting them back to an inch or so each. But wasn't sure if particularly the one on the right was already too thick for that. Here is the whole tree and what it looked like after I wired it 15 years ago. Could've been great today if it hadn't been neglected all that time...

 

[AlainK]

Hi,
I'm perplexed: if the bark looks like the bark of a young zelkova, the leaves don't. They look waxy, leathery, and are not dented, they don't look at all like Zelkova leaves.

 

[petegreg]

Just skip the very first picture, Alain. Had the same feeling...

 

[AlainK]

Just skip the very first picture, Alain. Had the same feeling...

Oh, yes: just realized it was the leaves of the plant behind

 

[cmeg1]

I would chop it in appropriate time where rough bark stops or just above and hope for new branching.
I think all the air layers on a half inch trunk or really just a waste of time when you can grow that in a season From cuttings.
I cannot believe that zelkova is 15 years old......doesn’t seem to make sense really.

 

[cmeg1]

At any rate, you can take cuttings and air layer first or second season whips in the ground level.
I had poor results air layering older wood than second season wood.
The layered cutting final image in the picture is two years old.
1st or 2nd season wood air layers in two weeks.Any older and rooting is hit or miss.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Oh, yes: just realized it was the leaves of the plant behind

He has some jasmine growing behind the zelkova

 

[giharding]

At any rate, you can take cuttings and air layer first or second season whips in the ground level.
I had poor results air layering older wood than second season wood.
The layered cutting final image in the picture is two years old.
1st or 2nd season wood air layers in two weeks.Any older and rooting is hit or miss.

Thanks for your suggestions, I've read your thread and it was very helpful. I'll have another read. I just thought I could get a head start this way rather than using cuttings, but i will take some this year and try both ways. BTW it is more than 15 years old, or at least the bottom of the trunk is. The wired pic was taken in March 2003.

 

[cmeg1]

I've read your thread

Thanks!
This thread of mine is the most current
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/zelkova-from-cuttings.33709/