Rootless Chinese Elm
- Homer911
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 347
- Joined: April 2nd, 2015, 4:59 pm
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Location: Tweed Coast
- Been thanked: 11 times
Rootless Chinese Elm
I had planted this Chinese Elm in the ground about a year ago and I remember that I didn't attend to the roots before it was planted.
I went to root prune it today and accidentally removed the whole root ball.
Roots pruned good n' proper!
I reduced the top and put some rooting powder on the root stumps. Covered them in sphagnum moss and put it in a pot.
Im not holding out much hope...its down to about 9°C overnight now.
Should I keep it indoors so it stays a little warmer? Place it in a plastic bag to increase humidity?
Am I clutching at straws?
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
I went to root prune it today and accidentally removed the whole root ball.
Roots pruned good n' proper!
I reduced the top and put some rooting powder on the root stumps. Covered them in sphagnum moss and put it in a pot.
Im not holding out much hope...its down to about 9°C overnight now.
Should I keep it indoors so it stays a little warmer? Place it in a plastic bag to increase humidity?
Am I clutching at straws?
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 7669
- Joined: August 22nd, 2009, 8:41 pm
- Favorite Species: trident maple
- Bonsai Age: 41
- Bonsai Club: Albury/Wodonga; BSV; Canberra; VNBC
- Location: Yackandandah
- Has thanked: 66 times
- Been thanked: 1415 times
- Contact:
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
How does one 'accidentally' remove the whole root ball?
I dug some of the ones from my grow beds this afternoon. Cut the roots pretty hard but I am confident they will grow. It is a bit colder than 8C here at the moment and mine are just heeled into the soil until I can get round to potting them up in a few weeks.
No need to keep it indoors. You could prune the top a bit to remove some of the last leaves though I doubt they will be active now.
Mine have started to sprout new buds so starting to grow again even though it is still winter here.
I dug some of the ones from my grow beds this afternoon. Cut the roots pretty hard but I am confident they will grow. It is a bit colder than 8C here at the moment and mine are just heeled into the soil until I can get round to potting them up in a few weeks.
No need to keep it indoors. You could prune the top a bit to remove some of the last leaves though I doubt they will be active now.
Mine have started to sprout new buds so starting to grow again even though it is still winter here.
http://shibuibonsai.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Keels
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 698
- Joined: December 11th, 2012, 12:13 pm
- Favorite Species: Pines, Eucalyptus and Callistemon
- Bonsai Age: 11
- Bonsai Club: CBS, Goulburn & VNBC
- Location: Canberra
- Has thanked: 223 times
- Been thanked: 256 times
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
Arr the old classic chop chop ohhh shari to far
I take elm cuttings all the time and wack them into some soil and they grow like mad. You should be fine. Weather here gets down to minus at night and they never have any issues.
Good luck with it and keep us updated with how you go.
I take elm cuttings all the time and wack them into some soil and they grow like mad. You should be fine. Weather here gets down to minus at night and they never have any issues.
Good luck with it and keep us updated with how you go.
- Homer911
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 347
- Joined: April 2nd, 2015, 4:59 pm
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Location: Tweed Coast
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
Yeah, tell me about it!!shibui wrote: ↑July 28th, 2020, 9:18 pm How does one 'accidentally' remove the whole root ball?
I dug some of the ones from my grow beds this afternoon. Cut the roots pretty hard but I am confident they will grow. It is a bit colder than 8C here at the moment and mine are just heeled into the soil until I can get round to potting them up in a few weeks.
No need to keep it indoors. You could prune the top a bit to remove some of the last leaves though I doubt they will be active now.
Mine have started to sprout new buds so starting to grow again even though it is still winter here.
The rootball was a hell of a mess before I got to it, I swear governor!
Oh, that's reassuring, thanks.Keels wrote: ↑July 29th, 2020, 10:10 am Arr the old classic chop chop ohhh shari to far
I take elm cuttings all the time and wack them into some soil and they grow like mad. You should be fine. Weather here gets down to minus at night and they never have any issues.
Good luck with it and keep us updated with how you go.
Here is the horrifying mass of evil that was banished from the tree. Looking at in now, I'm glad I removed it.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 7669
- Joined: August 22nd, 2009, 8:41 pm
- Favorite Species: trident maple
- Bonsai Age: 41
- Bonsai Club: Albury/Wodonga; BSV; Canberra; VNBC
- Location: Yackandandah
- Has thanked: 66 times
- Been thanked: 1415 times
- Contact:
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
A timely and really good example of why it is so much better to do root work before planting trees in the ground.
Small tangled roots only ever grow into larger more tangled roots after a couple of years in the ground as we can see here.
Fingers crossed that your elm can recover. They are very forgiving.
Small tangled roots only ever grow into larger more tangled roots after a couple of years in the ground as we can see here.
Fingers crossed that your elm can recover. They are very forgiving.
http://shibuibonsai.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Keels
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 698
- Joined: December 11th, 2012, 12:13 pm
- Favorite Species: Pines, Eucalyptus and Callistemon
- Bonsai Age: 11
- Bonsai Club: CBS, Goulburn & VNBC
- Location: Canberra
- Has thanked: 223 times
- Been thanked: 256 times
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
Did you save that beautiful evil mass of roots? You could make something really interesting from elm root cuttings. I try and save as many as i can when i repot my elms. I actually have better elm trees from root cuttings then i have from seedlings.
- Homer911
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 347
- Joined: April 2nd, 2015, 4:59 pm
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Location: Tweed Coast
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
Yeah, kept it. Its already potted up. Not sure what will happen to it or if it will be worth keeping. I'll report back in 12 months....Keels wrote:Did you save that beautiful evil mass of roots? You could make something really interesting from elm root cuttings. I try and save as many as i can when i repot my elms. I actually have better elm trees from root cuttings then i have from seedlings.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
- Homer911
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 347
- Joined: April 2nd, 2015, 4:59 pm
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Location: Tweed Coast
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
6 weeks on.....
What was I worried about?
There were root emerging from the botton of the pot 3 weeks ago.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
What was I worried about?
There were root emerging from the botton of the pot 3 weeks ago.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
- Keels
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 698
- Joined: December 11th, 2012, 12:13 pm
- Favorite Species: Pines, Eucalyptus and Callistemon
- Bonsai Age: 11
- Bonsai Club: CBS, Goulburn & VNBC
- Location: Canberra
- Has thanked: 223 times
- Been thanked: 256 times
- MJL
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 2840
- Joined: October 26th, 2014, 8:47 pm
- Favorite Species: Maples, Elms, Cedars and Pines
- Bonsai Age: 7
- Bonsai Club: Waverley Bonsai Group & Yarra Valley Bonsai Society
- Location: Melbourne
- Has thanked: 424 times
- Been thanked: 643 times
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
Cool thread ... Chinese elm - the zombie tree - unkillable. And I reckon something will happen to that root ball too ... and you’ll have zombie babies ...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Tending bonsai teaches me patience.
- Homer911
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 347
- Joined: April 2nd, 2015, 4:59 pm
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Location: Tweed Coast
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
Ha ha, I may need to call in some back up.MJL wrote:Cool thread ... Chinese elm - the zombie tree - unkillable. And I reckon something will happen to that root ball too ... and you’ll have zombie babies ...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Zombie babies? It wouldn't surprise me in these strange new world conditions. Very fitting actually.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
- Homer911
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 347
- Joined: April 2nd, 2015, 4:59 pm
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Location: Tweed Coast
- Been thanked: 11 times
Re: Rootless Chinese Elm
The emergance of the deadly zombie baby!
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk