[Andrew Legg] Ulmus parvifolia Suberosa

[Shinkitai]

Thanks for the journey Andrew. Would love to see how this tree looks in another year.

[anttal63]

Lovely little tree Andrew !!! i too look forward to another year...

[Steven]

Great progression Andrew!

How about a shot with a ruler next to it?

Regards,
Steven

[Andrew Legg]

Great progression Andrew!

How about a shot with a ruler next to it?

Regards,
Steven

Hi Steven,

I did not worry too much about the ruler as the tree is not formally in the compo, but here you go. Not quite as snazzy a photo, but if you squint a bit you can read the numbers. I think my phone camera lost focus when I dropped it

IMG-20121029-00431_cr.jpg

Cheers,

Andrew

[Andrew Legg]

Steven,

I'd like to keep my elm in the compo, and since its formally still the 31st March here in South Africa, I hope I'm not too late!

Here's the obligatory two pics.

Cheers,

Andrew

IMG_7082.JPG

IMG_7083.JPG

[Steven]

Sorry Andrew, entries closed at midnight EDST. This entry and your one in CREATE are not able to be accepted.

Regards,
Steven

[lackhand]

Sorry Andrew, entries closed at midnight EDST. This entry and your one in CREATE are not able to be accepted.

Regards,
Steven

Yeah, the dates are a bugger. Still Easter Sunday here, so can I work on my trees or not? Doesn't really matter, I don't have time today anyway.

Please keep us updated on this tree though Andrew, I quite like it!

[Andrew Legg]

Sorry Andrew, entries closed at midnight EDST. This entry and your one in CREATE are not able to be accepted.

Regards,
Steven

Aaaarghhh - missed the EDST in the fine print!! Oh well, Steven, any chance of moving the entries into the Shohin section on the main forum?

Cheers mate, and good luck to all!

[Neli]

I have learned a lot from your post.
-How much a branch grows in a particular period.
Now it is easier to plan when to chop.
Thank You.

[Andrew Legg]

I have learned a lot from your post.
-How much a branch grows in a particular period.
Now it is easier to plan when to chop.
Thank You.

Hi Neli, I'm pleased. I think the key with working on bonsai is patience. I'm not 100% sure what you mean in your post, but try to avoid working backwards form a date by which you want to achieve something. Rather work forwards and allow the end date to shift as appropriate for the health of the tree. In the right conditions, elms grow like stink, but major branch work is best done in late winter or early in spring to get maximum healing.

Cheerio,

Andrew

[Neli]

Hi Andrew,
It is a competition. It is not normal bonsai styling. I have to achieve result by a certain date. Some time this might not be possible, but I think it will help if some plan is in place.
I tried to analyze how You did it...and think you cut your primary branches too soon, and put it in a pot too early. So if I see how much your plant grew in particular period, I can make some plan of action...
I dont want to end up at the end with large primary branches but no secondary branches or tertiary ones.
We are from the same nook of the woods so growth should be similar, or better if I dont put it in a small pot too early or cut the primary branches for tapper too early or too late. Need to have approximate time frame.
I might not achieve everything I want to achieve in normal circumstances, and some compromises might bee needed...but I have a lot to grow.
Some people already have their primary branches in place...even secondary...I dont...This is what I mean.

[Andrew Legg]

Hi Andrew,
It is a competition. It is not normal bonsai styling. I have to achieve result by a certain date. Some time this might not be possible, but I think it will help if some plan is in place.
I tried to analyze how You did it...and think you cut your primary branches too soon, and put it in a pot too early. So if I see how much your plant grew in particular period, I can make some plan of action...
I dont want to end up at the end with large primary branches but no secondary branches or tertiary ones.
We are from the same nook of the woods so growth should be similar, or better if I dont put it in a small pot too early or cut the primary branches for tapper too early or too late. Need to have approximate time frame.
I might not achieve everything I want to achieve in normal circumstances, and some compromises might bee needed...but I have a lot to grow.
Some people already have their primary branches in place...even secondary...I dont...This is what I mean.

[Andrew Legg]

Well folks, in the spirit of learning, I thought I'd document my winter pruning of this tree. For those of you unaware of what winter pruning is, it's the process by which we seek to create good branch structure and ramification by eliminating unnecessary growth from the previous year, or if necessary, from previous years. The general idea is to create a good branch structure with good movement and taper as the branch progresses out from the trunk to the twigs that form the canopy. Nuff said. Technical glitches mean that not all branches are documented, but it's enough to get the idea with a bit of luck.

As with anything I post, I'm all ideas to questions and suggestions.

To start with:

CIMG1186.JPG

Branch detail:

CIMG1192.JPG

CIMG1194.JPG

CIMG1197.JPG

CIMG1200.JPG

CIMG1202.JPG

CIMG1204.JPG

CIMG1211.JPG

And the end result in the fading light of the evening. I am pretty happy. Hopefully I can work on those bottom branches further this summer to thicken them up a bit more. Next up - root work to get some decent nebari on the left hand side of the tree.

CIMG1217.JPG

Cheers,

Andrew

[Neli]

Hi Andrew,
Questions are coming:
Pic 3:
How much more branching to you need close to the trunk? Is that a high branch...if it is maybe to cut it to reduce vigor..create tapper even if it is mid way branch? I have note done yet branch development...but I have just started. I am asking since for that branch to me it looks that it has enough branching close to the trunk.
I could not figure why you did not reduce some more, and why you removed some completely.
P4
You dont think you left the right branch too long...no movement and tapper on it???
P5
Ay aya ay! I can not figure out why You did some of the things you did. total confusion here. I see something that looks like knobs??? or that is not knobs? Are not knobs formed when you cut several times at the same place?
P7
Is this one of the lowest branches that you wanted to thicken? Why did you not let it grow some more so it thickens more?
Your tree looks very nice...I love it.

[Andrew Legg]

I'll ping you some answers in the morning when I fire up my pc Neli.