chinese elm

[arabicabonsai]

hi,

i have decided to post my elm to see what ya'll think. i have had it for about 10 months now, there wasn't much to it when i bought it, so it's come a long way quickly. i'm always amazed by the growth that just keeps shooting out. let me know if ya think theres anything i should change. other than it definately needs to thicken up a bit.

[mickaus]

Wow looks fantastic to me


Not that I know what I am talking about... but to me it looks like the foliage is to far away from the trunk?


Also what have you got under the white rocks?

[Dwi]

My opinion would be to keep feeding it during the growing season, then just before bud burst in spring cut the branches back. This will give you budding back on the branches and more dense foliage pads.

Can I ask what your reason is for planting the tree in the soil then trailing the roots over the two rocks? Normally, a tree is grown over a single rock. To me it looks a bit 'unusual'

[roka]

Hey there champ, heres my .Then wire the branches and work on the pads

[roka]

There was meant to be a picture attached.Didnt work.Sorry

[LLK]

ar.bonsai: you obviously know what you like, but where are you going with your small tree??
Do a lot more reading on bonsai, starting with the Basics of Bonsai on this website http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics.html and then join a club, if possible. Sorrty, but there's so much to say about your Chinese elm and its planting that I don't know where to start. Don't let that discourage you, just begin at the beginning, don't run before you can walk.

Lisa

[astroboy76]

first thing i would do is take it out of the bonsai pot and plant it up on a grow box. if you want root over rock i would wrap the roots around the rock you choose then bury the roots and the rock under the soil. i would suggest maybe changing the planting angle too so the tree starts out of the ground at a nice angle then kicks back. allow the top branch above the cut to grow and improve the taper. once you have the trunk how you liek it wait until the end of winter and cut back all the existing branches leaving a few nodes. this will help give movement in the branches as well as taper. then place her back into her bonsai pot. byt this tiem the roots should have moulded to the rock nicely.

reading bonsai4me.com will give you soem great advantages. so will searching for techniques within this forum.

good luck with how you choose to go

[arabicabonsai]

thanks for the advice everybody, i did definately rush in. i started going root over rock because i had fly's in the soil, took ages to get rid of them. whilst i was agitating the soil i found these nice rots and couldn't resist ofcourse. the next step i will go is a grow box and get the roots growing over a single rock properly.

does anyone know good places to find some nice rocks?

[arabicabonsai]

***** Is it too late in the season to be going root over rock and repotting? ******

on bonsai for me it says early spring. going to try and find a good rock this arvo.

[arabicabonsai]

someone please help me with my question as above.

[Craig]

IMO ,it is too late to rootprune and repot an Elm, better off waiting mate Regards Craig

[alpineart]

Hi Mate , safest bet is to do it mid winter when the plant is dormant . Whiles't the Chinese Elm is very hardy , i have killed a few playing around with root over rock in Summer .If you must ,then keep it moist during the process with a sprayer/mister bottle and after potting up place in a cool semi shaded /shaded area for a few weeks .Don't expect a response from any new growth until next season .Cheers Alpineart