AusBonsai

And now an update for the bottom half.

The branches were let grow through the summer and i got keen to get some shape about the tree. Maybe its a bit early to start branch placement but this tree will give me some asthetical distraction whilst some of my other trees look like badly pruned box hedge.

I have shown a before and after of the prunning and wiring for your critique. happy to hear any thoughts good or bad.

Cheers

Squizz

I like where this is heading - however you should have left the new leader to grow unabated. Trimming and styling it now means a slow down in growth and an even longer wait for a decent transition from the old trunk

Hi Bougy,

Yeah fair point about the leader. Will keep it in mind.

Here is a photo of the tree about a month on. Let me say to all the beginners out there that a corky bark elm is a great tree to start on. Very forgiving, incredibly fast growing, asthetically pleasing from an early age, easily layered, easily struck from cuttings ( both stem and root), nice small leaves. If this isnt the best beginners tree what is?

This is the bottom half with this years growth. I was concerned with this one through winter with the watering but it seems to of come out the other side ok.

Encouraging plenty of growth to get some thickness in the top half. I have noticed some larger leaves forming on the left hand side. is this the tree reverting back to its parent plant and if so should I be cutting it off?

Cheers

Squizz

Hi.
Good one, mine does not have as menny branches or leaves yet, still getting the od frost here atm. Good luck with it.

Regards.
Irish.

Looking Good Squizz
Another summer of ramant growth on the top and it will look really well proportioned. Keep the lower growth in check while letting the top catch up.

Ken

Well done Squizz !!! 2 good trees...Its really simple Maths and you are showing the qualities of a fine artist. You have got it !!!

Thanks for the feed back all.

The tree seems to be healthy so I hope it thickens up a bit on top this summer. Any thoughts on the larger leaves?

Squizz

Ok I have been slack on updating things lately but have been flat out at work so I have the standard excuse that everyone uses.

Here is the bottom half coming along well I think. Its a bits standard ( right, left, back, right,back and so on). Any ideas from the experienced of any obvious changes would be great. Squizz

Thanks for posting this progression Squizz! I've learned a lot from your work and the advice of others on this thread. KIU!

Thanks eddie,

Careful you dont learn my bad habits. There are plenty of examples of them in my posts.

Squizz

Just an update on the progress of the bottom half of this corky bark elm. I am happy with the growth but still puzzled as to the new branch that has begun to form larger leaves. From my experience in nurseries when I was younger I was always taught to cut off sections of growth that revert back to the parent plant but with this tree I am unsure how far back that is and wether it is necessary. Any thoughts? Squizz

Hi all,

I let a few of my trees go this summer so I am going to do my best to get them back in control.

Taking inspiration from a graham potter vid I have trimmed this one as it stands with the 1 to 2, 2 to 4 method but I am sure there is more I can do to get some more balance to the tree.

It looks a lot more tidy then it did though. Cheers

Squizz

Looks like progress to me Squizz.

Really good thread - always great to see progressions like these.
Well documented journey indeed.

Hi all,

Just a quick update with a question attached.

The following is a picture of the tree as of today but these larger leaves have been forming on some of the branches. Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Should I be cutting them off? I want to grow this tree out this season to get some thickness in the trunk and branches. Will leaving these larger leaves mean that I loose the smaller growth for good?

Thanks in advance

Squizz