AusBonsai

hi all,
I picked up a Zelkova last year (from a deceased estate) and after a year of nurturing I would like to start working on it for show. The foliage is pretty far from the trunk and after a season the leaf size has reduced a bit and has become even more obvious (the pic is from when I bought it and the red lines are about where the secondary and tertiary branches start). It is about 45cm high and I don't know how old it is but I was wondering;
1) If I could prune the branches back quite hard and restart growing secondary and tertiary branches?
2) Would it benefit from going into a grow box or larger pot whilst I am doing this?
3) When would be a good time to start? (I know pruning usually gets done during bud swell, but if I'm pruning back to primary branches should it be done earlier to get new buds moving?)
Thanks in advance.
Sean.

Hi Sean, Nice tree.
The zelkovas I have pruned are just like other elms and have all produced new shoots from bare wood or wherever they have been pruned back to so should be no problem to cut it back as far as you like.
This problem of secondary branching starting well out on the branches is probably a result of past grower trying to set up branches too quickly. Some of my early tridents and elms are the same. When growing branches be prepared to grow then prune hard to get buds. If the shoot has very long internodes better to cut it right off and grow a new one. Long internodes means bare branches.

I find that zelkova produces strong spring shoots with long internodes. If you are trying to build dense branching you will want controlled growth with shorter internodes so i would try leaving it in a pot to try to reduce speed of new growth. A box will mean coarse shoots with long internodes and will probably end up similar to what you already have.

Zelkova is the last species to shoot in the spring. I prune any time during winter. I don't think earlier pruning will mean new buds forming earlier though. Zelkova has strong apical dominance so you will need to keep the upper shoots in check to make sure the lower branches shoot and develop well.

Another thing to note: I have found zelkova to be most tolerant of dry of all my deciduous species. Last to wilt, hardly ever leaf burn and goes far longer without water than any others.

Good luck with the restyle.

Thanks for the advice Shibui. I'll post some updated photos once I've started.

please do, id like to get some tips on how to train my one. im already relieved from some of the information given by shibui (i thought i was doing something wrong when it would put out new growth several weeks after all my other deciduous trees)

Hi Sean, any update on your zelkova?

Yes I do have an update, its going well. I will do a photo shoot of the upcoming defoliation/branch selection process soonish.