AusBonsai

Hi all

I visited a friend of mine today and found this celtis ready to be chopped out of their garden. I managed to convince them to let me try to save it from the tip. I tried to get the root ball but here in Toowoomba the soil is so clay, dry and heavy, the ball just fell apart on me. Maybe i didn't dig a wide enough circumference, but it was stuck between two close bushes - like weeds do. So it seems i did a bare rooted version instead. There are two heavy tap roots that i just had to eventually chop off, as seen in the pic below.

I trimmed off about 90% of the leaves but tried to keep most of the limbs as i didn't want to cut off potential shari's (not sure if Celtis have sharis though??) The base scarring doesn't bother me as i think i could make it into a hollowed front - another first for me too then..

I cut some strips around the trunk at a potential ground level below the scarred section, then powdered some rooting compound around the wound. Settled it into some cactus mix and fnished off with some normal potting mix on top as i didn't have enough course mix left over! Watered in with Seasol and now just waiting to see if it survives. I know i probably did plenty of things wrong, but i believe it's hard to kill these trees.

I have a couple of questions for members...
1. Should i have cut the tap roots off below the desired base before repotting or something else?
2. Should i have completely cut out a band of bark around the base and applied rooting compound or will cutting and lifting up a 'skirt' of bark be sufficient?
3. Should i pull it out and repot in more coarse sand seeing that the mix i have it in is not ideal?
4. Any guesses on it chance of survival?

Pics are below. I think a yamadori could be addictive.... especially if this tree survives!

Cheers

Stew

Hi Stewart , i have never collected a celtis , but i hope it survives .If i had of collected it i would have left the tap roots on as you did .Its the only bit of root the tree obviously has .With a bit of luck it will no doubt throw more roots over the growing period and next re-pot you can reduce or remove the taps .Good luck with your first attempt and don't give up if it does go wheels up . Learn from this experience and remember if you don't kill a tree or two you don't learn much . Cheers Alpineart

Hi Stew, looks like you've done a great job mate. Did you clean up the untidy cut roots? Other than that like Alpine said it 'll grow some new roots soon enough ,

Stewart_Toowoomba wrote:I think a yamadori could be addictive.... especially if this tree survives

It will survive and you Will be addicted, In the last couple of days i collected about 12 Melaleucas and there's plenty left ,so

Hi Stewart,
Great job. You have to take these Yamadori as they come sometimes. It might not always be perfect to get them out,but it was destined for destruction. It looks to have plenty of root to work with, just leave it to recover. Good luck

Regards Panda

Whether it survives or not, the fun is in the challenge.

hi mate,

celtis are tough buggers, i collected some a year or two ago and got no roots whatsoever on them, they were just trunk and they powered on very quickly. you shouldnt have a problem, give them a little shade to start with and you will be fine.

jamie