Wee Trees Bonsai Help Forum Advice for all
http://weetrees.co.uk/phpBB3/

Hi everyone
http://weetrees.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=17478		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Floung [ 17 Mar 2018, 11:15 ]
Post subject:  Hi everyone
Hi all, I live in Cumbria and have only recently rediscovered bonsai. I joined the forum because there is no club near me that I could join for advice and it would be nice to "meet" some likeminded people.

I have had a Chinese Elm for over three years now and have been pruning it maybe once, twice per year. It was only repotted once since I got it.
The second one is also a Chinese Elm, but a little bigger. I had it since November and only pruned it before the snow a few weeks back.
They are both currently inside as I always assumed bonsai need to be kept in (doh!) until I actually looked a bit further into the topic late last year. By that time it was too cold for the guys and I will have to get them out as soon as the weather allows it.
So I am nowhere experienced but really keen to learn as much as I can, any advice highly appreciated. ;-)
Author:  Paul B [Swindon] [ 17 Mar 2018, 17:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: Hi everyone
Welcome

Pruning only twice in a year isn't much for a healthy Chinese Elm. Let the growth extend then cut back to 2/3 leaves depending on what you are trying to do with your design.

We will know more when you have posted a few times and then you can put up some photos of them.

No problem with giving them a bit of protection, One of mine goes in the unheated greenhouse, although I remove all the leaves and it has just started to leaf up, which is looking rather nice. If left outside, they still like a bit of protection, either against the house wall or a high fence, they don't like the cold winds so don't leave them in an exposed area.
Author:  Will [ 17 Mar 2018, 18:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: Hi everyone
Hello and Welcome
Author:  Ben M [ 17 Mar 2018, 19:17 ]
Post subject:  Re: Hi everyone
Welcome. Many of us do (or have done) the same with our first Chinese Elms - especially if it's one of our first trees!

I got my first in Oct 2015 (repotted it then too), and it stayed on the kitchen windowsill that first winter. It kept it's leaves but they slowly started to drop in the new year and into early spring. I think mine went outside on and off through the warmest months of 2016 and then I brought it in full time for the winter as the first frosts came. That winter it didn't do as well and the leaves generally looked a lot less healthy and dropped more. Throughout 2017 it stayed outside all year and did really well. When the really cold weather came in back in December, it went into a cold frame outside, and only just came out last weekend. It looks a lot healthier for being outside, despite being in a cold frame! The temps in the cold frame never reached zero this winter. It sits alongside the back of my garage which is heated, although generally not through the night. The coldest recorded temp was about 2C.

Seeing this weekend's return of the cold weather I did consider moving it back into the cold frame, but have opted not to, so we'll see whether that was a wise decision in a few weeks' time. The main reason I chose not to, was because it hasn't dropped all of it's leaves through the winter, and I'm assuming it would be a good thing to encourage leaf drop ahead of the fresh spring growth [feel free to impart any advice in this area to a beginner like me] :)

Here's the little fella last Saturday as it came out of the cold frame:
Image
Author:  Gary Jones [ 17 Mar 2018, 21:43 ]
Post subject:  Re: Hi everyone
Welcome to weetrees and to Bonsai. CE are excellent beginners trees and you seem to have learnt one of the important lessons - trees live outside. FWIW mine stay outside all year and have no problems with anything except my meddling.
Author:  Jake [ 17 Mar 2018, 21:57 ]
Post subject:  Re: Hi everyone
Welcome, mate. Chinese elms are great, also a great way to add more trees to your collection- they're my favourite for root cuttings!
Author:  Brendan [ 19 Mar 2018, 10:40 ]
Post subject:  Re: Hi everyone
Welcome.

That one looks a bit scruffy. You can safely cut off any twigs you don't like.

Those that point straight down or up cut off.

Those that are long with just a leaf on the tip cut off. Those that are in the joint of a branch cut off.

Here's one of my ce's that had a bunch of twigs snipped off it. If you look at the branches (click on the pic and expand it) you will see the scissor cuts.:

Image20170628_203556 by BrendanR2012, on Flickr


It will throw out a lot of new growth and by June you can safely trim it again.
Author:  Ben M [ 19 Mar 2018, 22:36 ]
Post subject:  Re: Hi everyone
Brendan wrote:
That one looks a bit scruffy. You can safely cut off any twigs you don't like.

If I do that, then what will hide all the scars where the wire cut in? :lol:

Seriously though, I appreciate the pointers :)

:Big Thumb:
Author:  Graham W [ 20 Mar 2018, 12:24 ]
Post subject:  Re: Hi everyone
Suggest you make contact with Ray Coloumbe at Ronin Bonsai blog
http://roninbonsai.blogspot.co.uk/

He is in Carlisle and runs an unofficial get together.
Then you can meet likeminded people, and get help from experienced growers
You other bet is Willowbog Bonsai nr Hexham, they run workshops and a monthly 'Bonsai Chat' on first Sat each month
Good growing
Graham
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/