A few images of Leaf pruning one of my Zelkovas

I started this Zelkova as a as small seedling, less than the size of a pencil back sometime in the 1980's.

Pot grown from the start.







now for some pruning



I'll be pruning it over the next two weeks when the new leaves will appear.

Very good, indeed!!

Did you made a total defoliation?

Yes this was a total defoliation. All the leaves came off. A 2 hour job.

Very nice Zelkova!

How does the tree react to a total defoliation? Does it spawn a lot of leafs on the inner branches?

SWEET! Love it, gives me hope for the zelkova seedlings I started this year, someday.....far, far away lol

How does the tree react to a total defoliation? Does it spawn a lot of leafs on the inner branches?

Not a lot. Zelkova bonsai, so long as they're healthy of course, really need to be leaf pruned by this time of the year.

Now some years I pinch a lot in the spring but this year I pretty much let it grow to gain a little trunk size.

Zelkova bonsai are very apical domanant. After total defoliation the upper branches are dominant and grow first, this is when I will pinch them this year, then see how much
growth it's pushing to the bottom, where it still needs growth. The inner growth buds will pop also so you have to carefully select them and rub the others off.

I here they strip them twice a year in warmer climates than the Middle of Wisconsin.

You can get 2 years growth in 1 year basically.

I'll post some pictures I took today maybe tomorrow.

These 3 pictures are of the Zelkova after some pruning that has taken place since the leaf pruning.

I do an initial pruning of the outside right after leaf pruning and then put it on the bench by the garage door so I can snip a little at a time.

One of the issues with Zelkova is keeping it in scale. The trunk divides 9" (22.86cm) above the nebari and I usually maintain the tree at 27" (68.58cm),

It is now 24" after pruning. I've cut back some heavier branches in the top of the tree for balance and to shoot energy to the lower branches.

When the new leaves start to sprout I will pinch them and the tree will be at 27" once more, with smaller leaves and hopefully great orange Fall color.





The back of the tree



I'll post more as the process continues.

Nice Gary. My kind of tree.

Edit: I'm curious. How do you remove the leaves? Pull/cut each one or? Thanks.

I'm curious. How do you remove the leaves? Pull/cut each one or? Thanks.

All the books I read said I should pick them off or cut them off so the secondary buds won't be damaged.
That would take a long, long time.

I take a branch in my fingers at the base of the branch and lightly rip the leaves off, then clean up with a scissors or my finger tips.

I don't have a problem with buds coming off on my hands, just leaves.

Here are some pictures of the same tree through the years:

Fall 1999



Fall 2002



Fall 2003



After leaf picking 2003





Summer 2003



It's changed a lot over the years. I lost the whole top going up and had to replace it with the side branches by tying the up. Long process.

Gary Swiech wrote:

I take a branch in my fingers at the base of the branch and lightly rip the leaves off, then clean up with a scissors or my finger tips.

That's how I do it on my elms. With as fine a ramification as your tree has, I can see it taking awhile.
Thanks for the info and the pictures through the years.

Your welcome. Anytime.

Here is the same Zelkova today. July 5, 2012

So it budded after leaf pruning in 6 days after leaf pruning.





It's 100ºF today. Hot

I'll be gone until Monday.

Nice example of zelkova .

Not only Zelcova. Gary has some other trees that deserves a post.

I'll post a few more trees when I take pictures again.

The hot 100ºF temperatures we have been experiencing day after day have been a challenge
keeping up.

It's cooled today. Here are some pictures of the Zelkova now and a yamadori Green Mound juniper that's in need of thinning, pinching and some lime sulfur.


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