Future Elm development

Hello all
This is my first post and I’d really like some feedback on the potential future development of this
Elm collected with permission from a local quarry which is due for a future housing development. It
Currently resides in my garage. The tree came with a mass of fine root as it was growing on top of a huge slab of rock so collection was simple.
I apologise for the photo quality but as we all know here in England it’s bloody freezing outside so I had to bring it inside much to the annoyance of her ladyship! All suggestions- opinions positive negative will be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance
Russ

[img] [/img]

I know some bonsai's are small, do the pic's now get smaller to?

please bigger picture, don't have to bring it in again are u?

Click on the image and you will see a larger version

A MUCH larger version.

Anyway, I think you will need to spend a good while trying to straighten out the roots and planting this a bit deeper so most of the roots are covered and you can't see through them. For the rest of it, just let it grow hog wild this year, then choose you new leaders next wintr when the tree is bare again.

The spacing of the trees looks very good.

Hi Jim
Thanks for the reply.
With regards to the roots floating in the air I’m planning to remove these at a later date as there is a nice set of basal roots under these. The roots that you see are just aerial roots that the tree has produced over the years.

Wow! 98 views and only two responses. Was it something I said? Or is my potential miniaturised version of a full size tree that bad. Or are there way too many voyeurs with nothing to say? Come on
Guys n Gals surely you have a point of view even if it’s …..THROW IT IN THE BIN! In the true spirit
Of Bonsai lets get stuck in and have some fun and maybe learn a little.

Hi Russ,
Great to 'see' you here... and welcome

As for your Elm... lots to go at but actually quite a difficult bit of material to create a bonsai with character.

All the 'trunks' are young, display no aged bark and no movement... need I go on?

As for your Elm... lots to go at but actually quite a difficult bit of material to create a bonsai with character.

All the 'trunks' are young, display no aged bark and no movement... need I go on?

Which is why I said let it grow. Character and aged bark come only with time. Just let it sit, get rid of the aerial roots, and stare at it for a year or two. You may want to eliminate a trunk or two and let some others grow. New ones may sprout. It's early on. Some trees can't be "styled" right away. And, alas, some never make it to bonsai-hood.

As for the lack of comment; some folks are chronic lurkers, some are just shy, and some just don't want to pass on news they're sure the originator doesn't want to hear.

Jim is spot on if you are young and have the space then go for it... if not look for better material such as this from Will



Lots more Elms CLICK HERE

Thanks Tony, Jim for your comments much appreciated. So to the growing on grounds it shall go!
Tony that Elm is stunning a real inspiration, unfortunately where I’ve been given permission to collect only offers up the material shown so it’s a case of making the best of what you’re given I suppose.

Hi Russ.

I suggest you get to know Will as he has an abundance of Elms... take his advice and search in similar situations. I am sure that there are thousands of Elm stumps just waiting to be created into great bonsai... In fact Harleyrider and I will help you dig 'em out when you find them

When the weather improves you are more than welcome in my garden, you just need to take the Iron horse to the wilds of the North.

Ooh, ooh, Elm stumps! Just let me know Tony, I'll be right there!

Fuzzy wrote:Thanks Tony, Jim for your comments much appreciated. So to the growing on grounds it shall go!
Tony that Elm is stunning a real inspiration, unfortunately where I’ve been given permission to collect only offers up the material shown so it’s a case of making the best of what you’re given I suppose.

Well, cut yours about an inch off the ground, let them grow, cut them again, let them grow, cut them again, ad infinitum, and yours might get there.

Russ,
Your progress with this Elm's potential over the years will be interesting to watch.
Best of luck with it, and please, keep us posted.

JimLewis wrote:

Well, cut yours about an inch off the ground, let them grow, cut them again, let them grow, cut them again, ad infinitum, and yours might get there.

I think Jim is quite correct in this case. Cut back REALLY hard and you WILL be blessed with loads of new shoots to train into more flowing trunks. I presume this is all one tree?

Harleyrider wrote:Ooh, ooh, Elm stumps! Just let me know Tony, I'll be right there!

Well it all depends on what kind of stumps you're talking about.Here in Albuquerque, and a lot of other places,the Siberian Elm grows like a weed,and there are a lot of them growing all over the place that look like they might be good bonsai material.Ten or eleven years ago,when I was just starting,I dug up a spectacular clump of trees,that I guessed to be about 25 years old.I spent two years shaping it into a gorgeous seven tree kabudachi clump.The third year,it caught the slime flux,and died in a matter of weeks.The same thing happened with another ten to fifteen year old single tree specimen.Siberians are nothing but trouble,and are not good bonsai material.

I just bought my first American Elm,but it is everybit as slow growing as my oaks,definitely not a tree for someone who likes to have a near completed tree in five or ten years.

We're talking about good old English Elm, my friend. We do still have some left, despite the best efforts of our Dutch brethren .

Bummer about your Siberians, though.

Well it happened! What you say? Well being inspired after seeing the examples of potential elms posted on this thread I took it upon myself to return to my collecting site today to search for an elm with more character. After a couple of hours of looking for something worth collecting I was beginning to think that I would just have to except that I’d exhausted the area of potential bonsai and none of it with character like Wills. So as I made my way out of the quarry which is huge by the way I aimlessly wandered through a tangle of English elm saplings and there it was! Joy of joys an old ugly hollow contorted whether beaten stump just sitting there just waiting to be rescued from the future planned housing development. I hope that all those who collect trees from the wild for bonsai will understand immediately when I say that after the initial excitement of discovery, I felt a pang of nervousness at the thought of it’s eventual removal this coming spring. The trunk appears to be completely hollow and it’s roots have become long tendrils about a foot and a half long due to the erosion of the surrounding soil over the years. I have enough experience in collecting trees but this one just looks like its just about clinging on to life as well as the soil, though after a good look at the few whippy branches that remain they look plump and healthy with plump healthy looking buds. But the trunk that hollow cavernous trunk how does it maintain vigour in the branches? Isn’t nature wonderful? Do I have a photo to show? No sorry I didn’t take my camera. Wish me luck and I’ll keep you posted.

I’M SO EXCITED!!!

Don't be too worried about a lack of roots when you lift your new prize. Elms root very easily and will fill a training pot in a year. Good luck with your find and keep us posted

Hi Eric,

I am excited for you too!... from now till the day you collect your beauty you will be dreaming or the great "when I collect moment" Make LOTS of photos, don't assume the design, as in 'This' the front and only make photos of that side. You NEVER know what you have got till the tree is out of the ground... even then your ideas will change over time. Its true I am excited for you

Yes well done and good luck with lifting it.

Thank you gentlemen for your encouraging words and as usual sound advice. I’ll try and get there tomorrow to take a few pics.

Eric? Who’s Eric?

Russ.

Fuzzy wrote:Thank you gentlemen for your encouraging words and as usual sound advice. I’ll try and get there tomorrow to take a few pics.

Eric? Who’s Eric?

Russ.

Russ... Eric is my pet name for you... for which you will always be known.

Tony

Fuzzy said:

I’M SO EXCITED!!!

Oh, I've come to know that feeling all too well over the last couple of months, thanks to Tony.

(Did I just say that out loud? )

You know what I mean.