You showed me yours, I'll show you mine!

That sounds ideal for the development cycle.

You will love the email I have just sent you, on the same subject but from a different perspective, it supports the theory

Hi Will, Bill Valavanis told us about using liquid and organic feed at the same time once a week, but you are saying you are using this feed which i assume the chempak is 12.5-25-25 every watering on your elms? If so, does this work on antother of your trees? It makes sense if you have the right soil and the water passes threw very eaisly.

Neil

Hello Neil. I have in the past been a bit lazy when it comes to feeding and it shows in my trees development. I have taken advice from my esteemed and very knowledgeable friends at Phoenix bonsai club. They feed ALL their trees every watering and now so do I. Your right that the soil should be very open to be able to do this but then the soil should be open anyway or the tree needs repotting. I do water the trees first and then feed when they've had a good soak.

Thanks Will. Have you been over to the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition yet? I know it is a new exhibition only going into its 3rd year, but i really hope to meet alot of the people on this forum including you and your amazing trees.

Neil

Hello Neil. I would love to come to the US at some point and hopefully visit a few exhibitions and members, Alas, I would not be bringing trees with me as the US has very strict rules on this.

will baddeley wrote: I have taken advice from my esteemed and very knowledgeable friends at Phoenix bonsai club. They feed ALL their trees every watering and now so do I.

Will,
As you know we welcome all plaudits, but, are so cheap we also accept brickbats!
BUT we cannot accept praise regarding the above, that is down to Cap'n. 'Bonsai' Bob and his merry crew up in Swindon!
It is something I am going to do though this year on mine.....

Hello Dave. Yes I should apologise to Cap'n Bob for leaving him out of the frame. It was Geoff Crowe who first mentioned this regime to me, followed closely by the salty sea dog.

Dave & Will,
I use 80% inorganic substrate and i fertilise with organic fertilizer granules (added on the substrate surface every 10 days-2 weeks) as well as liquid fertilizer every fortnight and i thought i was overdoing it!!! So you guys say that i can fertilize with every watering ... meaning every day??
Thanks.

stavros wrote:Dave & Will,
I use 80% inorganic substrate and i fertilise with organic fertilizer granules (added on the substrate surface every 10 days-2 weeks) as well as liquid fertilizer every fortnight and i thought i was overdoing it!!! So you guys say that i can fertilize with every watering ... meaning every day??
Thanks.

That's what has been suggested to me and I have been feeding like this for nearly two months and gradually increasing the dose. I must stress that everypot is THOROUGHLY soaked first before feeding. This will dliute the strength of the feed somewhat.

The new feeding regime appears to be working, as I have had the strongest growth for a long time.

Decided to give a leaf prune today. I just left the weaker and inner shoots alone and they will get plenty of sunlight.....Hopefully.

hhhmmmm familiar tree! seen it before.
looks very nice

Just updating the trees story Eric. Feeding every watering seems to work very well.

The tree looks great Will. This gem of a tree can't get much more perfect than it already is.

Neil

WILL,, you have some of the best elms !!! I Love what you have done with all of them....my favorite tree you all know that....send ME some!!! good job take care john

Just updating the trees story Eric.
i know will,spoke to to you standing for here or him.

Your elm looks better and better everytime you show it.
Like the picture were we can see the branchstructure.
Also the black background you are using since shortly makes your trees show great!

Cheers Neil, Eric, John and Yan. Black backdrop is good but my camera seems to over expose with it. Anyone know what adjustments are needed to stop this?

Hi Will,

The elm is looking great! Good job on it.

I don't know what camera you are using, but the standard light metering setting is usually an averaging setting that looks at the whole picture and averages it out to set the shutter and f stop. With your black background that is making the lighter tree and pot over exposed. You should be able to change the metering to a "spot meter" setting that will only look at the center of the shot. Then make sure that you point the center of the frame at lighter portion of the composition, such as the pot, when you initially press the shutter button to let the camera focus and set the shutter and f stop. That should cure the problem with the tree being over exposed.

Roger

Buds are a poppin everywhere. Much better than I've had before.

will baddeley wrote:Cheers Neil, Eric, John and Yan. Black backdrop is good but my camera seems to over expose with it. Anyone know what adjustments are needed to stop this?

Try to put tree on the sunlight (sun must be on the left or right side, not in front of the tree) and backdrop in the shadow.

Hello Roger and Andrija. I will try both photography methods and see whats best.

A month on from defoliation and its back in leaf. This tree has NEVER been so healthy

Hey Will,
Looking great! The new feeding regimen looks to be working! Great tree. I always enjoy the carving in this one.

The Oklahoma elms are doing well in their new climate. Pics as soon as I have time to take a few!

Neil

Hi Will

Really beautiful tree. For me, one of the best elm. Congratulations.

Pavel