Chinese Elm HELP

This is the Chinese Elm I posted last year. There was a large bump on the front of the trunk. Jim Lewis said it looked pregnant, he was right lol. I need some help making the carving look more natural. Thank you all very much!!
-Take Care-
-John

It's just my opinion, but I fear that you should have asked that question before having carved it the way you did.

To make it look more natural I think would have required leaving a lot more material on the tree and working around and with that.

Carving is not planing everything flush as I think you are aware by now. This will never look very natural at this point.

Sorry.
Ed

Hello John,

I recommend visiting the following article in Harry Harrington´s website which covers how to handle scars like these!

Creating and Using 'Uro' with Bonsai

Totally agree with Ed on this. Theres nothing left to carve. Harry's article is very good but you have to leave some wood to do it with.

I agree...

I would use the dremel on it to hollow it a bit, and then use a small knife to outline the hole...

I heard that if you keep on outlining with a knife every coulple of weeks, it motivates the callous to build faster.

I´d also apply petrifier in what was carved inside and add some black ink to give a notion of depth.

Now...i´ve never done any of this myself, but it is what I would do based on what I have read and seen others do.

I think I would extend the scar down to the soil line, like a branch was torn or broke off.

Thank You,,Ed Merc,,AK Panama,,Will and Billy,,For your comments..I do know now i should have left more to work with !!!!! now i have to do with what i have....maybe going down the trunk more will help i will look some more...thank you all take care john

Hi John.

Hope is not lost with this tree.
Sorry to disagree with the gentlemen before me.

I think this is an opportunity for you. the solution if it was my tree is not carving as chinese elms are too soft to be carved out anyway. I would prefer to airlayer the elm and create a more compact trees. probably a broom style for the lower part and an upright tree for the new (upper ) tree. airlayer just above the wounded part.

for reference on the same technique see works of sankofabonsai on his elm recently posted here, i think its in page 8.

P.S. (in general)- remembering what was previously posted here in IBC will help us most of the time in finding solution for the future or current problem we might have on our trees...and not just applaud the works and the artists involved.just my thought.

regards,
jun

moyogijohn wrote:Thank You,,Ed Merc,,AK Panama,,Will and Billy,,For your comments..I do know now i should have left more to work with !!!!! now i have to do with what i have....maybe going down the trunk more will help i will look some more...thank you all take care john

John,

Fear not!!!!! there is always a solution to each and every problem that one encounters. It may take some time. If it were my tree, I'd grow it out a bit to get a larger trunk then do as Billy suggested. Here is an example of one that I did with one of my trees that you can apply to yours over time.

Randy

Jun and Randy thank you both for your suggestions!!!! Both are good thoughts...I like the elm you posted Randy,,,you are makeing me droll at the mouth!!! thanks take care john

I like Billy´s and Randall´s suggestions better!!!

Thank you Ak Panama,,,,sounds like a plan...this is new to me so i do make mistakes to be corrected..wish me luck!!! take care john

The good thing is that this is an elm. I am not sure about Chinese Elm, but my Siberian Elm grows very fast. In decent growing conditions (warmth, light, moisture, and if I don't pinch), my elm grows around an inch a week.

So assuming that Chinese Elm is a vigorous grower (and given that you don't like the scar), I would grow one sacrifice branch as close to the wound as possible and plan on healing it (google various techniques on healing scars). A huge scar on my crabapple is healing nicely with this method.

- S

Thank you Suburbia,,,I have fixed the carved area as best i can...try to post apicture soon...take care john

This is where I am at with this tree after a little work, What do you guys think about this? Let me know!!

Not bad

Thanks to everyone for your comments and help.... I learned a lesson with this one!! I can not carve trees the way you guys do!!! I made the best of a BAD try to make this tree nicer than it was.....comments please..take care john

Here's a video by Graham Potter doing some carving on a tree much like yours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVpcJCBc14&feature=player_embedded#at=514

hope it's useful,
-Jonathan

If it were mine I think I would shorten it. There is just something wrong with the top. It's too distracting IMO. But nice work with the carving!

Thank you very much,,Jonathan,,Ryan for your comments.....i am still trying so i will check out the top also...thanks for the help take care john