ZELKOVA #02

[JudyB]

So interesting the locations of the "barking up" of the tree. Missed this one the first go round, zelkova are a wonderful species, good to see something other than a shohin.

 

[MACH5]

So interesting the locations of the "barking up" of the tree. Missed this one the first go round, zelkova are a wonderful species, good to see something other than a shohin.

Judy, also a bit out of the norm is its branch configuration. Almost always you see broom bonsai where branches come out from more or less the same point. In the wild you see this form often but not usually used in bonsai.

 

[RJG2]

So interesting the locations of the "barking up" of the tree. Missed this one the first go round, zelkova are a wonderful species, good to see something other than a shohin.

I was thinking the same thing - looks like it's in places that have had some scarring.

@MACH5 how did the large, epoxied, wounds do over the growing season?

 

[MACH5]

I was thinking the same thing - looks like it's in places that have had some scarring.

@MACH5 how did the large, epoxied, wounds do over the growing season?

The epoxy areas are moving but not as fast as I expected them to. I am scoring the edges to keep them moving. I think eventually they will close but it may take a while.

 

[JudyB]

Judy, also a bit out of the norm is its branch configuration. Almost always you see broom bonsai where branches come out from more or less the same point. In the wild you see this form often but not usually used in bonsai.

Yes like the large ones we have in the landscape, although they don't always have such a distinct single trunk. They do form brooms, but certainly not as strictly controlled as the bonsai broom versions. I have several large ones here.

 

[INDIGO-STEVE]

A little more progress. This year it will be kept in this oversized pot but I will put the brakes on the fertilizer to start slowing it down and begin to develop finer ramification.

View attachment 583036

View attachment 583037

What is your fertilizer regimen for deciduous trees in refinement?

 

[MACH5]

What is your fertilizer regimen for deciduous trees in refinement?

BioGold with an occasional application of fish emulsion. That's basically it.

 

[coh]

Really nice tree. Do you get good fall color on this one? Some zelkovas produce amazing colors in the fall.

 

[MACH5]

Really nice tree. Do you get good fall color on this one? Some zelkovas produce amazing colors in the fall.

Not yet Chris. It was seriously jacked up on Osmocote. When you do that, colors are not as good and the chlorophyl tends to remain longer into the season.

At the moment I don't concern myself too much with color until the tree gets more developed and refined.

 

[Edrahyl]

Nice tree! I love the nebari. What is the epoxy you used to fill the scars with? Is it a sort of wood filler, like you would use for rotten wood in window frames? Do you treat the underlying wood with anything to stop it from rotting any further?

 

[rutulus]

Not yet Chris. It was seriously jacked up on Osmocote. When you do that, colors are not as good and the chlorophyl tends to remain longer into the season.

At the moment I don't concern myself too much with color until the tree gets more developed and refined.

Helpful insight. I used Osmocote this year on some potted trees that are intended for the landscape and they retained some green leaves even until Thanksgiving, totally skipping their fall color. Unusual for outside Philly. That really had me scratching my head.

 

[MACH5]

Nice tree! I love the nebari. What is the epoxy you used to fill the scars with? Is it a sort of wood filler, like you would use for rotten wood in window frames? Do you treat the underlying wood with anything to stop it from rotting any further?

Yes it is a wood filler. However, you can also use a two part epoxy that is not necessarily designed for wood and it will work just fine.

I try and clean out as much as possible the rotted wood but I don't use any wood hardener to treat the area. I suppose there may be some situations where it may be necessary?

 

[MACH5]

Helpful insight. I used Osmocote this year on some potted trees that are intended for the landscape and they retained some green leaves even until Thanksgiving, totally skipping their fall color. Unusual for outside Philly. That really had me scratching my head.

Yep! The Osmocote is helping the tree stay green way past its bed time.

I have a Japanese maple that not only retained the green until almost December but refused to drop them!! So all the leaves were fried from the frost and still hanging on to the tree!

 

[badatusernames]

I always learn something new watching your progression threads and realize how much more I have to learn.

I take it now is a good time to apply epoxy and open up callouses? I have a Chinese quince I want to do that too - it's not rotten but the cut is concave to the point that I think it'll look weird when it fully heals. Like the chunk should have been cut off flat and left alone vs. adding some concavity to it thinking the callous would be thick and fill the concavity.

 

[MACH5]

I always learn something new watching your progression threads and realize how much more I have to learn.

I take it now is a good time to apply epoxy and open up callouses? I have a Chinese quince I want to do that too - it's not rotten but the cut is concave to the point that I think it'll look weird when it fully heals. Like the chunk should have been cut off flat and left alone vs. adding some concavity to it thinking the callous would be thick and fill the concavity.

Yes, you can do it now. Of course just understand that nothing will happen until later in the growing season. But at least you'll have that done and won't have to worry about it amidst the craziness of spring madness!

 

[badatusernames]

Yes, you can do it now. Of course just understand that nothing will happen until later in the growing season. But at least you'll have that done and won't have to worry about it amidst the craziness of spring madness!

Thanks!

 

[johnl445]

@MACH5 is it true, if you scar/slice the trunk, into the cambium, that the Zelkova will push out growth.

 

[MACH5]

@MACH5 is it true, if you scar/slice the trunk, into the cambium, that the Zelkova will push out growth.

This is true for most elms. When you make a cut, elms tend to produce buds along the cut.

 

[MACH5]

Zelkova today. Just gave it its fifth and last cutback of the year. Originally I liked this tree because it was set up as a rather untraditional broom style. This is also a natural deciduous form in nature although admittedly not very zelkova-like.

 

[cmeg1]

Looks very refreshing though.
Great growth!