Broom Potential - Zelkova(?)

[Rodrigo]

With the recent posts about Broom Zelkovas (great threads by the way) I thought I'd share my attempt and see if I anyone can offer any guidance.
I dug this sapling from the side of a sidewalk in July of 2017. I've always known it was an elm but was not sure of what kind until I read @cmeg1's "I'm gonna make Brooms" post and realized it looks a lot like his Zelkovas.

I've always wanted to grow this into a naturalistic broom style but always figured it had to be done by chopping a thick trunk and growing out the branches from there like in the many threads on here. This spring I repotted it and did a ground layer to get a better nebari while waiting for it to thicken so I've just been letting it grow wild since. Here is a few pics from each year's growth

2017- recently collected
May 2018

And today. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the ground layer.

After reading through some Broom threads, specifically Cmegs', I'd like to start working on building the primary branching /trunks now instead of waiting for it to thicken more but I'm not sure whether to cut all 4 main branches short and grow the canopy from there or if the 2 bottom branches need to go to build up from the "Y". Any thoughts?


I've removed a branch just like the other ones from the inside of the second curve, you can see the putty there. Also, there's still more trunk under the sphagnum because of the ground layer.

Thanks and any advice or comments are appreciated

 

[Rodrigo]

Bump this ishh!

 

[_#1_]

Thought in order to make a "good" broom style, one need to start with a traight trunk. Then a nice, even nebari all around. And several sub trunks coming off the top of the main trunk.

Like most times, I could be wrong thought...

 

[Shibui]

This looks more like Chinese elm than zelkova but Chinese elm can still be broom style.
Broom style is considered to be the deciduous form of Formal Upright style and would normally have strict guidelines - trunk vertical, trunk straight, roots perfect but that does not stop you from making something that's not quite formal broom. Just be prepared to wear all the criticism from the 'experts' whenever you show it. If this trunk thickens a lot those bends may disappear. Trunks and branches tend to grow more on the inside of bends so bendy trunks actually end up straighter as they thicken.

The problem with building a canopy from the existing branches is that branches are normally thinner than the trunk. These branches are already close to trunk thickness now and will only continue to increase as it grows.
The 2 lower branches are probably growing a little too outward for good broom style where all branches rise and ramify to create a rounded canopy. They could be wired upward or maybe removed later when the trunk size has increased more.
V shaped slingshot broom is not particularly attractive. 3 or more branches will be better than 2.
Is the trunk thick enough for your desired broom?
Yes - cut back all the branches to around 1/2 as long as the lower trunk then grow ramification from resulting new buds - continual grow and cut.
No - Don't cut yet. Chinese elm bud really well and also lots of new buds around the edges of most chops so you can allow all these to grow freely to add trunk thickness if necessary then cut back hard when trunk has reached suitable dimensions. Probably wire and try to position 3 or 4 existing branches to look good in case you can use them in the final design. They may be removed completely at some time or, if they end up looking good, just shorten them - again, to less than the length of the lower trunk and make a canopy from the resulting shoots after the chop.

 

[Rodrigo]

Thanks @Microscopic and @Shibui for your responses. I do agree with both of y'all that brooms tend to be with more of a straight trunk so I guess I'd be going for more an informal broom, or more naturalistic style.

Is the trunk thick enough for your desired broom?

My original plan was to just it go wild to thicken up the trunk and then cut way back but the way it's growing, with the two side branches going straight out, it's taking up too much room. That, along with seeing other threads where people start working on ramification pretty much right away, I figured I might have been able to get away with cutting back and starting on the canopy now.
I guess I'll keep letting it grow to thicken up until I'll just have to cut the side branches back due to space. I'll keep letting two on top go and cut them back when the trunk is the right size and go from there. I'm going for a shohin in the end anyways so don't need a super thick trunk

 

[Shibui]

I'm going for a shohin in the end anyways so don't need a super thick trunk

This is important to know. Not only trunk thickness but also probably start cutting back a little earlier than normal to minimise scars.
You can only allow branches to grow as long as space allows. If space is limited it will take a little longer to gain full size but we all need to work within the limitations we have. On the positive side, slower development usually produces a superior result in my experience.

 

[cmeg1]

Yea,that looks more elm like @Rodrigo
Read this short post,a lot happens between post 2-17 from Smoke styling his ‘brooms’ into more of a naturalistic Oak style.They look cool,here is the link.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/broom-elms.7100/