Doomed Chinese Elm Branch

[rollwithak]

Any updated photos?

Hey, I hadn’t had any but I just half-assed some photos when I was out watering. For now, I'm letting the roots get vigorous and just letting this growth produce as much energy as possible.

After this growing season, this is my thought… I want to make an aggressive cut that was mentioned up above to get rid of the top portion and get this closer to size. I will properly take care of the wound and in the spring, allow new buds to start popping out of the trunk and see what we get. I’m liking my chances that a shoot will pop where we want it to. My questions are these:

1. Is this a good plan?
2. If I cut, should that be done in the fall?
C. Should I wait until the following spring to mess with the roots?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

For now, I'm letting the roots get vigorous and just letting this growth produce as much energy as possible.

Looks great! I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Wulfskaar]

You'll definitely want to make sure chopping in the fall is going to be ok before you do it. I recently read a bit of debate about when to chop. One thought was that you should do it before or during the growing season so that it heals over faster, while someone else said otherwise. I've found it to be extremely difficult to get a consensus on anything related to bonsai.

 

[rollwithak]

You'll definitely want to make sure chopping in the fall is going to be ok before you do it. I recently read a bit of debate about when to chop. One thought was that you should do it before or during the growing season so that it heals over faster, while someone else said otherwise. I've found it to be extremely difficult to get a consensus on anything related to bonsai.

Yeah it’s probably because there are so many different variables at play when it comes to plants. I think the saying goes, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat.”

this will be a fairly major cut so I’m going to want to research when the best time for major cuts is…. It’s out there somewhere, I know it (stares off into the distance)

 

[leatherback]

What excatly do you have in mind when you say, cut to this size?

I think the earlier suggestion was aimed at making a cut that would aid in closing the gap, not at reducing the height much. I think the link the trunk has now is nice. I would not reduce in size much I think. But the cut on top should be cleaned up to facilitate healing over.

 

[Wulfskaar]