English Elm Root... is it the trunk?

[takeme4granite]

So I recently bought this little elm from a nursery. I repotted it becuse it was in a tiny pot with almost no soil. I dug into the dirt a little today to see what kind of roots this thing had. I found a REALLY thick root coming straight from the trunk. There are roots that started at about the previous soil level, but this root goes deeper, below the first roots. Is this super thick root (it seems like an extension of the trunk) a root or is it part the trunk? I want to know because the "root" has way more movement and even more thickness than my existing trunk. I was thinking of cutting some of the roots to expose this "trunk" and have the soil level lower. Thoughts?

(the pictures aren't very good. The green is where the "root" is and the blue is the previous soil level)

Thanks!

 

[penumbra]

If it wasn't a trunk it is now. Start lifting it to reveal this lost trunk. It will develop scaly bark like the rest of it. It works for me.

 

[takeme4granite]

Cool! Thanks penumbra. So I guess also start cutting those high up roots that will be aerial?

 

[penumbra]

Cool! Thanks penumbra. So I guess also start cutting those high up roots that will be aerial?

I would.

 

[takeme4granite]

I would.

Okay, thanks for the advice. Do you know if there is anyway that this could harm the plant?

 

[penumbra]

If you leave plenty of roots it will be fine. Elms are tough.

 

[takeme4granite]

So I went for it. Here is the result

I got about an extra inch of thick trunk. I am a little unsure of how to procede from here. Not sure what to do with the style. I was playing around with rotating this picture to see what different angles could offer. I would love some ideas from others on what to do to proceed. I was going to chop the trunk maybe an inch above where all those new branches. Do you think the tree could handle that this year?

 

[cbroad]

@takeme4granite
Save those thicker high roots you cut off and pot them up separately, throw some wire on them and bend them up, they'll probably sprout leaves and become interesting little trees.

 

[takeme4granite]

@takeme4granite
Save those thicker high roots you cut off and pot them up separately, throw some wire on them and bend them up, they'll probably sprout leaves and become interesting little trees.

Thanks! By plant them do you mean completely bury them? Or just have them sticking out of the soil. If so which side goes into the soil?

 

[Potawatomi13]

If root keeps movement down lower raise even higher up. Should be able to cut off straight boring trunk eventually for more interesting one

 

[Shibui]

There is essentially not much difference between a large root and the trunk. As has already been mentioned when a root is brought above ground level it will grow bark and act as a trunk.
There is generally no problem removing some roots from a tree. They have far more than they need and can rapidly grow more when needed. Some species and elms are among them can have up to 90% of roots removed and will just grow a whole new set and continue to grow as if nothing has happened.
Many more people should practice removing roots that are in the wrong places to create far better bonsai.

The straight trunk is now at odds with the nicely curved base. I would cut back to the first small side branch (just above the bunch of shoots at the join) and see how that looks. The remaining straight trunk part is juts a fraction too long but may end up looking OK. If it doesn't look good you may need to cut back to those ones at the junction (previous soil level) and grow a new trunk and branches from those.

 

[Potawatomi13]

There is essentially not much difference between a large root and the trunk. As has already been mentioned when a root is brought above ground level it will grow bark and act as a trunk.
There is generally no problem removing some roots from a tree. They have far more than they need and can rapidly grow more when needed. Some species and elms are among them can have up to 90% of roots removed and will just grow a whole new set and continue to grow as if nothing has happened.
Many more people should practice removing roots that are in the wrong places to create far better bonsai.

The straight trunk is now at odds with the nicely curved base. I would cut back to the first small side branch (just above the bunch of shoots at the join) and see how that looks. The remaining straight trunk part is juts a fraction too long but may end up looking OK. If it doesn't look good you may need to cut back to those ones at the junction (previous soil level) and grow a new trunk and branches from those.

However keeping upper trunk awhile will help develop bigger trunk quicker than without.

 

[cbroad]

By plant them do you mean completely bury them? Or just have them sticking out of the soil.

Bury the lower half at least, any exposed part will become the trunk and should leaf out.

If so which side goes into the soil?

If you just cut the root off of the trunk and then cut the other side at the soil level, than it probably won't work. You would need to have some small feeder roots attached for the root cutting to work.

But for the future, any thicker root you cut off during repotting could become a root cutting. Not all species will do this, but elms definitely do.

 

[takeme4granite]

If root keeps movement down lower raise even higher up. Should be able to cut off straight boring trunk eventually for more interesting one

The trunk continues below but is a bit narrower just below where i stopped raising it. I stopped there so it wouldn't have a reverse taper

 

[takeme4granite]

The straight trunk is now at odds with the nicely curved base. I would cut back to the first small side branch (just above the bunch of shoots at the join) and see how that looks. The remaining straight trunk part is juts a fraction too long but may end up looking OK. If it doesn't look good you may need to cut back to those ones at the junction (previous soil level) and grow a new trunk and branches from those.

Is now a good time to do that? Or should I wait until later in the year?

 

[Shibui]

Is now a good time to do that? Or should I wait until later in the year?

You can successfully cut elm at any time of year. They are vigorous and will attempt to keep growing whatever you do to them.
Whether to cut depends on whether you want the trunk to thicken -

However keeping upper trunk awhile will help develop bigger trunk quicker than without

If you want a thicker trunk for your bonsai then let it grow for a while longer.
If you think you are ready to start building branches then cut now or later. It won't matter much.

The trunk continues below but is a bit narrower just below where i stopped raising it. I stopped there so it wouldn't have a reverse taper

This is one of the few drawbacks with using roots. They naturally get thinner the further they go down. You seem to have good lateral roots on this trunk so hopefully the trunk will thicken near the roost and change the existing reverse taper.
When selecting roots for root cuttings you need to use those with as little taper as possible. Any will grow but less taper will produce better trees for bonsai.

 

[Tieball]

I cut off growth branches so there is only one branch from the collar. Double and triple branches build up an unwanted knot right next to the trunk. An enlarged collar. I eliminate the unwanted branches as soon as I can....waiting only helps create that knot that will not go away.

 

[takeme4granite]

I can't believe I did this. Its an English Oak, not an English Elm

 

[penumbra]

I can't believe I did this. Its an English Oak, not an English Elm

Well that is a different game. Best of luck.