Ground Layering a Chinese Elm

[BonsaiMatt]

I grew this elm in my yard for a few years, it was a surprise shoot that popped up from a root left over from another project. I dug it up a couple years ago. As you can see, it had no redeeming qualities lol. I tried to ground layer it in the field via the tourniquet method, but it was too vigorous and grew over the wire. Can you see it?



I chopped it low and planted in a plastic tub, didn't take many pics then because it was fugly and I didn't have any plans for it.

I let a bunch of leaders grow, and eventually selected a few and cut them back:


Carved out a V notch:




Sealed up and trimmed:


Knowing what was under the soil, I needed to layer it off that ugly mess.

 

[BonsaiMatt]

Last summer I ground layered it by removing a ring of bark:



Buried on moss and soil:


One moon later, roots began to pop:


The tree was left to grow freely last summer, and was hacked back over the winter:

 

[BonsaiMatt]

Yesterday I separated the layer, tons of roots had formed:



Tied the roots up out of the way and sawed off the layer:


Trimmed the new roots back:



Planted in an @sorce pot:


Now we hope it survives, and wait for some twigs...

 

[sorce]

Friggin layer king award!

On the "I wonder what will go in this pot I adore so much" scale, this scores a 90/100!

When it's all grey bark, grey twigs grey winter.

That's gonna be Greyt!

Sorce

 

[leatherback]

That's what I am talking about. This is still fugly, Buuuuttt.. On track to grow from duckling to Swan!

 

[BonsaiMatt]

A little trim and a little wire. You can see the cut ends just starting to bud.

 

[PA_Penjing]

Pretty sure that's the most vigorous layer I've ever seen

 

[BonsaiMatt]

Winter trim and LS:

 

[BonsaiMatt]

This tree gets black spot (I think) every year, so I tried a full defoliation this year:

 

[19Mateo83]

This one is one of those “it’s so fugly it’s cute” kind of trees. I love it! Great work and awesome transformation!

 

[misfit11]

I like it. It's definitely got character. Not a cookie cutter tree in the slightest but it's got potential to be very cool. My only critique is that the two leaders are at the same height and thickness. You've got a slingshot going right now. In this case it kind of looks like the devil-horns/metal sign. I think you need to chop one of them down lower and choose one as more of a top or let one side grow (my vote would be the left-hand trunk).

Great, weird, fairy tail tree you've got going here. Keep us posted of it's development.

 

[BonsaiMatt]

two leaders are at the same height and thickness. You've got a slingshot going right now. In this case it kind of looks like the devil-horns/metal sign. I think you need to chop one of them down lower and choose one as more of a top or let one side grow (my vote would be the left-hand trunk).

You are probably right. I was initially thinking of a broom-style canopy when I left them the same height, but it would be more interesting with one more dominant than the other. Definitely considering letting one outgrow the other.

 

[BonsaiMatt]

Leafing out

 

[BobbyLane]

Last summer I ground layered it by removing a ring of bark:
View attachment 362454
View attachment 362455

Buried on moss and soil:
View attachment 362456

One moon later, roots began to pop:
View attachment 362457

The tree was left to grow freely last summer, and was hacked back over the winter:
View attachment 362458

View attachment 362459

Nice work!
I know you said you layered in summer, what month? seems like it was in full leaf when you layered. So im thinking you began the layer late apr to may..

 

[BonsaiMatt]

Nice work!
I know you said you layered in summer, what month? seems like it was in full leaf when you layered. So im thinking you began the layer late apr to may..

I started the layer on July 18, 2020,
and removed it on March 20, 2021

 

[BonsaiMatt]

Just starting to leaf out in spring:

 

[giventofly]

Looking very nice.

I'm a bit late to ask, but why the V cut was done?

 

[BonsaiMatt]

The V cut splits up the main trunk to help transition taper to the sub-trunks. It helps make the flat trunk chop less noticeable (hopefully).

 

[GGB]

Hey, was that defoliation helpful in preventing the black spot the following season? I did it to get rid of black spot and it worked but sold the tree before it leafed out again so I never knew if it was a long term solution or an annual task

 

[BonsaiMatt]

Hey, was that defoliation helpful in preventing the black spot the following season? I did it to get rid of black spot and it worked but sold the tree before it leafed out again so I never knew if it was a long term solution or an annual task

It didn't seem to work.