Growing Chinese Elm from Stump

[CrannEire]

Hi,

I'm not doing this until Spring. I just want to plan my trees.
I'm looking for some advice. I have a small Chinese Elm with lovely craggy bark and decent enough upper section. However, the trunk is quite straight and there's a slight bit of inverse taper in the middle. I was going to air layer the top just above the middle. If I cut away the swell in the middle will it grow from the stump left behind? This has been grown in a bonsai pot and is kept quite small.

 

[Rivian]

Sometimes inverse taper can be fixed by slicing the bark repeatedly over some time. The area that is too thinn.
Airlayers on chinese elm may or may not work. If its thicker than half a centimeter there is a good chance the stump will backbud, if you decide to just chop it.

 

[CrannEire]

I might as well try the air layer first then. It won't hurt.

 

[Rivian]

I might as well try the air layer first then. It won't hurt.

If theres no additional foliage below the airlayer, then it does hurt. Since no more nutrients flow to the roots. Thats how I lost a chinese elm this year. Trying to chop after failed layer.
Unless theres additional foliage or youre lucky, its either airlayer or chop.

 

[CrannEire]

If theres no additional foliage below the airlayer, then it does hurt. Since no more nutrients flow to the roots. Thats how I lost a chinese elm this year. Trying to chop after failed layer.
Unless theres additional foliage or youre lucky, its either airlayer or chop.

Ah, okay. I didn't consider this. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Shibui]

Chinese elm are very good at growing from stumps. Huge numbers of broom style Chinese elms have been developed by chopping a trunk and growing from the new shoots that emerge. Typically Chinese elm grows masses of new shoot right round the exposed cambium ring at the top of the stump with a few more through the bark down the trunk for good measure.
If @Rivian has had a single failure of layer and then chop there may have been other factors at play.

Take a real good look at the top section. Is it really worth layering - most are not IMHO. There is already way too many crappy Chinese elms in this world. It is generally much quicker and easier to go straight to chop for the stump and, if you really need another crappy Chinese elm they are quite cheap and easy to get in most places.

 

[M. Frary]

You can hack a healthy elm down to a bare stump no problem.
It will grow out of the cambium like shibui said.
It will most likely pop buds out further down.
They come back angry.

 

[leatherback]

They come back angry.

Yes, important detail to not forget about. Do not stand too close to them in the first months after chopping!

 

[CrannEire]

Chinese elm are very good at growing from stumps. Huge numbers of broom style Chinese elms have been developed by chopping a trunk and growing from the new shoots that emerge. Typically Chinese elm grows masses of new shoot right round the exposed cambium ring at the top of the stump with a few more through the bark down the trunk for good measure.
If @Rivian has had a single failure of layer and then chop there may have been other factors at play.

Take a real good look at the top section. Is it really worth layering - most are not IMHO. There is already way too many crappy Chinese elms in this world. It is generally much quicker and easier to go straight to chop for the stump and, if you really need another crappy Chinese elm they are quite cheap and easy to get in most places.

I guess I'm attached, because it was my first bonsai. I think it's a black elm. Very small leaf and gnarly bark. I think I'll go for it. Thanks for the advice.

 

[CrannEire]

Yes, important detail to not forget about. Do not stand too close to them in the first months after chopping!

Hahaha. I'll be sure to wear protection.

 

[sorce]

Make sure the top cut of the airlayer is at the widest part.

Sorce

 

[CrannEire]

Make sure the top cut of the airlayer is at the widest part.

Sorce

Yes. For sure.

 

[M. Frary]

Yes, important detail to not forget about. Do not stand too close to them in the first months after chopping!

Right!
It's best to sneak up on them when they're like that.

 

[CrannEire]

Right!
It's best to sneak up on them when they're like that.

Yes. Best to have the element of sap-rise.