I just joined too. I could use alot of help with this.

[anthony burce]

Just bought this "Seiju elm". I was having trouble figuring out what it was, but you guys helped alot there. I guess now i would like to get some advice on what i should do to it or let it do to itself.
I have swapped the soil for a straight compost because i thought it would be good for growth. I also trimmed away parts of the roots and shoots. I removed about a third of the roots. As for the foliage, probably half. You can see i chopped off a thick branch near the bottom half of the tree, it was growing straight up, super ugly.

 

[Smoke]

Well its almost Independence Day, and what ya got here is a "Roman Candle"!

 

[sorce]

@Smoke Lol. Still looking at the Independence Day flowers......I surely wasn't expecting that.....but the real funny is, we cut a pipe open at work yesterday and there was cockroaches coming out of it...like a Roman Candle!

@anthony burce

With that small foilage, a tree that tall could be quite convincing.
I'd keep any low branching you get?

Little worried about the straight compost ....but it kind of depends on.....Where the hell is Redding?

California?

Welcome to what is obviously, a little crazy!

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

I would watch the water carefully. You could easily over water with straight compost. How long has the tree been in it.
The good news is these trees bud out all over the place. If you think you might want branches lower down they will appear.
Too bad you cut the lower limb off. That could have been a nice spot to chop off the main trunk and used that limb as the next section of trunk. For some nice taper. And movement. But what's done is done.
I had a nice one and lost it to extreme cold last year. Would love another but have no place protected to put it. It survived the previous 2 winters outside here but last year was brutal.
Cool tree. You will really like it once you get working on it. And the leaves will get smaller. Those are on the large side.

 

[JudyB]

I think that I would let this one grow and gain strength this summer, be careful as Mike said about the watering, straight compost can be hard to deal with. You can chop it lower late winter, and then get lots of new buds lower on the tree, and repot into an appropriate mix in spring.

 

[jk_lewis]

Redding, if I recall, is hot and dry. It my be too bad that that lower "trunk" was cut completely off.

 

[JudyB]

Redding could be anywhere.... But a good point JKL. Perhaps the poster could update the profile with where in the world Redding is. It makes a pretty big difference for advice. If you are in Redding CA, then compost is a whole different animal than in the wet cooler east.

 

[Cypress187]

Nice bark man.

 

[anthony burce]

It is redding california. Its about 101° today.

 

[sorce]

Damn!

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

Yeah. It may push 80 here.
I'd melt down to a pool of bacon grease if I had to endure those temps all of the time.

 

[anthony burce]

Yeah. It may push 80 here.
I'd melt down to a pool of bacon grease if I had to endure those temps all of the time.

Not so bad with all the lakes close by. So about the compost. Obviously i have the heat through out the day to dry out the soil. Would the advice be to check the moisture level with my fingers and water when appropriate? Is this soil the best option for good growth?

 

[sorce]

Is this soil the best option for good growth?

For this year! Especially if it dries out. And, unless you can pump water o out of those lakes, might be good for next year too!

Less you're home all day and can water a lot, or hook up an automatic system.

I think the chop stick left in the soil trick would work best for you.

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

Just as Sorce says.

 

[michaelj]

Straight compost is not good. Elms can grow in almost anything, but straight compost is a bad medium for growing potted trees. Dressing the top with some sphagnum moss or compost to retain moisture and keep the root ball cool in those 100 degree temps is okay, but planting a bonsai in 100% compost is a bad long term plan.

 

[jk_lewis]

Straight compost is not good. Elms can grow in almost anything, but straight compost is a bad medium for growing potted trees. Dressing the top with some sphagnum moss or compost to retain moisture and keep the root ball cool in those 100 degree temps is okay, but planting a bonsai in 100% compost is a bad long term plan.

True, but not so much for this year. Keep it in its pot. Keep and eye on moisture levels by KEEPING a wooden chopstick jammed deep into the soil. Remove it daily and feel the dirty end. If it feels damp, do not water. If it feels bone dry, water. Repot next January.

 

[M. Frary]

Like JKL and Sorce said. Leave it in the soil it is in now. Keep a good eye on moisture in the soil. Too wet for too long you run the risk of root rot. And let it dry out and the tree may die. Good news is elms are very adaptable and tough trees. So you get leeway either way. I would control the water every step of the way. I would shelter it if it was raining for one thing to prevent too much water. I would also have it in as much sun it can take where you live. Where I live I can leave them out all day but the sun isn't as direct as yours. Nor as hot. However.
Next spring when you can repot I would put it into a good bonsai mix that works in your area in a collander. Try to contact someone from a local bonsai club and see if they can help. It's hard from half a country away.
Good luck and keep us posted. We're here to help.

 

[anthony burce]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Im pretty optimistic now with all of the directions ive received. I knew asking so questions would help. Ill keep this tree posted so yall can see how it goes. Hopefully it will be a completely uneventful year for this seiju, just sitting and recovering.

 

[sorce]

You Probly end up getting a nice Nebari going in that soil this year too.

Make sure come spring You take pictures of the roots when you do repot. This is going to be very interesting to see.

Something tells me you might end up putting it right back in that compost next year.

If it's healthy, I'd work the roots out good next year and throw it in a colander. Then you can just let it grow for a good while.

Come to think of it, if you get growth like Colin is getting you can Probly finish this tree this year!
http://www.bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/seiju-chop.18087/

Sorce

 

[anthony burce]

BOOM! HERE WE GO!!!! GOTTA LOVE THE ELMS!!!