Zelkova from Cuttings

[cmeg1]

A throwback from 4 or 5 years ago.
These were when I started to grow these.I was amazed at the density defoliation provided on such small trees.A couple times a season.These were all 2nd and 3rd growing season I believe.Unfortunately do not have them anymore.
I never used to apply wire at the correct times when I was learning to grow these,but they were getting quite dense from letting grow bushy and then cutting back and defoliating.The nodes would always be nice and short at the resulting flushes after defoliation.
I am finally getting back to this stage and hope to apply better technique to make some cool little trees!
Pardon the disgusting organic ,bat guano,seabird guano,bone meal orchid moss lol and the freakin potting soil in colanders....yea right
Not necessarily all Brooms this time around........livin’ the dream,right?

 

[cmeg1]

I think this was only a couple years old.Got mega dense.
Another throwback
Complete with organic guano moss filled soil colander.

 

[cmeg1]

Just one more pic of the tree with bat and cow moss.
Tree was loving it though! Have you ever seen leaves so vivid green?

 

[cmeg1]

More layers
Finished three more air layers today.The usual.Roots looked good enough.They’ll grow more when the tree does.
A couple of the others are really starting to take off.
The clump is budding real good.
For ones that only bud at the top or somewhat scant,I will just let grow and then plant on tiles or saucers this Fall in the grow bed.Since they have good roots.Create something from them.Maybe the kind of clumps that are made by cutting nearly to the ground all the time until a fat base forms.....or something.

This year they are planted in pots full of hydroponic soil.Next year I will remove any bottom roots and plant onto inverted saucers or something.

I will have twenty or so of these air layers and made absolutely zero cuttings this year,so no layers to be made next year.Just work on these.
Unless I buy some VIABLE seed and use first year whips to make layers.Which would be nice actually for some genetic variability.

This year the ones that are good,I could point a new leader straight up and let run to put a little more girth.That could be interesting.
Or do that and plant on tiles in the grow bed this Fall now that the roots are made.

 

[John P.]

Any idea if these will root in water?

 

[cmeg1]

Any idea

Worth a try I had horrible luck with cuttings this year not a single one I don’t know if it was my LED was too powerful or what I was trying aeroponic tooeverything just went wrong ,maybe dirty rainwater.
Going to give seeds a go

 

[cmeg1]

A couple more.
Real good roots on these.
Only 8 more to go.They will be ready in days probably.It is good to do many because potentially up to 50% can kind of stall or grow very slowly it seems.Or who knows....all of these were originally propagated from two separate stock plants.Maybe one was not as productive or something.Could explain the roughly 50% situation.
The clump seems it will be a vigorous one so that’s good news!
I am definately going to make another of those in a few days.
I want to make these from seedlings next year.I have never did that.The variation would be excellent really.

 

[cmeg1]

More!
A few more.The first will eventually be some type of Raft Bonsai hopefully.The slanted ring-bark removal produced nice roots at the perfect angle.The other couple are nice leaning style.Made a Clump Bonsai also.Hopefully It buds as good as the first.
The first one made seems very vigorous.
The reason to make over twenty of these is because some simply do not want to grow.Had to toss a few.Others pop right into growth.Whatever

 

[cmeg1]

Had to devise a support system
I know from past experience that when these get taller the wind will topple the plants loose and dislodge the young roots and kill the much needed vigor at this stage,so the best way seems to use 12 solid wire and put on the pots for stability.Seems stable enough.
A couple are getting bigger.

 

[cmeg1]

Moved into the full Sun
Theses new layers seem to grow much more vigorous with better color when out in the open Sun.
My polycarbonate roof needs replacing.It does come in handy in Spring to keep peach leaf curl in check though.
Most of the layers seem vigorous,some have weakened slightly,but that is why you make 20 or so.
Only one more left to separate in a week or so.

 

[John P.]

Nice! By the way, it looks like Zelkova cuttings will root in water after all. After about 5 weeks:


I’m glad, as the mother plant (which I had grown from seed) died at my hands. Her spirit will live on.

 

[cmeg1]

Nice! By the way, it looks like Zelkova cuttings will root in water after all. After about 5 weeks:
View attachment 256840View attachment 256841

I’m glad, as the mother plant (which I had grown from seed) died at my hands. Her spirit will live on.

Awesome!

 

[MrWunderful]

@cmeg1 where do you get your plastic bulb pans?

 

[cmeg1]

Edit

 

[cmeg1]

@cmeg1 where do you get your plastic bulb pans?

Just remember to drill extra drainage holes

Traditional Round Bulb Pans

The broad base of these traditional pots provide a stable container for both tall and short blooming plant material. Ideal for spring flowering bulbs, mixed annuals, tropicals and more.

www.greenhousemegastore.com

 

[cmeg1]

Starting to grow vigorously on the way to the grow bed!

Of the 20 or so I made , it seems about half are kicking into vigorous growth with nice green leaves and active terminals.
The other few seemed to get a more rough start,but I will put then in the ground and they will come back.
A few got tossed in the garbage.

So,the plan is to grow them hard as I can for a couple months and then put in the ground in mid-October on tiles or saucers to fatten them up a short while.May as well treat them right since nice air-layers!!
I plan on tilling the earth with good nutritive soil and fertilizing organically all next season and beyond for their stay in the grow bed.

The layer below is 6 weeks from seperating and I can tell it is starting to grow strong out in the full Sun.The dark green leaves and extending terminals are a sure sign of that!!
Definately what they need now.

 

[cmeg1]

These look promising too!
Glad these got a couple months before planting in the grow bed on clay saucers.

 

[cmeg1]

Soil is working out good

Seems best medium for enhanced root growth before putting in the grow bed this Autumn.
Even trees that were set back a bit and struggling by looks of top growth,I can see the roots filling the pot and using a lot of water quickly.I believe the trees will bounce back next season in the grow bed.

I used guidance from Evergreengardenworks.com for a good soil and it is working very nice!
50/50 perlite/bark.
Although a bit costly,the Classic size Orchiata bark is fantastic along with #3 perlite.
I top dress loose layer of shredded orchid moss.
Honestly would look nice to me even in a Bonsai pot of some depth.Especially when the moss is green.
I water 2 times a day or once.Aeration is great and very moist too.
The link:

Soils for Containers and Bonsai

 

[cmeg1]

Ph’d my nutrient solution
I have never paid attention to ph,but started to notice some chlorosis at bottom of shoots even when only 1.5’ long.
And taking cuttings of various trees this Winter indoors I decided to get more scientific.And I do use essentially a hydroponic growth medium.
I prefer a dropper bottle solution rather than them hard to maintain meters.
I checked the nutrient solution and good thing I did.
The dyna-gro lowered my rainwater down to ph 4.0.
That is entirely acidic.
After adding only .75 ml of ph-up I got rather consistent readings of between 6-6.5 so is much better.
The bottle of ph-up should last almost 400 gallons,so fairly economical.
The dropper solution lasts very long...only need 3-5 drops per test.
I will not test every watering,but probably once a week or when I finish a rain barrel and move to the next.
I think a good move!

 

[cmeg1]

Soil Experiments.

I must admit,I really like the perlite for growing trees....starting indoors and putting outside.
This Grodan Cubes product actually seems the perfect combination with other extremely lite weight media.
This pot is a 1/3 Grodan,but a 50/50 on top inch.Could always put the trusty orchid spahgnum on top or go 50/50 throughout.Great moisture AND air!