figure its normal you tell me An Elm is a deciduous tree and needs period of dormancy in the fall, however you can keep him inside for the rest of the winter and then put him outside when the night time temps. go above 40°F. Next fall you can leave it out to experience some cold nights and a few frosts and let it drop it's leaves. He is not a tropical tree. There are some who feel that they can be kept inside year round but I'm in the camp that say he must have a period of dormancy outside. We will explain more about that later.bonsaidude wrote:hey thanks for the reply, and no the rocks are not glued what I did was added those big ones and I scraped all the lose little ones off the top I left some for moisture and added moss for some help and appearance. About the drainage I honestly don't know I want to say it dosent I diddnt think it did since it came with that holder, but I only keep it moist and wont be over watering it. I may soon buy a light for him I was just gonna try to keep him indoor/ outdoor in summer but I wasent gonna go that crazy but I may. Is it ok if I don't buy a light ? and if he drops his leaves they will grow back ? cuase I do notice some dieing ones but I'm thinking you just leave them to fall. I thought he was tropical and would keep them year round, but I expected some falling leaves anyways. I thank you for all info and any main info you can give I did some research myself and hoping for the best.
ya the only thing I'm in question is cuase I thought that he was tropical plant is the dormancy periods. So as of right now I bought him like this and has his leaves, so did we skip his dormancy period this year ? in a way ? and I can understand then why he might be droping some now. so I'm guesin I should just keep him in the sun or light for rest of the year and then try give him a dormancy time come fall ? one last thing about the trimming I notice that average time to prune in early springish and ima shoot for that, just there some little twigs I say it like that cuase there not big like a branch would be but its tiny and dosent have anything on it can I remove these ? if I don't like where there at and theres some areas that are growing into each other and I wanna free them to grow nice. I diddnt know if this would harsh the plant or strain him but could I do that stuff now ?
Chinese Elm is a bit unusual for a tree. This species has the ability to be either deciduous or evergreen depending upon how it is handled and possibly its origin. As Len suggested, and I agree, it is better to allow a proper dormant period over the winter. For this season, I would not worry about it too much but in the future I would advise leaving it outside during cool weather only sheltering it as required. This is dependent upon your location so we should discuss that later.So as of right now I bought him like this and has his leaves, so did we skip his dormancy period this year ? in a way ? and I can understand then why he might be droping some now. so I'm guesin I should just keep him in the sun or light for rest of the year and then try give him a dormancy time come fall ?
Yes, you can trim off little stuff to keep it looking nice and neat. In the spring you will see a real growth spurt and you will be constantly pinching and trimming to keep it in bounds and neat looking. With an Elm there is always something to think about because you define how it's going to look by what and where you trim off.bonsaidude wrote:....just there some little twigs I say it like that cuase there not big like a branch would be but its tiny and dosent have anything on it can I remove these ? if I don't like where there at and theres some areas that are growing into each other and I wanna freul and appreciate it !!e them to grow nice.
They are basically asleep at that time of year.
ima get him a friend I think this week a orange citrus bonsai If it is that hot at 2-3 feet you surely have an incandescent bulb. It's pretty much agreed that for the casual enthusiast, fluorescents are a better choice as you can get them much closer without the possibility of overheating the tree.I felt it might be to hot even 2-3 feet away
By all means, take advantage of your natural daylight. I leave my lights on 16 hours and off 8. An inexpensive timer is a real boon. I would suggest being consistent with the lighting and not try to judge whether to turn it on for any particular day.I have a great side of the house and he gets sun all day ( if its there ) but I plan to use the light on days he might not have got a good amount. Or should I give him a constant of it and if yes how many hours a day.
I think Len just meant that if you provide adequate lighting it should begin to really put on some new growth, at which time it would be appropriate to begin some form of fertilizer.I must say I like the sound of forced growth if that helps your answer
Marsman has a good point. Don't aim the fan at the tree. Just a little movement in the room is good and very light movement at that. They can dry out with too much movement. I use a ceiling light (overhead) fan.Marsman wrote:I'm concerned the fan might dry out the tree too quickly.
I just noticed there is a period at the end of the first link.
so amazing. Just one last guestion to be safe but watering for dormant maple wont need much obv since he stored some for winter right ? but what would be a method to check him to see if hes thristy during dormancy Your tree does not really need much 'one on one' care so that is not really relevant. They can care for a hundred just as easy as ten. In fact, sometimes we have a tendency to fuss about too much and kill our charges with kindness. Sometimes less is more.is he gonna do better than he was in a green house that dosent provide that much light and care not saying they diddnt care for them either but more one on one ?
It should do much better outside, yes. The reason it is not active now is likely due to an adjustment period, less than ideal conditions and the fact that you are just learning how to handle it. You should see some growth soon, but you'll be surprised how much better it will do once you get in real sunlight.and come spring hell get good and full leaf growth ? cuase he seems to be a slow grower.
Once it experiences a full summer, (decreasing day length after midsummer) fall and the early light frosts it will be ready for a dormant period. That does not necessarily mean that you should simply leave it outside unprotected all winter but we can talk about that later.if this elm was raised tropical and which I think it was if I keep him in till spring put him outside and have a dormant time it wont harsh him ?
Then I'm afraid that I do not understand your question. If you do not intend to leave it outside then it won't experience dormancy. Although this species is quite adaptable, most growers would suggest at least a brief dormancy. There is plenty of time to discuss this later so don't make up your mind just yet.naw ill deff bring him in and stuff wont leave him out but I just diddnt know if the transfer to never being dormant to going dormant might freak him out.
Not sure that I know what product you used. If it was a little spike that was intended to be inserted into the soil and instead you crushed a small portion and sprinkled it around then I think you will be OK.you know anything bout that fertalizer guestion ?...I gave him a tad of that maricle grow blue stick thing , broke a little peice of it and went down a tad around him and only dusted it not much either. < --- is this ok ?
This is a good plan. It will get about 2 1/2 months rest up time.bonsaidude wrote:I ment like I wasent gonna leave him out threw winter and stuff ill store him nicely inside somewhere but I'm going to leave him out and bring him in around thanksgiving was to seem to be about average for connecticut.
I like this strategy as well. By Thanksgiving it will just be entering full dormancy, by Christmas or new years it will OK to bring it in if that is the route you want to take or you could continue with a full season of dormancy for the rest of the winter. You don't have to make that decision now though.djlen wrote:
This is a good plan. It will get about 2 1/2 months rest up time.
Another option would be to take it from outside at Thanksgiving and put it into an out-building or garage that is unheated until Christmas. That would protect it for an extra month of rest before bringing it in.
Your tree will not need a lot of fertilization until Spring approaches, so be careful about over doing it. What you mentioned above with the MiracleGro stick sounds OK.
Make sure to read the directions and not apply too frequently. Slow release, ya know.bonsaidude wrote:I went out and bought a 16 - 4 - 8 mix kinda those slow release balls and rocks and I don't give him alot I understand never to much
