Instant Bonsai by rooting Big Elm Cuttings in fall

[@TalkingLoon]

I found this out by accident. Chopping some branches of some big wild elms in my backyard, figured I had nothing to lose, plopped them into a pot and they just continued to grow. Now I got several bonsai that would have taken well over 5 years to develop from seed. Probably the single most valuable advice for starting elm bonsai! Thanks for sharing your methods and experience.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Agreed! Many people just toss these and then grow from small cuttings. This is so much more rewarding!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

What a fantastic demonstration of why we love chinese elm. Those results are pretty impressive and now I understand why I had such results from some discarded elms back in 2015! Unfortunately - I will have to wait for my 'field grown' stock to actually develop enough to be able to do the same. I really enjoyed watching this - thanks Jelle. 😁

[@GrowingBonsai]

a slightly different take on growing from cutrings I suppose

[@TonysBonsai]

Great results, and some really nice plants you've got there Jelle. Very nice!

[@GrowingBonsai]

thank you so much Tony. Any success on your side with cutrings this year?

[@TonysBonsai]

yes, great success with juniper cuttings off several different varieties, but my maple success was zero. I'll be having another try next year. Just this afternoon I planted some olive cuttings too, so hopefully, they take.

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@TonysBonsai olive should take, but for rooting I understand they need to warmth. Do you have a heating mat below?

[@TonysBonsai]

I don't have a heating mat no, but I have them in my workshop by the big window. I'll wrap the pot in bubble wrap, and hopefully that will be enough.

[@thenaturecreater8906]

Wow amazing results! And another positive note. The brazilian raintree cutting is growing! Loves the indoor greenhouse i buildt! Thanks again Dr. Jella

[@GrowingBonsai]

great news!

[@peterjohnson350]

Well I never. You had better results from the branch cuttings than the root cuttings and some of the branch cuttings were quite large. I will certainly give this a try.

[@GrowingBonsai]

you should! It is quite satisfying to get this spring successes!

[@sbragaglia]

Amazing! I potted 3 much smaller elm roots early on this year but haven’t seen anything growing out of them… it’s definitely the squirrels disturbing them! Hope you’re having good time wherever you are now! 😉

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Yeah - i tried roots earlier this year and only one produced anything worthwhile. However, I may have a go now with a few in the growing beds :)

[@GrowingBonsai]

:) These are sooo easy to root. I never expected it to go this well! clean, and try again my friend!

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat have I fullfilled your wintercuttings challenge now? 😁

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

@@GrowingBonsai Yeah - that is a hands down win win win :)

[@carolholt416]

Great video!! I love Elms.

[@GrowingBonsai]

thank you, arent they great!?

[@naturgeist]

Very informative Video Jelle! Thank you for sharing ^^💚

[@GrowingBonsai]

you,re very welcome!

[@BonsaikelapaBambuApusTangsel]

Terimakasih kawan atas shering dan ilmunya....

[@GrowingBonsai]

thank you my indonesian friend!

[@deedahl2866]

Cool! Now I need to know about oak cuttings . . . specifically red oak. Here in DFW area of Texas.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Good luck!

[@BONSAIenCORTO]

Thanks for such a great video.....

[@GrowingBonsai]

thank you for the nice words!

[@missaleromanum5614]

Incredible how resilient elms are

[@GrowingBonsai]

Indeed!

[@BlueJayBonsai]

Great job & great results! Elms are fun! 🐦💙

[@GrowingBonsai]

Agreed, they are. thank you!

[@harrietb2141]

Very interesting.Thank you🌳🌳

[@GrowingBonsai]

you re ver welcome harriet. I hope there are some new things for you in there!

[@harrietb2141]

@@GrowingBonsai it sure is. I didn’t know you could replant elms at This time of year , and make root cuttings. Very good.

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@harrietb2141 many tree species can be grown from cutrings i. winter, but not always easy

[@andrewdobosz3682]

I did a similar thing with forsythia , it worked well ..

[@GrowingBonsai]

yes, forsythia readily grows from cutring indeed!

[@marinkoruscic7024]

Thanks

[@GrowingBonsai]

my pleasure!

[@matshagstrom9839]

Jelle, I have been trying doing larger cuttings based on failed air layers from the previous late summer. What I found is the build up of callous tissue from girdling the branch seems to set the branch up with stored energy for root production. This is my assumption and I’ve been looking for literature to confirm or reject the idea. I typically cut previously girdled branches when bud begin swelling. I place cuttings on a heat mat and protect from wind and strong sun. It seems the build up of scar tissue allows better survival. Doing cutting when the water demand is low and adding bottom heat seems to work well. It seems most growers prefer propagation during summer. My personal experience during summer has not been as good as doing this in spring. This may very well be my lack of experience and also not having ideal environment. My thought is that summer cuttings are susceptible to heat spikes, substrate drying quickly and fungal overgrowth in highly humid warm environments. I’m really curious if spring (right at bud swelling or bud break) may be a better time. Secondly I’m curious if girdling a ring of bark while the plant is still in a net positive energy state late summer allows us to take larger cuttings with better success. So far I have done this on Malus, Punica, Ilex, and Ulmus, Taxus and Cotoneaster. I’m curious if other growers have had experience converting air layers that did not produce roots to cuttings esp in spring time. Thank you for another insightful video!!!! Mats H

[@lovegardeningplants]

3:42 Were these brach cuttings dormant.did you use rooting hormones?

[@abydosianchulac2]

I'm assuming you didn't give them water at all while in the greenhouse over the winter, but did you do anything for them one they were back outside? Add them to your normal watering schedule, or just let the elements take care of them while you hoped for roots to take hold? Ugh, if only this worked as well for maples...

[@GrowingBonsai]

I watered them as normal. Do note the open sides on the container allowing for good air and water drainage!

[@sharonbuckley4591]

Yes was very good. Can you do the same with Dutch elm as there are lots available near where my sister lives in the Okanagan, BC Canada. They are considered invasive. ?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I would certainly expect this to work!

[@greenmachinesweden]

Great result! I am not sure elms would do good here.

[@GrowingBonsai]

i would suspect they would, perhaps with some winter protection?

[@greenmachinesweden]

@@GrowingBonsai every tree in nature around me is sick in dutch elm disease. Not a good place to grow them as bonsai.

[@andallasgibon4905]

Mantaap brather👍👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

terime kashi!

[@JadedEvan]

Any thoughts about this with other deciduous species? In my experience it seems like the Elm worked out because this species is so vigorous. It is a species that can handle a lot of work (roots, branches) and always seems to respond well. Seems like there is a lot of latent energy in the branches!

[@GrowingBonsai]

many woody species can be rooted using wintercuttings. Often this is done by sealing the ends, and burrying them deep in moist substrate for winter, planting them properly in spring.

[@njbaquatics4827]

Would I be right in saying you can treat Willow in a similar fashion?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Yes

[@michaelmarshall9924]

How do you decide which and how many roots to trim? I’ve always wondered how one decides on root trimming

[@GrowingBonsai]

i just go by feel? In. general, I take a lot, and I am to get all roots on the same level. I find that healthy plants grow roots fast!

[@bobcatbonsai]

Great info Jelle! So you put the potted roots and the potted cuttings both in the greenhouse until spring? I would call this a complete win on the free trees!!!

[@GrowingBonsai]

yes, the branches i. the greenhouse. The roots in a corner of the yard. Well pleased myself!

[@bobcatbonsai]

@@GrowingBonsai thank you for the guidance, it is extremely helpful as I continue to learn.

[@guywatson-bognorregisbonsa7370]

Great success story Jelle. Do you feel that the 100% pumice was largely contributary to the outcome of this project? 👍👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

I think in part the substrate. But probably more the ability of elm to root easily and abundantly. With Japanese maple the successrate would have been quite low.

[@jeremiahlee2146]

What do you use as substrate mix? I saw another video of yours where you rooted Japanese Maples as well

[@Avocado-Toast-TV]

cool

[@GrowingBonsai]

thx!

[@TycoonMK]

this is not chinese elm ??? i love your work

[@GrowingBonsai]

To be fair, I am not confident in naming elms!

[@TycoonMK]

@@GrowingBonsai I really want to have such a tree, I can't find it in my country, looks realy nice

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@TycoonMK which country are you in?

[@TycoonMK]

@@GrowingBonsai from Macedonia man. sadly

[@TycoonMK]

i love all your videos, I have recommended your videos to all my friends, big hello from my friends too, love your works

[@lovegardeningplants]

Do you know which species of elm this is

[@GrowingBonsai]

No :(. I had some ideas but .. no reason for it. Elms are a big black box for me and I have a hard time telling which is which. It could be a variety of field el, ulmus minor.

[@lovegardeningplants]

@@GrowingBonsai dose your contry have native elms? I know Ulmus parvifolia has cork looking bark to

[@PoorGuyBonsai]

where are you for weather? I'm in Michigan and all my cuttings fail :( I'm going try a greenhouse

[@GrowingBonsai]

I am in usda zone 7a !

[@PoorGuyBonsai]

I'm just going be so bored for winter! any tips to keep my bonsai alive in Michigan?

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@PoorGuyBonsai what sort of winter do you get?

[@PoorGuyBonsai]

mid Michigan has some pretty nasty weathers wind chills can get down to -15 to 20

[@mlangfordoutdoor]

So-yeah I did not know you can root Elm cuttings

[@GrowingBonsai]

Learned something! That was a good day!

[@curvingfyre6810]

I'd have just kept the 2 as one. The unique growth looked like it had a lot of potential to me, but separately, they seem much less unique.

[@GrowingBonsai]

fair point. THx.

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌🙂

[@GrowingBonsai]

👍