Development Stage: Ramification

Styling/Aftercare: they are pretty hardy, shouldn't need too much babying, just watch for wire cut in, it happens quick, soft wood.

Notes: If you want to try a deciduous tree and you dont have alot of experience, elms in my mind are the best, they grow so fast you can recover from mistakes easy. And they are so hardy.

Spring/Summer Care: they love sun, just protect some when it gets really hot to avoid leaf burn.

Fall/Winter Care: keep the roots protected!! The roots are so soft and fleshy that they will burst and kill the tree if they freeze too hard or for too long a period of time. Be careful with watering in the winter. if possible just water with snow to be sure you don't fill

Propagation Notes: fairly easy to air layer or ground layer. Have not tried from cuttings although i assume it should be fairly easy.

Maximum Top Pruning: Up to 3/4	Maximum Root Pruning: 3/4
Soil pH:	Organic Soil Preference: all organic
Cold Protection: Protect Roots from Freeze	Sun Protection: Shade on Hottest Days
Water Preference: Constantly Moist	Back Budding Ease: Easy

Japanese Elm( Zelkova serrata ) by David Morrow in Zone 6

feed

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Fertilize with high nitrogen solid (green dream) from when buds swell thru end of growth

feed hard in spring and taper off as it gets really hot and into the fall.

feed

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Fertilize with low nitrogen liquid (fish emulsion) from August thru September

switch over to fish emulsion in the fall to keep from new young shoots having to go into the winter before they harden off.

prune

pruning to shape, from beginning of growth, thru when buds open

prune for shape before the leaves get on the tree, that way you can tell what you are doing. try to clean out alot as elm grows so vigorously. A good rule of thumb is to prune one node further than you think you should. Try to prune shoots going up, and leave shoots that are changing directions and pointing downward. this is what gives the winter image of an old tree.

prune

pinch new shoots, from after leaves emerge, thru end of growth

pinch out the ends of the shoots as this will cause further ramification and back-budding.

prune

defoliation, from April, thru May

defoliate before it gets too hot or the new shoots will get burnt. defoliation although scary produces amazing results. the elm will flush super hard after defoliation.

wiring

Wire from March thru October. Check after 1 months.

i like to wire deciduous in the fall after the leaves have fallen, that way you can have the fall and spring before you have to take the wire off. gives you a little more time with the wire on. But if you miss in the fall you can get it in the spring. The

repot

Repot starting before buds open thru when buds open. Repot every 2 to 3 years.

you can drastically root-prune elm. they love it actually. they have such fleshy roots that they will choke themselves in their pots if left too long.

Ramification