Chinese elm

[mark smyth]

I received a Chinese elm 'bonsai' yesterday as a gift. What am I going to do with it?

[Maggi Young]

 You can keep it outside or in a cold glasshouse. If there is a mild winter with lots of sun it might keep its leaves. Make sure it gets a good soaking, plants are often dehydrated in transit or display.
I''d suggest  the glasshouse for winter and the summer out of dooors when it leaves up well. Should look natty sitting on the patio.

 Went to check the best time for pruning it  (in the absence of the BD - a bit of a Bonsai Despot in his time!))and found this neat little article, which seems sensible:
http://www.greendragonbonsai.co.uk/chinese%20elm%20care%20guide.htm

[mark smyth]

Thanks. I can see all the leaves around it in a few weeks.

Unheated greenhouse?

[mark smyth]

unheated is great. I can dump set it on a sand plunge in the greenhouse for the winter.

[Maggi Young]

that'll be fine.

[Lesley Cox]

I received a Chinese elm 'bonsai' yesterday as a gift. What am I going to do with it?

Start a bonsai collection.

[ArnoldT]

The Ulmus parvifolia around here is easily damaged by winds and ice collecting on branches.

I think it is know to form weak crouch angles.

[astragalus]

Arnold, the same thing is true here but it has proved to be hardy, surprisingly.  On the other hand, we haven't had normally really cold winters for a while.  The tree is so densely twiggy that unfortunately you can do damage even while gently brushing off snow.  This last storm did a lot of damahe.

[astragalus]

Oops, forgot the sad pictures

[mark smyth]

I think I will pot on this twisted bonsai and let it grow in to a small tree