Elm & Contoneaster Bonsai

Joe1980

15 years ago

So today, we had a family trip to the graden center, where I found a display of popular bonsai species. They aren't trained into bonsai or anything, but just small starter plants. I was quite excited, because they had all the species that everyone says are hard to find, such as the shimpaku juniper, which I now have to work on. Anyway, I picked up 2 others, that caught my interest. One is an elm, specifically "Ulmus minor 'jacqueline hillier'" which from what I gather make great bonsai subjects. The other is a "Cottoneaster dammeri 'strieb's findling'", which looked appealing to me.

So, my question is basically if anyone has worked with these, and if you have any tips. They came in 4" pots, and I will be starting out by bare-rooting them, and putting them in an 8" pot with gritty mix. My usual fear of winter applies here, so I'd like to make sure of how I deal with that.

I have read some sources saying that the elm can be wintered indoors, but I do not intend to do so. I have also read conflicting information on the cold hardiness, so say zone 5, others zone 6. The average winter in my area of WI is zone 5, but for some short times in winter it can hit zone 4 temps. I'd like to plan ahead and have my wintering quarters ready, but I am limited right now to either my shed, which will obviously be whatever the temperature is outside, my garage, which is attached and can sometimes get into the mid 40's, or on my deck outside. I'd like to hear some ideas from the experienced bonsai growers as to what method you use for wintering, especially if you are in an area with very cold winters. Thanks in advance!

Joe

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Comments (4)

davidfromdetroit
15 years ago
For the cotoneaster I can say that it is a specie that lends itself very well to a cascade style arrangement. Not exclusively of course - but it certainly can be trained well as a cascsade.

As for the elm, I am also in zone 5 over in Michigan and so you will definitely need to winter the tree so it can receive its required period of dormancy. But do not leave it to the elements. I would keep it in your garage wrapped in burlap or in a box filled with styrofoam peanuts during the winter. You can place snow atop the peanuts every so often and let it melt its way down to the soil surface until spring. I do that with all my deciduous trees each winter and it works well.

But, for a much more complete guide on wintering trees go to the article posted on the site bonsai4me.com Harry posts an excellent article on the subject.
Joe1980
Original Author
15 years ago
So you don't think my garage, with occasional upper 40's for temps, is too warm?? Being attached, and under the house, it stays fairly warm in there. My wife suggested that maybe out attic would work too. It gets plenty cold up there, but also has some of the heat loss from the house to keep things from getting brutal. I worry about the lovely below zero WI winters, which is common. The cotoneaster already has a zig-zag shape to it, so I am going to go the route of the classic, boring some would say, informal upright. I don't have any like that, so it won't be boring for me :)

Joe
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davidfromdetroit
15 years ago
There are no boring styles! Each tree is unique and the bonsai artist knows what is best for the material he is working with.

The fact that the garage goes into the 40s should not be a problem. Even in places like Wisconsin, MN, or MI where winters dip below zero, we still get occasional days in the 40s during the winter when condiitions are right. Although an outshed would also work fine. I think you could use either to winter your bonsai.
Joe1980
Original Author
15 years ago
Well, up to this point, things are iffy. All 3 of my bonsai are in gritty mix, and only my shimpaku juniper is healthy and growing. My elm and cotoneaster are looking pretty sad, although not dead. The elm leaves started to dry up and lose color, but not fall off. I understand this is a response to the barerooting and repotting. The cotoneaster leaves turned yellow & brown and have started to drop off. It also started to flower, but the flowers shrivled up. It looks like its on its last leg at this point, but I am making sure to keep it moist, and not giving up yet. How's it sounding for these 2?? Do I wait it out, or have I lost them?

Joe