Hey guys just wanted to show you my Chinese elm that I bought about two weeks ago, the canopy is going to need some work so any suggestions is appreciated

First off where do you live? Next you are going to have to keep it alive and get it growing. It has very little new growth and a lot of what looks like dead branches. They may or may not be dead time will tell. If you can bend them ok, if they break then the branch is dead and needs to be cut off. If they are alive hen hopefully they will back bud.
This is a hardy species and needs to be outside all year. It will not do well indoors, it looks as if you have it out, which is good. Watering is of paramount importance. Water when nearly dry, preferably in the morning not evening.
Do not water to a schedule only when needed.
Fertiliser should be added every 2 weeks, through the summer months then stop in late summer early autumn.

I live in Michigan, and yes I do have it outside, all the branches are bendable and I did fertilize it with some 2:7:7 fertilizer, I do plan on getting some different fertilizer soon. The lady I bought it from said that I need to bring it in, in the winter and keep it in a cool bright place since it gets really cold in the winter time here.

Suggest you get it either into decent soil in your garden or a much bigger deep pot and let it grow out until next summer - I hope you didn't pay much for it, good news is Chinese Elm takes a lot of abuse and bounces back most of the time, but this one doesn't look well at all.

Dave

Yes that is good news please explain what you mean by good soil, I'm still new at this (but I have been reading a lot)I paid $20 for it so it wasn't too much but I did see another one that I fell in love with and I'll be going back to the shop I got this one from and I plan on buying another Chinese elm, but in the case that it was sold I think I might go for a nice looking juniper (there are a lot of good stock at this store you just need the $$$$ for it.. Putting it in a deeper pot sounds like a good idea I'll have to see what we have around the house, what kind of soil should I use or should I mix up some of my own?

You need to learn how to look after the tree you have before getting more. The fertiliser you have shpuld be ok. If it survives to the winter you need a sheltered placelike a shed or garage not indoors. You need a free draining soil, but unless the pot is very full of roots, then I would leave it until next spring. If you must move it to another pot do not disturb the roots. You paid too much for it I am afraid, it is not in good health and I would not be buying from that place.

m5eaygeoff wrote:

You need a free draining soil, but unless the pot is very full of roots, then I would leave it until next spring. If you must move it to another pot do not disturb the roots. You paid too much for it I am afraid, it is not in good health and I would not be buying from that place.

Agreed on both points.

The soil in this pot does not look too bad, to be honest. But the bark in there is quite coarse for the side of the plant. And this plant should have been left where it was. In the store.

To ease recover, you could consider taking it out of the current container, and putting it in a standard 10 liter container or even in the garden.

Agreed. Yes a larger pot would be better, rather than in the ground, as then it could be moved to a sheltered spot if necessary. But left in the store would be better. Sorry

I was being tactful - but agree that tree should not have even been for sale, and I would actively avoid further purchases from said store

Dave

Quite right, but it could survive with a lot of TLC