While we were out of town in April the teenager missed watering the elm here. I cut off the dead stuff and let the buds grow out as they gave here.

I think I want to whittle off some of the stump to make a smooth transition, and then wire the long branch to grow straight up, then cut it off, but maybe not at the same time. And, work on the lower branches.

Timing: do it all now (August), some now and some later, all later (that is, spring)?

I would do it now.

After removing the stump make sure you cover it with a cut paste to speed up the healing process