Springtime = update!

Raft style.
Very, very nice!

Hi LB, I admire your guts to turn this in to a "bonsai-to-be"
So unusual, not often seen. Looking forward to see an update on this raft

So sorry.. An update.. At the moment it is in a free-growing state!

April 2020:


July 2020

There is development in girth, but it is not fast. Ready for fall. Maybe a cut back again in spring, to avoid too big cuts. SLowly does it..

Well, If you compare spring and now, that is an amazing growth!

lucR wrote: Well, If you compare spring and now, that is an amazing growth!

Spring 2019

I had to trim it back a bit in summer. We have a 10 day heatwave, and I was on holidays at that time. I wanted to make it easier for my caregiver to keep things watered. So I took probably 50cm off of each branch, which probably cost me a lot in thickening.

Sloooow going.

This summer I pulled it out of the container and re-cut the sides to encourage roots, which are surprisingly slow to form on the former trunk.

Today, after the first 6 weeks of winter (First frost mid-october, lowest -5C) this one just refuses to go to sleep, just like in other years. Still growing.

Development is slow. Not sure what the best approach is.

leatherback wrote: Development is slow. Not sure what the best approach is.

This image is hidden for guests.
Please log in or register to see it.

Well I have never done a raft myself, but usually Ulmus is not a slow grower. I find your situation weird. Mine are growing well, but also difficult to get fat trunks. But lots of shoots and roots.
But...They are not rafts.

I AM getting lots of shoots. I do remove lots of shoots on places where I do not want them. But the trunks are thickening less than I want. But maybe I should just accept the slower pace as a result of trying to avoid obvious added scars on the front.

I hope the base of the trunks is now solid enough to start working upwards.