help with my chinese elm

sunny · White Belt Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Posts: 9 Location: tenerife

I have a Chinese elm, about 11 yrs old now. I live in Tenerife. It lives outside, ( after you helped me when it was very poorly. thank you) gets watered daily, and fed monthly. It is now coming on very well but growing out ward... Confused

. I don't know when I should be pruning it and don't want to cause it any more problems.
Should I wait till it's cooler here, the weather now is in the 30's. but I keep the tree in the shade mostly. It is looking very strange at the moment as it has lots of new branches sticking out and it has died where the old branches used to be. Sad

.
Thank you for any help that you can offer me.
Sunny. Cool

.x

Stymie · Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:03 pm Post subject: Re: help with my chinese elm

Heyup, the new shoots can be trimmed back to two or three leaves, choosing whichever faces outwards or downwards. This can be repeated as they reach five or six leaves long. The result will be a more twiggy, compact tree with no lanky growth. Any dead branches which you want to remove would be best to do in the Autumn months. Any chance of a picture or have you not registered in full yet?

sunny · White Belt Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Posts: 9 Location: tenerife

Thanks for your quick answer, but you say that I can only trim off two or tree leaves back. the tree already looks twiggy as you say. Some of the twigs are up to 13 inches long........can I trim any more off them?
No I haven't registered fully so cannot post a photo. At the moment it's just long twigs sticking out in strange places......From a thick s shaped trunck.Most of the twigs are sticking out in the middle
Confused

Thank you for your help.
Sunny. Cool

Stymie · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 8:06 pm Post subject: Re: help with my chinese elm

Sorry Sunny, we got our wires crossed. I mean trim back to leave two or three leaves, not to take two or three off. Does this make more sense for you?
The developing of branches is best seen on the outside of curves. Any originating on the inside can usually be removed, particularly if they happen to be opposite one on the outside. This would be what we call a 'bar' branch, seeming to pass through the trunk. We look forward to being able to see your material sometime, when more constructive suggestions would be possible.

sunny · White Belt Joined: 25 Nov 2004 Posts: 9 Location: tenerife

Sorry I didn't read your reply properly did I......
Thank you, I've now clipped off all the sticking out bits and the tree is looking allot better. Very Happy

.
I should join then I can post a photo of my poor little tree so you could give me some more tips. I'll take a look at joining now.
Thanks again for the help.
Sunny Cool

Stymie · Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 8:34 pm Post subject: Re: help with my chinese elm

You won't regret it, nice to have you aboard.

steve · Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 10:16 pm Post subject: Re: help with my chinese elm

Welcome to the rest of the forum.