Tips On Caring For Your Chinese Elm Bonsai – Part I

The Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) rates high on the list of favored trees for bonsai. It is often a perennial favorite among bonsai lovers year in year out. It can be an suitable choice as the first tree for beginner bonsai growers. One of the reasons the Chinese Elm bonsai is wonderful for newbies is that they have a relatively predictable growing pattern. In addition, the tree is slow growing and for that reason allows the novice to master and become accustomed to training and looking after it.

In it’s native environment the Chinese elm tree can grow up to 60 feet tall. The smaller leaves of the Chinese elm are perfect for bonsai. The leaves have a blunt serrated edge, and are dark green and kind of leathery in appearance. This plant’s acceptance is also to some extent because of the fact that it may be grown both outdoors and indoors. If grown outside it is going to go through the familiar life-cycle of a deciduous tree, but indoors it’ll be an evergreen.

And don’t be concerned regarding Dutch elm disease with your Chinese elm – they aren’t at risk of the disease. For all these reasons the Chinese elm is really a great subject tree for both experienced and novice bonsai growers.

Properly Watering Your Chinese Elm

Since the majority of bonsai pots are rather shallow, and the soil used is relatively coarse, the dirt can dry out fairly quickly. It might be necessary to water your Chinese elm daily if the soil gets too dry. Stick your finger a 1 / 2 inch or so into the soil; you need to water your bonsai if the top 1 / 2 inch of soil feels dry to the touch. The best way to thoroughly water your Chinese elm bonsai is to place it in a container containing water (just enough water that the pot is not entirely immersed) and allow it to sit for a few minutes while it absorbes water in from the drain holes in the bottom of the pot. Remove your bonsai from the sink or container after it has been soaking for 5-10 minutes and then let it completely drain all unnecessary water.

One thing you want to continually be conscientious of is to under no circumstances permit your bonsai plant get completely dry. Your bonsai plant’s watering schedule is determined through checking out the level of moisture of the soil in your bonsai pot. You must check the moisture level daily. If you are able to feel moisture, then you may not need to water. However, if your bonsai is in a very small pot and/or it is a hot or windy day, or if the bonsai is pot-bound, then you may need to water. Sometimes you may should just water one area of your bonsai pot if just one area of the soil has become dry.

Getting the Best Levels of Sunlight

The Chinese elm tree can adapt to a number of different environments. Unlike some hardy deciduous trees, the Chinese elm tree may be successfully grown inside. If you have grown your Chinese elm inside, and now would like to grow it outdoors, you need to slowly adapt it to full sun. When acclimated it will prosper in full sunlight. If your tree isn’t accustomed to all day full sun you can get it accustomed to it by putting it in the sun for a short time in the beginning, and then gradually increasing the amount of time you expose it to full sun. If your Chinese elm has been an indoor plant it’s leaves could be sunburned if left in the direct sun for too long. Expose the plant slowly to full sunlight. Good air flow is also crucial for the health of your bonsai. If grown inside keep your Chinese Elm in a well-ventilated place.

If your Chinese elm came from a warm environment it might not be accustomed to cold environments. It could hurt your plant to keep these Elms too cold the first year or two. Even if grown indoors your Chinese elm may drop leaves through the winter time which is due to the decrease in natural sunlight as the days are shorter. This is ordinary. Even though the plant is hardy it should be guarded from intense cold and windy conditions to avoid damage to the tree.