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Part I of Care Instructions for Chinese Elm Bonsai dealt primarily with the watering, and healthy levels of sunlight, for your Chinese elm bonsai. In this installment of my articles on caring for your bonsai we will discuss when and just how to re-pot, root-prune, and branch-prune your Chinese elm bonsai tree.

Pruning

Serious pruning should be done when your bonsai is at its most robust, in early spring to early summer. You will need to keep on top of trimming when the elm is growing rapidly at this time of the year. Good branch ramification comes about fairly quickly with the Chinese elm. Let up to five new sets of leaves grow out, after which cut it back to one or two nodes which are positioned closest to the main branch or trunk. You may cause your tree to weaken if you cut too much off during any given pruning. But don’t be so shy about pruning that you simply permit your tree grow to be out of shape. Proper pruning using this method in fact will help the tree maintain it’s vigor when it is done the right way – not too much but not too little.

Re-Potting Your Chinese Elm Bonsai Tree

How frequently you should re-pot your Chinese elm depends on several factors including how old the tree is, how big is the tree, and what condition it’s roots are in. If the plant is young, say less than 5 years old, then you will need to re-pot it every year. Older trees, or those in larger pots, may need repotting every two to four years. Re-potting is among the list of most critical things that you can do for your bonsai to help it preserve it’s vigor, and really should be coupled with pruning the tree’s roots. Early spring is the best and safest time of the year to re-pot and prune the roots of your Chinese elm. You should not re-pot your elm tree less than 30 days after you have pruned any of the tree’s branches or new shoots. Doing this any sooner could result in stressing out your tree.

Root Pruning

Plants roots are always looking for new nutrient and water-rich soil. Pruning the roots of your bonsai plant encourages the development of new roots which happens to be essential in order for the plant to soak up as much water and nutrients as it needs. If you will do any major root pruning you should try to get it done in winter or early spring. This is when the tree is in it’s dormant phase.

Older, bigger roots are significantly less efficient than younger, smaller roots in absorbing water and nutrients, and for that reason cutting away more substantial roots is in fact good for the plant.

The first step in this procedure is to remove your bonsai from the pot. Once the plant has been taken out, you need to pull the roots outward in a radial-type pattern.

If there is still any part of the tap root still left you must take it off. Shorten every one of the larger storage roots. Don’t cut any of the smaller, finer roots. You wish to retain these. You don’t want to need to fold any of the plants roots so as to make them fit when you put the root ball back in the pot so trim them keeping that in mind. To be on the safe side never remove more than one-half of the roots, particularly if root pruning will be done in the dormant season.

Place the trimmed root ball on top of the fresh new soil in the pot, and carefully add extra soil in the spaces in between the roots of your Chinese elm bonsai. Make certain that all of the areas have been filled in with soil by using a tool, or a chopstick, to thoroughly compact the soil in the gaps. Lightly press down the surface of the soil after which perform a good watering. Proceed to saturate the soil entirely on this first watering following the re-potting and root pruning. After saturating the soil allow it to drain entirely, then water it just as before. This will help settle the soil around the roots.

While the roots are recuperating from the pruning you cannot subject it to direct sunshine, or give your tree fertilizer (which often can burn the plant’s roots) for several weeks after you have re-potted the tree.