Differences Between Zelkova and Elm, Sapling Prices, Planting, and Bonsai Pruning and Care

Zelkova is also called large-leaf zelkova, red zelkova, green zelkova, white zelkova, blood zelkova, golden-thread lang, sand lang tree, and hairy-veined zelkova. It is a deciduous tree species in the genus Zelkova of the elm family, and is a national second-class key protected plant.So what are the differences between zelkova and elm? How much does a sapling cost? How do you plant it? How do you prune and care for a bonsai? According to the Jiangxi landscape seedling base, the price for 5 cm is 30 yuan, 8 cm is 130 yuan, 10 cm is 250 yuan, 15 cm is 1,500 yuan, 20 cm zelkova is 2,000 yuan, 25 cm is 3,000 yuan, 30 cm is 4,500 yuan, 35 cm is 5,500 yuan, and 40 cm is 8,000 yuan.

What are the differences between zelkova and elm?

Zelkova bark is gray or reddish-brown; young branches have white soft hairs. Elm bark is gray or dark gray; the bark of young trees is relatively smooth, while the bark of old trees is rough, cracking into long strip-like vertical fissures. However, zelkova sheds thick bark, while elm sheds very thin bark.

How do you plant zelkova?

1. Choose the soil. To grow zelkova, you must choose places such as plains or beach land, because the soil layers in these places are relatively deep, loose and fertile, and more importantly, have good drainage, making them very suitable for zelkova growth.

2. Planting. When planting, the row spacing needs to be determined according to the planting density, and the time is chosen in the first and middle ten days of March each year. When planting, the zelkova sapling must be placed in the middle of the dug soil hole, first cover with one-third of the soil, lift the zelkova sapling upward a little so the roots can be placed freely, and then continue to cover with soil. After planting, water thoroughly, and then firm the soil around it by stepping on it.

3. Watering. After planting, water thoroughly three times in a row; afterward, whether watering is needed can be decided according to the weather conditions and how dry the soil is. Generally, when the weather is especially dry, in addition to watering, the crown should also be sprayed with water. The purpose of this is to lower the temperature and at the same time maintain air humidity.

4. Trunk water retention. To prevent water evaporation and sunburn to the zelkova from the scorching summer sun, straw rope can be used to wrap from its base upward, until both the main trunk and main branches are wrapped with straw rope. After that, remember to spray water frequently to keep it moist until the zelkova sapling has truly survived, and then the straw rope can be removed.

5. Set up supports. To prevent the newly planted zelkova from swaying and being blown over by wind, supports need to be set up to stabilize it and prevent the roots from loosening and affecting its survival.

6. Prune sprouts. After May, many sprouts will grow on the trunk, consuming a lot of nutrients. At this time, the excess sprouts must be removed to increase its survival rate.

How do you prune and care for a zelkova bonsai?

Pruning:

1. Zelkova is a southern tree species, and its pruning is best carried out during the spring growing season and the winter dormant period, with the winter dormant period being the best. As the tree ages, the number of prunings gradually increases. The pruning process specifically depends on the different main trunks and branches, etc.

2. The ornamental characteristic of a bonsai is that it is short, so the pinching process for zelkova is especially important. The timing for pinching is when zelkova grows many adventitious buds at the base of the trunk and on the trunk; remove them at any time to avoid the sprouting of forked branches. This process is what we call pinching.

3. For potted plants, the appreciation period is when they have just sprouted new buds, and zelkova is no exception. Its leaf removal process generally involves removing some excess leaves in spring, or in April and May, when the leaves have grown relatively abundantly and also need to be removed.

4. In spring and summer, zelkova will grow many side branches, main branches, crossing branches, etc. During this period, we should prune even more. In this period there are generally relatively few dead branches and a few diseased branches. In winter, it is the best time to shape our zelkova tree form. When pruning, try to prune it into the tree form you like. Of course, at this time you need to cut off most of the dead branches and diseased branches.

5. If there are too many roots, it will affect the growth of the potted plant and easily make the potted plant sick. To make our potted plant grow well and be less prone to disease, proper pruning of the potted plant's roots is necessary. Repotting is also something that often needs to be done. When the root system has not densely covered the bottom of the soil ball, repotting is not needed; when the fibrous roots densely cover the bottom of the soil ball, it should be repotted into a slightly larger pot for growing.

Care:

1. Light: Zelkova is a sun-loving plant. If it is kept in a dark place without light for a long time, it is easy for the bonsai to drop yellow leaves. The zelkova bonsai can be placed in a sunny, well-ventilated place. But the sunlight conditions also need to be adjusted according to the season. In midsummer, when the sunlight is strong, it should be properly protected from the scorching sun.

2. Temperature: When the temperature is around 5°C, move it indoors to a warm, sunny place to keep it warm and prevent frost damage. In winter, the potting soil should preferably be on the dry side. In winter, room temperature should preferably not be lower than 5°C.

3. Watering: Start by spraying water on the leaf surface, then water thoroughly at the roots, avoiding the phenomenon of half-watering, that is, the pot surface being dry and the inside of the pot being dry. In summer, appropriately water the potted plant more, and in winter water less.

Fertilizing: Summer and autumn are the growing seasons, requiring more nutrients, so it is recommended to fertilize once a month. Use decomposed cake fertilizer water. In winter, fertilize less. It is also fine not to fertilize. When fertilizing, bury the fertilizer into the soil along the edge of the flower pot, and water immediately after fertilizing. The main components of the fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.