A 12 months in the past we featured Michael Roberts on a pair weblog posts, and right here’s one other one. Michael not solely works with nice care and endurance over a few years but in addition had the foresight to take pictures of his topics. Which makes posts like these a pleasure.
Younger Corkbark Elm, 2010. Discover the pots in the remainder of the pictures. Every one is totally different.
Michael writes of his tree: “This twin trunk Cork Bark Elm was bought from San Gabriel Nursery in December 1998 as 1 gallon nursery inventory. At the moment the tree was most likely 5 or 6 years previous, and had a trunk diameter of about 1 1/2″. I almost certainly grew it in nursery pots and containers for 10 or 11 years, till I had the first branches in place, which was what I typically did these in days. So, at that time, I put it within the low cost injection molded pot proven within the first image. That pot is roughly 12” x 8” by 2” deep and I most likely took that image as a result of it had fall shade for the primary time (elms don’t typically get good fall shade in Southern California). It’s additionally about the identical time that I acquired my first digital digital camera and footage had been simple to create. So, based mostly on the pot dimension, I’m guessing that the tree was about 15” or 16” broad and about 17” or 18” tall with a 2 1/2″ – 3” trunk base.”
2015. Michael has switched the entrance right here, which seems to current the branches higher.
He writes: “Most likely someday in 2013 or 2014 I turned this tree round and repotted it into the pot proven within the 2015 image. That pot is 17 /12” x 13 1/2” x 2 1/4” deep. That places the tree, after pruning, at about 21” or 22” broad, about 19” tall from the soil line, and with a 4” diameter trunk.”
In 2018 the tree is coming into focus. Ramification is edging into legendary standing.
Michael writes: “The 2018 picture is the prep for the “Winter Silhouettes” present for January 2019. That pot is 20 1/2” x 16 1/2” x 3” deep. So, as soon as once more, I’m guessing the tree was 26” or 27” tip to tip, about 20” tall from the soil line and has a trunk dia. of about 6 1/2”.”
And by 2023 the factor is epic. For 13 years of labor it speaks for itself. The pot is the one one with sizable ft, which, at this stage, feels proper. The trunk is hunky. Within the first picture the quick little ft labored nicely with the modest trunk dimension. Now we’re within the huge leagues and we’d like a whompier bat. Additionally discover that even in a pot this tree has gained 5” of trunk caliper.
Michael once more: “Final January I repotted into the bag pot which is 20” x 16 1/2” x 3 3/4” deep. The tree is at the moment 27 1/2” broad, 24” tall from the soil line and has a trunk diameter of seven 1/2”. This previous rising season, I pruned, thinned and defoliated twice, in an effort to open the cover considerably. I’m selecting to go away the final of the autumn foliage and haven’t pruned the tip development (that is just about simply the way it got here into the store off the bench) to create a decent silhouette like I’ve in years previous. I’m hoping to create a extra “pure” present look.”