Lacebark Elm Bonsai Care Instructions

Raise your Lacebark elm bonsai in a shallow, well-drained container. Choose a container with a depth that is slightly deeper than the trunk’s diameter and with a width that is about two-thirds the bonsai’s height. Select a container that has more than one drainage hole at the bottom to ensure proper drainage. Cover each of the container’s drainage holes with fine wire mesh in order to keep the roots from growing through the holes.

Line the bottom third of the container with a loamy, nutrient-rich soil environment. Incorporate small, clean pebbles in the soil to improve drainage and aeration. Fill the bonsai’s container about one-third of the way with soil and place the Lacebark elm in the center. Fill the container the rest of the way with soil. Make sure all of the Lacebark elm’s roots are covered with soil and gently press the soil around the base of the bonsai.

Water the Lacebark elm bonsai immediately after potting. Pour tepid water evenly around the Lacebark’s base to ensure all of its roots receive water. Irrigate the Lacebark until the excess water runs from the drainage holes. Replenish the soil to compensate for any settling that may occur. Allow the Lacebark elm’s soil environment to dry slightly between irrigation to prevent overwatering.

Place the Lacebark elm in a well-ventilated, warm and sunny location that receives at least six to eight hours of bright sunlight each day. Feel free to grow the bonsai outdoors during the growing season, from spring to fall. Bring the Lacebark elm indoors when the temperatures approach 50 degrees F to prevent cold injury.

Feed the Lacebark elm bonsai with a well-balanced, water soluble fertilizer. Begin the fertilizer applications just after the buds open. Fertilize the plant weekly, from early spring through late summer. Feed the outdoor bonsai weekly for the first few weeks of spring and then every two weeks through late summer. Feed the indoor bonsai monthly throughout the dormancy period. Avoid fertilizing newly repotted Lacebark elm trees to prevent root burn.

Prune this bonsai regularly throughout the growing season to control shape and promote small, compact foliage. Prune back one to two sets of newly developing foliage each time the branch grows three to four sets. Use sharp, sterile pruning shears to make flush cuts. Remove suckers, water sprouts and damaged branches as they appear. Complete all major cuts for shape, such as removing healthy branches, during the early spring to allow the tree plenty of time to heal before dormancy.

Repot your Lacebark elm bonsai every one to two years, as the elm becomes root bound. Complete the repotting process in the early spring, just as the buds begin to swell. Remove the tree from its container and inspect the roots carefully. Cut any dead or wilted roots back to the root mass with sterile shears. Repot the Lacebark elm bonsai in a clean, well-drained container with fresh mesh over the drainage holes and clean, unused soil.