We've recently planted an elm which is supposed to be resistant to Dutch elm disease. It is split a couple of feet up from the ground. One of us thinks the crotch will rise as the elm grows. The other thinks that it should be pruned to be one trunk. Can someone advise us?
TIA
LAS
The crotch won't rise with the growing tree.
I can't see the form of the tree too clearly, but I don't see any reason you can't prune it.
The crotch is just below my husband's knee in the first picture. I've never seen an elm with a crotch this low. We got the tree at a reputable nursery. You still think the crotch will stay 1.5 ft above the ground?
Here's a solution to the debate about "moving crotches" - a fun bet:
Affix a hundred dollar bill to the site of the division of the trunk. Laser survey in the elevation of the unit of monetary exchange at that moment. Come back in a year, two years, and five years, and remeasure the elevation. The person who was correct receives the bill.
I would prune the right hand side of that branching...and I'd take the money too.
Ditto Viburnum Valley's thoughts, for what mine are worth. And, I must add: "Grow for it!" Sorry could not resist.
I just bought a neat Japanese Maple with an exposed central core at the base, but there is plenty of green bark 3/4 around this old damage. I'm not that worried, as after all, it IS a maple, and it DOES want to live! So does yours! I think we worry too much when God has done all of that for us, already. We are just caretakers!
Hello,
Just out of curiosity, why did you folks plant the new tree directly under the birch to the left?
That birch is actually chopped off just above the edge of the picture. It was broken during a wind storm. We left the trunk(s) because they are attractively twisted.
I'm not sure what we would have done otherwise, since this is a semi-wild environment, not landscaped. Birches are much shorter lived than elms and trees grow that close together all over the place on our property.
Oh I see, pictures only tell you so much, makes sense now :)
