Siberian elm urban yamadori #1 (burn pile)

Siberian Elm - Urban Yamadori  #1

I called a local plumbing supply company to obtain permission to dig some invasive elms along their fence line. 

Below, you can see the elm had been cut back previously to about 4 inches and a few larger branches began to grow below the cut (right and back) and right out of the cut site (left side).

The digging went OK at first, with the top several inches being rocky and sandy.  I hit some larger roots as I got deeper and cut them with my saw, however there were so many larger roots that the progress was slow.  This was the last of three trees dug, and  it took more than twice the amount of time as the other two combined.   Lets just say, I was glad when I could finally isolate the tap root.  This turned out to be the best material...so it was worth it!

There were some finer roots in the sandy topsoil.   Below, you can see that I am just about there.  Usually, at this point I can start rocking the tree to locate and cut roots.  This tree would not move.

 Finally, I saw the taproot. Below you can see the taproot cut and my saw as a scale reference.  After digging for almost an hour on this tree.  It was a bit of a struggle with the saw.  One interesting observation about Siberian Elms is the the roots (cambium) is really fleshy and get damaged easily, and gunks up the saw teeth.  Later, when I got home, I placed the 3 collected trees in a bin of water, so I could eat lunch.  Later, when I started working on them the roots were slimy like that of a Willow.

Below, you can see the saw where I made the cut to reduce the depth of the root structure.

Next, are three images of the tree from different sides. Beer for scale and refreshment.

Some of these bigger roots could be part of the future root spread.  I cut them back hard.

Notice the sideways root in the image below.  I chose to leave it for now, since there were not many feeder roots.  I will have to be dealt with during the next repot (2-3 years).

As far as initial styling, I chopped back the trunks and eliminated any messy sucker growth, and ill placed branches.  We will see how the tree responds.  I Imagine that I will have to reduce these branches, or eliminate them all together and keep the branch that the back branch in this image (in front of the telephone pole) as a potential new leader. Another option is to later change the planting angle and keep the left side branch (second image) as the new leader.   

I also got some duct seal at a home improvement store.  It works just like the cut paste I had used in the past and cost $2/lb.  Hopefully, this will aid in the trees recovery. 

In the image below,  which I'm currently considering the front of the tree, you can see the deadwood from the previous cut.  As the tree develops it will be carved out and made part of the design.  My hope is that by having some horizontal movement currently,  I can have an open deciduous tree design(informal upright), as branches reach out and up.

I Think I will let it grow and recover for a few years then make some decisions at the next repot (2020/2021)
RIP:
IT did not make it through that summer.