#BonsaiNews: Ulmus Parvifolia is nature's gift to bonsai beginners

ULMUS Parvifolia, more commonly referred to as the Chinese Elm bonsai, has been described as 'one of the most splendid elms, having the poise of a graceful Nothofagus'.

These bonsai are nothing short of stunning, and offer the grower an almost unlimited variety of options when it comes to how one can shape and grow the bonsai.

They are also a good start for people keen on getting their hands dirty for the first time.

(IMAGE SOURCE: flickr.com Eric Kilby)

First off, you're going to need a planting tray which offers decent drainage and a soil which does exactly the same - note that the seeds will definitely rot and never germinate if they are planted in soils which are too heavy.

Ensure that you place the seeds at the top of the soil and space them out properly if not planted individually.

Proceed to cover the seeds with nothing more than a quarter inch of soil, pressing down firmly to firm up the soil.

Saturate the soil after planting until water escapes from the bottom of the container and maintain the soil's moistness - do not over water the soil.

The seeds should germinate within a week and should thereafter be placed in a warm area which offers good sunlight.

The seedlings may be removed from the starter pots or wherever you've planted them once they've reached a height of four to six inches - do not leave them to grow beyond six inches as they will become exceedingly difficult to transplant thereafter.

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