When I got my cork bark Chinese elm, Ulmus parvifolia, I thought, "How hard can this be?" Turns out, more challenging than I expected! It's been a couple of summers since I started, and lemme tell you, timing is everything. I made the mistake of repotting it last July, smack in the middle of a heatwave, and it dropped a ton of leaves. I should have waited for the cooler weather of early spring. Now I know! I've also discovered that it loves humidity, especially since it's on my patio and not in a humidity tray. I tried wiring a bit too aggressively once and left marks on the bark, so I've been using more gentle techniques since then. It's crazy how quickly it seems to recover, though. This summer, I'm letting it grow out a bit more before shaping it again. Just hoping I don't overdo the watering—elms are thirsty, but there's a fine line before you end up with root rot.