M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla

This is an American Hornbeam. Anymore when I dig them I don't even put them into a container for transportation. They come out of the ground looking like this. I just toss them into the back of the old Explorer like this.
Very nicely done, and a nicely presented progression. It looks like it might have great promise, but if, as Tieball says, you get no budding on a trunk this old, what can you do?
one solution might be to collect in the late fall or very early spring when they are dormant and the energy is stored in the roots. That may create more pressure to push buds onto hard wood when spring arrives. I know those are the best collecting times where I go.
Good info, MikeAll soiled up. I've been collecting these extra tall and sealing the cut after that Hops Hornbeam fiasco.View attachment 73878
But it is early spring. These were just opening up. I got some last week too. Since they are under everything else in the shade they are last to get leaves. Hell,we were still having temps. in the twentis at night 2 weeks ago. Fairbanks Alaska has spring earlier than me.
If they don't grow I chalk it up to a learning experience. There are many more for collection next year. The only problem here is where they live the frost wasn't out of the ground 2 weeks ago. Things happen fast here. The plants know time is limited. Then winter again. 6 months from now. Got to love it.
Yeah, that was going to be my suggestion: Chop them to size mid-winter, while in the ground. Then let them go for ne growing season and collect the next. Seems like the best bet on back-budding on old trunks.I also chopped them.