The Vin Tree

[M. Frary]

Vin's packing job.

, I thought the pack job was choice man

the bulge is

don't push it/let's dance

mas macho

And finally.....

no photos

I don't need to add a thing.

It all speaks for itself.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

this particular one just needs a chance to really grow the first low branch to get mas macho

I really love this tree!!! What great character!!!

So is that two more votes for not changing the tree?

 

[Vin]

I've thought it over for a bit and I've made up my mind. I love the direction Vin has taken this tree, but it's time I put my own spin on it. Here's my plan for it:
View attachment 146546

I took the tree and turned it counter clockwise a little bit and found this front. Using the second, smaller branch, as the leader and not that first one, I found a new leader. The first branch just didn't feel right. That first branch on the right is gone. I tilted the tree to the left a little bit to cover up the ugly root that will eventually be removed anyways.

Again, this is just a virt and nothing has happened to the tree yet, so feel free to give me your thoughts.

Personally, I think it's a bit too aggressive and you'll end up with a cookie-cutter tree. I think there's a tree in there that will satisfy your desire to make it yours but I'm not sure about this proposal. If you purchased it for the base only then go for it. But if there's other attributes that drew you to the tree then work with them. That first branch is very workable. If you cut it back by two thirds you'll certainly be able to work with the new growth. Just my thoughts..

 

[Vin]

And finally.....

I don't need to add a thing.

It all speaks for itself.

We are talking about a tree, aren't we?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Personally, I think it's a bit too aggressive and you'll end up with a cookie-cutter tree. I think there's a tree in there that will satisfy your desire to make it yours but I'm not sure about this proposal. If you purchased it for the base only then go for it. But if there's other attributes that drew you to the tree then work with them. That first branch is very workable. If you cut it back by two thirds you'll certainly be able to work with the new growth. Just my thoughts..

That's very true. I probably would never do anything that drastic, despite what @Brian Van Fleet may say . If I do stick with the original front though, I will need to think of something to do with that bulge that you pointed out...

 

[M. Frary]

We are talking about a tree, aren't we?

I thought so.

 

[Jeremy]

That's very true. I probably would never do anything that drastic, despite what @Brian Van Fleet may say . If I do stick with the original front though, I will need to think of something to do with that bulge that you pointed out...

Cut back to the bulge and regrow the apex for more taper and a shorter tree. The rest is perfectly useable.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Cut back to the bulge and regrow the apex for more taper and a shorter tree. The rest is perfectly useable.

Honestly that's the way I'm leaning. I don't need to re-design the entire tree. The bulge would need to go, and I think your idea would be best.

 

[Vin]

Just some food for thought. I was going to remove some material from the bottom side of the bulge to correct it. It would be easy to do and not destructive to the tree at all.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I can't do it. I just can't bring myself to re-design this tree. There's so much potential in what is there already, so I'm just going to keep it the way it is. This will be a forum tree, in a way. Something we can all watch develop from what Vin started with.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Last week I repotted the tree to the new front to see how it looked, and I just couldn't get used to it, it didn't look right. So today I gently repotted it once again to the new angle Vin suggested with the old front. It looks pretty good.

 

[Vin]

Last week I repotted the tree to the new front to see how it looked, and I just couldn't get used to it, it didn't look right. So today I gently repotted it once again to the new angle Vin suggested with the old front. It looks pretty good.

View attachment 148439

Awesome! That's exactly what my plan was! You can really see how the first branch needs to be worked but I'm sure you'll make it happen. Nice work!

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Awesome! That's exactly what my plan was! You can really see how the first branch needs to be worked but I'm sure you'll make it happen. Nice work!

I tried my thickest wire on that branch with no success, so I'll probably have to notch it on the bottom to get some bend into it and bring it downward.

 

[Jeremy]

I tried my thickest wire on that branch with no success, so I'll probably have to notch it on the bottom to get some bend into it and bring it downward.

You only need thin wire a guide wire should bring it down enough, I like it with a slight upward movement anyway so I wouldn't crank it too far.

 

[Vin]

It might be worth while to just cut it way back and start over on that branch.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

You only need thin wire a guide wire should bring it down enough, I like it with a slight upward movement anyway so I wouldn't crank it too far.

I would notch as you suggested, a guy wire will hold it down but as soon as you take it off it will return to its original position. I have left them on for a whole year, no effect. Notch it.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

It seems the way to notch a branch is from above. You cut a slit out from the top of the branch, stick something in it to keep it from springing back up, then cover it in cut paste.

Can you not cut a wedge out of the bottom of the branch and guy wire it down?

 

[Mellow Mullet]

It seems the way to notch a branch is from above. You cut a slit out from the top of the branch, stick something in it to keep it from springing back up, then cover it in cut paste.

Can you not cut a wedge out of the bottom of the branch and guy wire it down?

Yes, I have done it may times, I have some pictures and was gonna write a post about it. if the branch is small enough or you have big enough wire you can notch and then wire into position. Guy wires will hold it too, or you can do both. The reason for doing it on the bottom is that you can pull it tight enough for the notch to close and it will heal quicker.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Yes, I have done it may times, I have some pictures and was gonna write a post about it. if the branch is small enough or you have big enough wire you can notch and then wire into position. Guy wires will hold it too, or you can do both. The reason for doing it on the bottom is that you can pull it tight enough for the notch to close and it will heal quicker.

When you cut the notch then guy wire it into position, will you then cover the wound in cut paste? Or is that the whole "cut paste vs. no cut paste" can of worms? I ask because it's what I've seen recommended to then help the cut heal.

 

[Vin]

When you cut the notch then guy wire it into position, will you then cover the wound in cut paste? Or is that the whole "cut paste vs. no cut paste" can of worms? I ask because it's what I've seen recommended to then help the cut heal.

For the record, I never used cut paste on that ficus and I removed some pretty large roots and branches. They have a natural sealant when you cut them so I never felt the need.