Hornbeam No.11 progression

Ingvill

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Beautiful tree indeed, wow, well done!
 

W3rk

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Since last repotting tree was sitting in its pot in a quite awkward position provoking many. Well, at the time ofrepotting back in April 2013 it was a too big risk to remove so many roots jut to fit it into a rather shallow pot. Accidentally, it stayed in that position up until last week.
Now, it was time to try to fix the tree in more desirable position. The pot was full of roots and even by removing something like 10-litre bucket of roots, editing stumps of larger roots on the bottom of the tree it was still resisting. Shortly, the tree is now in best possible position for two or more years. Crown needs editing as well, and it was partly done today.
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The ramification that you have on this tree is just stellar, truly out of this world. Thanks for sharing your work and progression. Looks heavy, that must be a bear to move.
 

Maros

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The ramification that you have on this tree is just stellar, truly out of this world. Thanks for sharing your work and progression. Looks heavy, that must be a bear to move.
This recent repotting I did reduce amout of Zeolite in the substrate mix and added pumice and lava. Now it is much lighter. Still quite a weight though.
Thanks for the compliments.
 
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ConorDash

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Thanks Sergio.

Usually, they tolerate quite some harassment. I have never experienced any loses due to root work on an established tree. Truth is, I rather stay on the safe side when working on important trees and try to avoid washing roots with a hose and going into root reduction further than I consider safe. New roots tend to easily sprout from root stumps if you reduce them.

Hi Maros,
Lovely tree, natural looking and wild but tame at same time somehow.
Question; you say you avoid washing roots with a hose.. if trying to remove all old substrate, is a hose not the best way to do it? It’s less forceful than other methods and works well.
 

Maros

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Hi Maros,
Lovely tree, natural looking and wild but tame at same time somehow.
Question; you say you avoid washing roots with a hose.. if trying to remove all old substrate, is a hose not the best way to do it? It’s less forceful than other methods and works well.

Well, let me use analogy. Imagine you have football player, defender, who body slams attacking opponent having a ball. Sometimes defender gets standing ovation, applause from audience. Sometimes guy just ends up with penalty, possibly could go to prison. And if he receives earlier or later depends on if he play American football or rest of the World football.

I think, it is similar with repotting the tree and washing the roots. If you are working with field grown ar container grown material, used to root work, with good roots, relatively young it could be OK. But, if you work with collected tree, which was 40 years old mature tree like this one, it is bit different. It takes many years for tree to reestablish the balance. Task is to keep the tree alive and minimise the risk at all costs. If washing up roots could be one notch too far in trees balance, then I'm not willing to take the risk. Important part of the equation is I'm not using any decomposing substrate elements like akadama. If you use akadama, after 2-3 years in my climate you barely have other option than wash it out since it is decomposed to the dust, bonded to the roots. Repot the tree one year later than needed and tree is in decline or dead. In my substrate tree can be decade and particles are not decomposing.
Similarly, if you are gardener in Japanese bonsai nursery, using akadama by default, growing trees from cuttings or seeds you wash roots because you have no better option.

Btw if you are interested in Graham Potter view on this topic read this his post where he tackles it in detail :
https://www.kaizenbonsai.com/blog/2018/03/potting-yamadori-hawthorn-for-bonsai/

Part from article :

I NEVER wash the soil off the roots of yamadori, it carries away too much of what the tree needs, don’t be lazy and leave the hose until after.
 

ConorDash

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Well, let me use analogy. Imagine you have football player, defender, who body slams attacking opponent having a ball. Sometimes defender gets standing ovation, applause from audience. Sometimes guy just ends up with penalty, possibly could go to prison. And if he receives earlier or later depends on if he play American football or rest of the World football.

I think, it is similar with repotting the tree and washing the roots. If you are working with field grown ar container grown material, used to root work, with good roots, relatively young it could be OK. But, if you work with collected tree, which was 40 years old mature tree like this one, it is bit different. It takes many years for tree to reestablish the balance. Task is to keep the tree alive and minimise the risk at all costs. If washing up roots could be one notch too far in trees balance, then I'm not willing to take the risk. Important part of the equation is I'm not using any decomposing substrate elements like akadama. If you use akadama, after 2-3 years in my climate you barely have other option than wash it out since it is decomposed to the dust, bonded to the roots. Repot the tree one year later than needed and tree is in decline or dead. In my substrate tree can be decade and particles are not decomposing.
Similarly, if you are gardener in Japanese bonsai nursery, using akadama by default, growing trees from cuttings or seeds you wash roots because you have no better option.

Btw if you are interested in Graham Potter view on this topic read this his post where he tackles it in detail :
https://www.kaizenbonsai.com/blog/2018/03/potting-yamadori-hawthorn-for-bonsai/

Part from article :

I NEVER wash the soil off the roots of yamadori, it carries away too much of what the tree needs, don’t be lazy and leave the hose until after.

Good info thanks. The distinction I was not making, was between yamadori and container grown. I can understand now that collected trees come from an entirerly different place and ecosystem, so to hose them would be wiping away good material they have built up over years..
For potted though, I’m going to guess it’s ok to hose, in that case..

I hope the car litter I use doesn’t act too much akadama in that it hurts to the tree after 2-3 years.. although the substrate/litter has been tested and recommended. Plus after 2-3 years I’d be looking to repot any way.
 

Maros

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Some update on this hornbeam recently.
Hornbeam without foliage in the stage when went into winter storage a few days ago. A middle part of the crown (on the left side of the first picture) was severely cut back in spring and now it will be regrown during the next few seasons. Long branch growing from the top of the lower sub trunk will have to be regrown as well. No new buds this season so it will be cut back in spring 2019 and regrown (visible on picture 5). Some minor editing was done a few weeks ago but major works need to be postponed until mid-spring.
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thumblessprimate1

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I like it! I actually like viewing it from other sides than the front. Am I crazy? Looks great from many sides, but my favorite is the third from last image or third from first.
 

Djtommy

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I like it! I actually like viewing it from other sides than the front. Am I crazy? Looks great from many sides, but my favorite is the third from last image or third from first.
I agree, I think it’s because the empty space between the 2 crowns. On the other pictures the crowns seems to blend in each other better. Once the top crown gets larger it may be better.
Very nice tree,
 

Maros

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I like it! I actually like viewing it from other sides than the front. Am I crazy? Looks great from many sides, but my favorite is the third from last image or third from first.
You are right, your preferred view angle is nice, so are others. That's why I took more pictures. It is not 2D tree but it should be more 3D living sculpture.

Thanks for your comments.
 

BobbyLane

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looking good Maros.
now im not one to fuss over fertilisation. just wondering when you begin your feeding regime, as the buds break or do you wait until the first flush hardens off?
 

Maros

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looking good Maros.
now im not one to fuss over fertilisation. just wondering when you begin your feeding regime, as the buds break or do you wait until the first flush hardens off?
I started to add organic fertiliser last week to some trees to test the reaction since it is new packaging and new type. Nothing is harmed so I will fertilise all trees this week. Should have done it earlier since the temperatures were above 20 C, but life is busy.
 
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