Birchbark
Seedling
Hi there
I acquired this beautiful beech in spring this year. I thought it was stunning and it going for a good price from a seller who seemed to be quite the artist.
Despite the mealy bugs and tent worm (?) and slight leaf burn, it seems to have been doing okay.
However, i am growing increaingly concerned that im letting it down with my inexperience. I have given it a balanced slow release fertiliser and have been pruning growth that has extended beyond 2 leaf pairs or that has developed too long internodes. I have also simply cut off any sub branches where the leaves appear to start too far along...is this right or should i prune and hope it grows leaves closer in?
Is there anymore i can do? Subject to your creative visions, i would be happy for it to (largely) stay as it is. You will also see there is slight inverse tapering near the first branch, which i quite like as it it gives a quirky, van gogh look, but i would not want to get any bigger.
I have noticed the nebari is a bit unconventional. I can happily live with it the way it is, but would be interested to hear if there was any way to change it...what would happen if i carved away at it to make it less prominent?
As i write, i have just remembered that the leaves are somewhat thin in texture and a bit wrinkly. They are paler in places and seem more papery and drier than beech leaves i see on fully grown trees...anyone know if this is a problem?
Apologies for the long post, but im almost starting to lose sleep over this! I fear it may be too beautiful for my capabilities!
Any advice would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks!
I acquired this beautiful beech in spring this year. I thought it was stunning and it going for a good price from a seller who seemed to be quite the artist.
Despite the mealy bugs and tent worm (?) and slight leaf burn, it seems to have been doing okay.
However, i am growing increaingly concerned that im letting it down with my inexperience. I have given it a balanced slow release fertiliser and have been pruning growth that has extended beyond 2 leaf pairs or that has developed too long internodes. I have also simply cut off any sub branches where the leaves appear to start too far along...is this right or should i prune and hope it grows leaves closer in?
Is there anymore i can do? Subject to your creative visions, i would be happy for it to (largely) stay as it is. You will also see there is slight inverse tapering near the first branch, which i quite like as it it gives a quirky, van gogh look, but i would not want to get any bigger.
I have noticed the nebari is a bit unconventional. I can happily live with it the way it is, but would be interested to hear if there was any way to change it...what would happen if i carved away at it to make it less prominent?
As i write, i have just remembered that the leaves are somewhat thin in texture and a bit wrinkly. They are paler in places and seem more papery and drier than beech leaves i see on fully grown trees...anyone know if this is a problem?
Apologies for the long post, but im almost starting to lose sleep over this! I fear it may be too beautiful for my capabilities!
Any advice would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks!
