A few newer material obtained this year (ponderosa, corkbark elm, american hornbeam)

mholt

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Here are a few of my newer pieces of material that I obtained this spring/summer and just allowing to grow until at least next year...Ponderosa, Corkbark Elm, and American Hornbeam.
 

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John Ruger

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All three look great,but that Corkbark looks really wicked. What are your plans for them?
 

mholt

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Thanks John! The corbark has a straight section of trunk going up 8 to 10 inches beyond what the photo shows. I'll chop that next spring. Hopefully I can get something to grow on left side of trunk as it's growing like crazy on the right and top. I think it's nearly complete as a trunk.

I'm debating whether or not to chop about a 1/3 off the hornbeam next spring. I'd like to get taper and movement lower on the trunk. End of this season I'll see if there's a branch I like for that section of trunk. This one will be a long term one. Trunk is rather large and will take some time to get a nice taper with such a large chop.

Ponderosa, I'm not going to hurry. I want to see how it does here in Wisconsin first. I'd like to get some vertical separation with the branches as they are all kind of laying on top of each other, so I foresee some big bends on some of them. Not sure if I'll have a slanting style, laterati, or semi-cascade, or other look to it. I'll study it more in depth throughout the process.
 

davetree

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If you chop the top of the cork bark next spring and all the branches down to one inch stubs, you will probably get back budding all over the tree. I have a similar one that I cut back about a month ago, and it really popped the buds.
 

digger714

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Wow, these are really nice trees. They look like they are getting close to seeing bonsai pots, probably within 4 years on the elm, and not much longer on the others. I guess the pine could go anytime your ready. Good luck with them, they are nice. Please keep us updated on their progress.
 
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mholt

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Dave, I'm glad to hear that. That's what I'm hoping the response will be for this one as well.

Thanks, Digger. The hornbeam, I think, will definately be the longest to develop into a convincing tree with the size of the trunk transitioning into the next leader, and then to the next leader, etc.
 

Tachigi

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Very nice cork bark, the trunk is very pleasing to the eye....this will be a great tree with the proper design choices. I think your right about the hornbeam. Will take some time to heal the scare. I might suggest using Matt Owinga's wrap method for a slightly faster finish and a much better callous...works great.
Wrap Technique for Maples
 

mholt

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Thanks Tom! I will definately take a look at his technique.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Man, look at that pondy reaching for the Stella ;)

Nice trees. I don't think I'd reduce the hornbeam...they are SO slow to trunk up that I'd use every bit of it that I could. It's base is plenty wide and stable to visually support the height. If you do chop it, you'll need to put it in the ground and forget about it for about 5-7 years to build the next section of trunk.

Agree with what others are saying on the elm, I'd cut it down pretty hard and watch it pop back everywhere. It's one of my favorite trees to watch emerge from winter dormancy. From this state, you're looking at a full canopy easily by this time next year.

It will be great to watch what these become over time...good stuff!
 

mholt

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Thanks Brian. Perhaps the Stella should be in the final display! I'm still uncertain about the hornbeam. Just going to let it grow and draw up some ideas. I do think a little has to come off...maybe 1/5 or 1/4.

I am excited about the elm. I've seen some aggressive growth in a short amount of time. How are your ponderosas and junipers doing in their collection recovery?
 

Brian Van Fleet

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All 18 are still alive, I'm told the pondys are growing, and the junipers are hanging in there...one lost some foliage, but all still have plenty of green. We're "cautiously optimistic"...
 

mholt

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Brian...Regarding the hornbeam, my first idea would be to chop near the red line. I like where the shoot is which is marked by the arrow as the new trunk section.
 

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mholt

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Ponderosa Virt

....and here's a quick virtual for the ponderosa....about a 45 degree rotation of the the trunk and bending of branches.
 

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chansen

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Brian...Regarding the hornbeam, my first idea would be to chop near the red line. I like where the shoot is which is marked by the arrow as the new trunk section.

Matt -

Just another opinion on the hornbeam...

I've had a different experience with American hornbeam. I know that the Korean hornbeam species are slow growers, but I have had the opposite experience with the American ones. I collected two about 3 years ago, and the new leaders put on size rapidly. The only problem I've encountered is having chop scars hear over. It doesn't happen quickly at all. One has seen pretty good success, but that's mostly due to a few very fortunate buds that popped right at the chop. I think that in a couple more years the scar will be completely covered (it's about 2 inches in diameter).

I unfortunately killed one of them this year. I moved from Virginia to Utah last summer, and I think a late cold snap in the Spring did it in (we have a lot of them here). The other was very slow to come out of dormancy, and I lot a lot of branching (not a big deal, still in early development). So you may need to watch winter/spring temps where you are.
 

mholt

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Thank you Christian for your suggestions. I have 6 smaller American hornbeams in containers that were extremely slow waking up this spring. In fact, for months my wife teased me that I merely had dead branches planted. It was painful each day watching the buds swell at a very slow rate. A European hornbeam and Carpinus turczaninovii started much sooner but once they did emerge from their slumber, they really took off, especially the Americans. The Carpinus turczaninovii received a really late trunk chop after it emerged and never missed a beat. The thing about the hornbeam I presented here is, it already received at least a 3 inch chop upon collection and if I know right now the location is too high for my liking, I might as well address it instead of just being only somewhat pleased with where it's at now.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Brian...Regarding the hornbeam, my first idea would be to chop near the red line. I like where the shoot is which is marked by the arrow as the new trunk section.

Good spot, I'd try to make the cut at the angle shown, but so it's at the back (like you see with a lot of Bald Cypress trees), and at the top of the cut on the front is your future leader.

Great virt on the pondy...has a great trunk line.

On moving the collected trees south...if the pondys are doing well, I may go get them in fall '11. I'll probably give the junipers at least another year beyond that.
 
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