Another Irma rescue

rockm

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The trunk looks like it is callusing, which means it is still alive. Scratch the callus tissue to see if it's green underneath the bark. If it is, I'd remove ALL of those sucker and force the trunk to push new buds. The suckers are stealing the energy from the main trunk. It's easier for the tree to push new suckers from the roots. Many fast-growing species like Chinese Elm do that. Controlling the new growth can be a key in getting a good start on things...
 

JoeH

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The trunk looks like it is callusing, which means it is still alive. Scratch the callus tissue to see if it's green underneath the bark. If it is, I'd remove ALL of those sucker and force the trunk to push new buds. The suckers are stealing the energy from the main trunk. It's easier for the tree to push new suckers from the roots. Many fast-growing species like Chinese Elm do that. Controlling the new growth can be a key in getting a good start on things...
I left one sucker for now. Another small one popped up close to the trunk that I could thread graft it if needed. And yeah, still green under the bark, I usually don't seal cuts, its the horticulture in me that says no one does that to trees in nature.
 

aml1014

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I left one sucker for now. Another small one popped up close to the trunk that I could thread graft it if needed. And yeah, still green under the bark, I usually don't seal cuts, its the horticulture in me that says no one does that to trees in nature.
I never seal big chips on elms I collect. They like to bid from the callous at the cut end, and sealing it will just make it harder on the tree to throw branches.

Aaron
 

JoeH

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I never seal big chips on elms I collect. They like to bid from the callous at the cut end, and sealing it will just make it harder on the tree to throw branches.

Aaron
I was expecting to have to carve this down after it budded out for taper so I didn't even think about it.
 

rockm

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I left one sucker for now. Another small one popped up close to the trunk that I could thread graft it if needed. And yeah, still green under the bark, I usually don't seal cuts, its the horticulture in me that says no one does that to trees in nature.
Unfortunately, sealing big cuts on material that is being collected is A MUST. It is not the same as leaving a tree in the ground and letting it heal. In collecting trees, you compromise not only the top growth, exposing it to increased susceptibility to drying out, you also remove the system that supports the tree getting moisture--its roots. The combined removal makes collecting and moving water extremely difficult for a while. That means the collected tree will look for the easiest and quickest way to get and retain water, which is what's happening here.

Sealing trunk chops slows evaporation from cut cambium. I've learned that the hard way. Chinese elm is pretty forgiving, but this one probably would have pushed new growth from the trunk if that wound had been sealed. You're lucky it is so forgiving. Large unsealed trunk chop wounds on species like Carolina Hornbeam can kill off significant portions of their trunks, or even entire trunks...
 

rockm

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I never seal big chips on elms I collect. They like to bid from the callous at the cut end, and sealing it will just make it harder on the tree to throw branches.

Aaron
Don't think that is true. I've had cedar elms die back significantly from big chops left unsealed. I've found over the years that sealing trunk chops is one of those "secrets" that gives collected trees a better chance at surviving in one piece. I have had elms sprout from near chops-but not FROM callus tissue, as callus tissue contains no "bud information" or resting buds that are activated. That is why you have to graft new shoots onto calluses...
 

aml1014

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Don't think that is true. I've had cedar elms die back significantly from big chops left unsealed. I've found over the years that sealing trunk chops is one of those "secrets" that gives collected trees a better chance at surviving in one piece. I have had elms sprout from near chops-but not FROM callus tissue, as callus tissue contains no "bud information" or resting buds that are activated. That is why you have to graft new shoots onto calluses...
Well I'll have to take some pictures later for you, mine seem to come straight from the cut end. If I remember correctly uncle fester up in Michigan has the same thing happen with his elms.

Aaron
 

aml1014

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Don't think that is true. I've had cedar elms die back significantly from big chops left unsealed. I've found over the years that sealing trunk chops is one of those "secrets" that gives collected trees a better chance at surviving in one piece. I have had elms sprout from near chops-but not FROM callus tissue, as callus tissue contains no "bud information" or resting buds that are activated. That is why you have to graft new shoots onto calluses...
Here's just a couple examples of my collected elms where they did in fact bud out from the th chop. Sorry about my broken camera on my phone lol

Aaron
 

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JoeH

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update: did a bit of carving in the spring to get rid of the sawed off tree stump look, I may do some more and then seal the wound. Maybe make it more concave so the live tissue will curl into the wound. Have been mostly doing clip and grow for the tree top. I need to repot, a lot of soil was washed away by the rains and a bunch of dead roots to cut/carve up top
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