Arborvitae from Home Depot

[october]

Hello all, well, here is another Home Depot tree. The single, trunk with movement caught my eye. Actually, this one was seperated from all the rest in the lot... Actually, I am using this tree to practice my carving on. There was a massive amount of work done to this tree.. More than I would normally do. Howeevr, for $21 and a nice trunk, I thought that it would be a nice specimen for some carving and technique practice. I am hoping this one survives. I believe it has some good future potential

Pic 1 is the tree as is. It is around 3 feet tall,
Pic 2 is the tree all pruned. The tree is now around 13 inches.
Pic 3 is the tree after wiring and carving.
Pics 4 and 5 is the tree put into an oversized pot that I had lying around. Also, I wired the apex differently. Even though the original one may have looked like an older and more mature tree, in the long run, this one will grow into a better structured apex.

 

[amkhalid]

Nice work... takes some committment to go digging through arborvitae nursery stock! But this paid off for you. I agree it definitely has potential. Nice gentle movement.

Are you planning to continue working those first two branches over the season?

The way they are now, they are a bit bowed and this will get harder to correct as they thicken. You should be able to gradually (if not immediately) bring them down more sharply so they are emerging from the trunk at a more downward angle. I'd say use guy wires but those branches look tiny enough that they could still take some cranking.

 

[GerhardG]

Hi

Very nice result.

Was all that work done in one go?

cheers
Gerhard

 

[Bill S]

Now some grafting lessons, nd you can shoot for a nice tree.

 

[october]

Hello and thank you amkhalid..and yo uare correct. Those branches are very thin and it would not take any guy wiring to take care of them. Since they are already wired, I can bring them down more and remove some of the bow. To show you how pliable they are..I only used like a 1.5 or 2 gauge aluminum wire to bring them from almost upright to almost all the way down.

Hello GerhardG.. It was done in 2 sessions over the course of 2 days.. However, I would never recommend this and have never done this much work in one sitting.

Hi Bill... Well, if the tree survives..maybe a graft or 2.. I'll pre book with John in 2 years

 

[Bill S]

Just yanking the chain a bit, unless the idea appeals. It wouldn't be a first though. Not too bad so far.

 

[jk_lewis]

If you did all this over 2 days, be sure you keep it in a shaded spot, out of the wind, and not too wet. But not dry either.

I'd do something like this in two distincet stages -- top first, then bottom 6 months to a year later.

Good luck. (You've already had some when you found a tree this nice at Home Despot.)

 

[october]

Thanks jkl...Yes, I am keeping it in a shady spot.. Sometimes giving it a couple hours of morning sun. Also, I give it frequent mistings so the tree can still have moisture even though there is a reduced root system.

 

[R_F]

Very nice! Hope it survives. Keep us updated please.

 

[IllinoisSam]

Nine years later. How has this tree progressed? How about an update with a photo.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Nine years later. How has this tree progressed? How about an update with a photo.

Sorry, friend. I believe the Original Poster has been inactive for some time!

It’s all good! Happens to a LOT of us!

I’ve even accidentally “welcomed” cold accounts!