Arctic Willow Project

[erich_raudebaugh]

The night I got this willow from Telperion Farms, I was exited to expose the deadwood. These are the before shots.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

Here's the initial bark removal. The tree is now 10" high, but I want a shohin so I think it needs to be tilted when I repot it.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

I had used lime sulfur on the deadwood, knowing that some areas will continue to rot or get punky for awhile and it would need more work.
Yesterday I decided to work on it some more, removing more rotting wood so that I can add some wood hardener to a more finalized form.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

The top picture is just after lime sulfur with sumi ink was applied, and the bottom picture as it looks today. I'll apply some wood hardener in a week or two before the rainy season.

It will get styled some time in the dormant season, then I'll let it recover for a year because it seems to be doing fine in the Anderson flat.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

Repotted today. There aren't many intact roots. I hope this tree lives, the rot and possible fungal issues with the leaves and branches may kill it.



Added a bit of sphagnum around the roots that are close to the surface, these are the roots I want to keep. There are intact roots close to the bottom of the pot, but I'd like to cut them off eventually.


Back of the tree.




My only goal is to get this thing to live and hopefully thrive. Then I can worry about carving the deadwood more and styling it.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

I had to move it into my garage/shop along with everything that has buds starting to open. It's started snowing and this weekend will have freezing weather.

Decided to do a bit more carving. After the wood dries a bit I'll apply more lime sulfur.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

The arctic willow today. I wired it last season, and pruned/pinched heavily this season.

I'm thinking about planting it on a rock, the idea is that it would be overhanging a stream in the wild.