Big Haw!

Aeast

Shohin
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It's been about a couple weeks since collection on this big hawthorn and the buds are popping! I've had my eye on this tree for a couple years now and finally was able to collect it.

I'm unsure of the exact variety of hawthorn that it is, as there are quite a few out there, with many that cross.
Judging by the bark and leaves, it resembles ABCarve's hawthorn that was in the national show last year. (Collected within 50 miles of each other)

It will need some carving in the future but I have high Hope's for this tree. I'm just going to let it do its thing for a couple years and hopefully it recovers.

Thoughts on the exposed roots?20190505_164802.jpg20190505_164717.jpg20190505_164755.jpg20190505_164902.jpg20190505_164857.jpg20190505_164736.jpg20190505_164743.jpg20190505_164329.jpg20190505_164335.jpg
 

Mike Hennigan

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Super gnarly!!! Gonna be a badass tree man, good to see it budding out!
 

Mike Hennigan

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I think that funny root kind of fits the gnarly nature of the tree, but it depends what’s under the soil in terms of the rest of the nebari I suppose. You could always find the right rock to stick under that root to make it look more solid.
 

Tieball

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Nice. The view from your photo attached here looks good.....on the other photos, the ones showing that hanging out root, I find it distracting. I keep seeing that hand from the Munsters. I think.....eventually you’re going to not want that root area. Is there anything below it on the trunk?
 

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BobbyLane

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nice movement.
wouldnt worry about the root at all mate. the one root that crosses under the two high ones looks off but this could be rectified by slanting or planting slightly deeper at next re pot. for now you could just fill in the gaps with spagnam moss, cover the 'off' looking root and keep the flare you get from the left n right roots just visible.

so for example from this view here, you would want to fill it in more, with soil and moss. but you want to keep the wide flare you get from the dominant roots. at least while the tree is in development anyway.
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Aeast

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Thanks for the input. I'm not so sure about those roots either, can't decide if they are interesting or distracting. Either way they have to stay for now as they make up a major part of the roots.

I can and probably will change the planting angle in the future but there isn't a whole lot under there for a good nebari, maybe some root grafts in the future.

I read a post by Harry Harrington in which he stated he leaves hawthorns in a box/pot for 10 or so years between repots and during a repot doesn't hardly root prune at all. Is this common practice for hawthorns?
 

Hack Yeah!

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By chance you're considering keeping the root you may consider packing some moss or soil around it
 

Aeast

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Are you guys saying pack the hole under the roots for esthetic purposes?
 

Aeast

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Makes sense, I'll give it a shot.

What are your thoughts on carving? The big hollow would definitely connect if the stub on the left side were carved out.
 

BobbyLane

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Makes sense, I'll give it a shot.

What are your thoughts on carving? The big hollow would definitely connect if the stub on the left side were carved out.

if youre confident that you can pull it off, then go for it. but is the tree secure in the pot, was it wired in properly?
 

BobbyLane

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Mainly so new roots could start growing around the area, aesthetic as well

maybe ive been watching too much of the mirai streams. Ryan neil uses wet/chopped spagnum moss to pack in problematic roots quite often and it works for me.:)
 

Tieball

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Mainly so new roots could start growing around the area, aesthetic as well
That could work really well. New roots could likely grow below if packed and kept moist. I have produced new roots on that way...different tree I know....but I think the procedure could still work for the Hawthorn.

I “had” a side hole on a smaller Korean Hornbeam in development. I packed the area with a pillow of moss....then left it in place all season. Just watered the tree regularly as usual. The moss pillow stays moist longer. By the end of the season several new strong roots were well developed. The next spring I directed those establishing roots better and put the pillow of moss back on again. The roots will continue to grow and thicken. In a couple of seasons the roots behind the moss went from nonexistent to new, healthy and about 1/8” thickness with lots of tiny feeders on the root...in good places. I attached a photo of the current pillow of moss still in place for continued growth this season....as it continues to fill-in that area. The trunk is only 1-3/4” diameter. This is just what I did with a similar, but not exactly the same, root problem area. Drawing is crude...but I think you can get an idea of what I'm doing.
 

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Aeast

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I definitely wouldn't carve anything now as to not disturb the roots at all, I was more planning for the future and what needs to be done.

Tieball, that's an interesting take on the moss, I've always seen as Bobby described with packed sphagnum moss.
 

Aeast

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Just a quick update. The tree is pushing lots of growth after some troubles early on. I had something eating the leaves as soon as they emerged but that issue was taken care of with an application of Acephate. Now she's firing on all cylinders!
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Mike Hennigan

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No rush to select branches right now. Prune those that you can’t possibly see being part of the design. But usually at this stage I try to keep more branches than I know I will need. Prune them back a bit, wire them out. Once I see the branches wired out and give them another season of growth it gives me a little more to work with in terms of seeing the future design of the tree. And feel I can make a more informed decision about which branches to lose. If you’re unsure about whether to lose a branch, just keep it. You can cut it off later.
 

Tieball

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What an excellent opportunity....plenty of branches to choose and form.
Are you planning a strategic clip and grow process? If not, and you will wire wiggle....
I'd wire them all....and begin to see the possible image of a form emerge. Something interesting will present itself. And, you can always eliminate a branch later.

I haven’t had a Hawthorn for wiring so I really don’t know how rigid those branches are....or if your plan is thicken and cut way way back toward the trunk.

Personally, I agree with the leave the tree in the box and not fool around with the roots for quite awhile.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Agree, leave the roots alone at least one more growing season.

Wire all those branches so that the first inch or two come off the trunk at an angle that would be harmonious with your likely future design. Keep most of them. But most should be wired to be horizontal near the base, and progressively angle upwards as you move up to the top of the tree. Leave them long, let them grow and thicken. Eventually, maybe in a couple years, you will prune them to just one or two internodes, probably less than a couple inches. So don't worry about wiring out the whole branch. Just get the angle coming out of the trunk to be "logical" for an old tree.

You will be building branch structure, but that first segment of the branches needs to thicken up before cutting back to where you need your branches to branch.

Make sense?
 
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