Build your own Hornbeam

[BobbyLane]

This is a long term project started in 2017. the aim will be to build a European hornbeam from a stump, the tree will eventually have a thick tapering trunk with good movement and fairly smooth transitions ,

in 2017 i bought this from a nursery for a few pounds
20170321_150111 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

20170321_150008 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

after having a bit of fun with it
IMG_4091 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

again we see how hornbeam will naturally send out these radial surface roots, its in the genes. makes them an exceptional species for bonsai. part of the work is already done, you just have to know what youre looking for


IMG_4093 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

IMG_4107 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

Snap, crackle, pop! I decided to chop the tree low and plant it into a grow bed

2017-03-30_06-28-16 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

2018
20181208_101931 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i removed a thick branch on the side here, i didnt want it creating anymore inverse taper, you can see how the wounds are healing over, as the roots expand the base will get dragged out and create better taper

2019
20191018_153905 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20191018_153924 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20191018_153845 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20191018_153944 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

covered everything back up with old bonsai soil
20191018_154043 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

no plans to do any cuts for now. it was left to grow all season apart from removing a low shoot that i thought could of developed into a problem area. next season will just let everything run again, i want more length and thickness in the entire trunk before i feel its ready to be edited

 

[just.wing.it]

Love this thread idea Bobby....especially considering you seem to have the magic touch with this species.

I'm a watchin'!

Thanks!

 

[BobbyLane]

Love this thread idea Bobby....especially considering you seem to have the magic touch with this species.

I'm a watchin'!

Thanks!

Hello buddy, cheers.
ill update when the leaves have dropped and show the other side, where i think the movement looks more elegant and natural. i think it looks even better than this side, but its only the early stages. having a tree with a ready made nebari gives you options to play around with other angles.

 

[Woocash]

Nice Bobby. What was the trunk diameter when you bought it? That’s quite prolific for a couple of years of growth.

 

[BobbyLane]

Nice Bobby. What was the trunk diameter when you bought it? That’s quite prolific for a couple of years of growth.

ive never measured it mate, no idea. yeh most deciduous put on growth quickly in the ground with some chicken pellets scattered all over.

you can pick up these type of pots from all over, some garden centres stocks these for like £8
if theyve been sitting a while sometimes they throw out another layer of roots.

 

[ConorDash]

I've searched a few garden centres and never have anything like this kind of luck lol.

I have dreams of this old back alley in the garden centre where there are ugly, ready to be killed trees that are gnarly and awesome for bonsai, I can pick up for cheap but this never happens!!
I blame Bobby for setting my expectations too high...

 

[Woocash]

I typed in ‘tree nursery’ into google and came across a treasure trove near me. It’s not the main garden centres that i’ve found the most interesting stuff so far, but the independent nurseries where they often have material not suitable for general sale. It’s bare root season soon as well so there will be plenty of pickings at the right places. Try looking for hedging nurseries too.

 

[BobbyLane]

I've searched a few garden centres and never have anything like this kind of luck lol.

I have dreams of this old back alley in the garden centre where there are ugly, ready to be killed trees that are gnarly and awesome for bonsai, I can pick up for cheap but this never happens!!
I blame Bobby for setting my expectations too high...

there's bits out there, its a bit tricky for you in that you dont have a car to venture out more.

 

[kale]

she’s a beaut! what kind of success rate do you have making a chop like that? i’m new to this but starting to think the trunk chop is almost essential at some point for every tree.

 

[BobbyLane]

chopping to a lower shoot on a healthy tree...100% success rate

 

[Mike Hennigan]

#BobbysBeams always look forward to these threads! Coming along nicely.

 

[ATM]

Hows this hornbeam doing Bobby?

 

[BobbyLane]

I never updated this thread, it looked like this after I dug it up.
I no longer have it, but maybe it could of been chopped again for more taper hey


maybe here


lots of choices with all those branches,
or would you have kept as is?
Knowing me i think i would have got bored and went for the jugular again, that would bring it up a level over time and give it some real dynamic movement

 

[ATM]

I never updated this thread, it looked like this after I dug it up.
I no longer have it, but maybe it could of been chopped again for more taper hey
View attachment 446673

maybe here


lots of choices with all those branches,
or would you have kept as is?
Knowing me i think i would have got bored and went for the jugular again, that would bring it up a level over time and give it some real dynamic movement

I definitely would have cut it! Or maybe even lower