Collected Hawthorn History

[my nellie]

@peterbone no, I don't think so.
This is the part that attracts my concern
But please don't miss I said :

... ...my ignorant eye... ...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

@peterbone no, I don't think so.
This is the part that attracts my concern
But please don't miss I said :

Yes, this area bothers me a lot too. I made the mistake of chasing down one of the judges at the 2014 USNBE for a critique as they were concluding their Sunday morning critiques, to which he begrudgingly agreed. He dessimated the tree in about 10 seconds, finished with, “we done?” And walked off. Well, he was right about several things, and I was determined to keep working to advance the tree. Another judge offered a similar critique, regarding the relative similar thickness of all 4-5 main branches emerging from the trunk, but concluded that as a deciduous tree, this was acceptable.

I assimilated all of the critiques and decided to spend the next 5-7 years replacing those primary branches with new branches of differing thickenesses. I made some difficult cuts, knowing the tree would have some bald spots for a few years, but underestimated just how long they would remain bald. This area you circled on the right is one that has been most challenging to fill back in. Here we are in year 5.

Below in blue arrows you can see where the 3 removed branches were growing. So far, I have regretted the decision. However, had I not done it, I think I would be constantly concerned by the appearance. If you go to my blog and search “the cycle continues hawthorn” you can see a series of 5 or so articles dedicated to the rebuilding of this tree over the last 4.5 years.

 

[my nellie]

Mr. Van Fleet, thank you for the detailed answer, Sir. Greatly appreciated.

Yes, this area bothers me a lot too... ...
I assimilated all of the critiques and decided to... ...
So far, I have regretted the decision... ...

Indeed, I had read the post of yours in your blog because, being subscribed to it, I receive email notifications. But did not remember the story.
To be honest I did not understand well all of the points of critique and had spent some time trying to figure out e.g. Kathy Shaner's "Edge of stand, edge of pot, and upper branches show too much repetition" or how "the edge of the stand and rim of pot highlighted the lack of taper in upper primary branches" but that's another story
Regarding your decision -which you regretted- I believe that it is only a matter of time and you will manage to have the area in question rectified.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Regarding your decision -which you regretted- I believe that it is only a matter of time and you will manage to have the area in question rectified.

Thanks for your optimism. I hope you are right!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Still plodding along...

 

[cmeg1]

Light is just right on your trees this morning!
Nice

 

[Aeast]

2010

2010, repotted and pruned. Several branches were wired to create some visual space.

Photos from April and May. Note the "new" collected hawthorn making the scene in May's photo...

Awesome tree Brian!

Do you have an update on the "new tree" in the picture? I collected a hawthorn this year that looks very similar and I'm interested in the direction you took the tree?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Awesome tree Brian!

Do you have an update on the "new tree" in the picture? I collected a hawthorn this year that looks very similar and I'm interested in the direction you took the tree?

I traded it to @Don Blackmond 7-8 years ago, and I think he sold it through his website.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Night shot:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Good fall color shot. It’s raining now, so the leaves are dropping fast. Nekked shot and some work soon!

 

[ConorDash]

What a very gorgous mother fu.... king tree.

 

[Dav4]

Still one of my all time favorites, Brian.

 

[Woocash]

Yay! Stumps can become beautiful

 

[Corrado]

But why doesn t it flower and fruit!!!!! I had a Washington Hawthorne once for over 25 years in training. Fall color was always magnificent and ramification was great. Plenty of thorns that seemed to reduce as well but never once did it flower. I tried leaving branches un pruned for several years, tried high phosphate feeding and letting it get root bound. Finally sold it off (first 2 pictrues) and now working on another one in regret-(third picture)!!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Winter shot, with Chojubai blooming as an accent.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Light pruning complete, still need to get that right side filled out.

 

[misfit11]

Always a favorite, Brian! Just like any bonsai should, this just gets better and better every year. It’s really great to see these long term progressions for newbies and old timers alike. Newbies get to see that with patience, time, and diligence your trees can go from very humble beginnings to absolute stunners. Old timers get to check into people’s backyards and see how things are looking.

This post is approaching the decade mark (not long after I joined BNut as a matter of fact!). The more time I spend in this hobby the more I’ve come to believe that it takes roughly 10 years (some more some less) to go from raw material to a high quality show tree.
This is daunting for beginners for sure but to stick with it and see it through is so rewarding! Thanks for your shares.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Spring shot, starting to grow. I potted it in a deeper pot with very little root pruning this spring in hopes of explosive growth this year, and maybe to advance the development of the bare spot on the right side, and to broaden the overall canopy.

 

[MACH5]

Spring shot, starting to grow. I potted it in a deeper pot with very little root pruning this spring in hopes of explosive growth this year, and maybe to advance the development of the bare spot on the right side, and to broaden the overall canopy.
View attachment 291500

Yes I agree with that plan!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Still plodding along. Hopeful for some growth throughout the summer. Next year I may withhold the fungicides and see if it grows stronger.