European beech forest

Fishtank307 · Mar 1, 2018

My first group planting and first experience with beech. How exciting! Two weeks ago, I dug up a couple of beeches and tried to make a group planting. The main lesson: preparation is key! I had made a growing box, had my soil mix ready, cutters, wire, ... But I didn't plan the composition! When I was finished, I noticed some flaws. The largest tree was planted on the side, three trees were in one straight line, I didn't cut the trees to the right height, one tree is right in the middle, etc. I'm glad I did it though, because I've learned so much in the end.

Cut back the tree on the right and left side, and the small one in the back.

The buds were already starting to open when I dug them. I've kept the trees in my garage for most of the time, due to the 'extreme' temps we've been having. The leaves are unfurling now. Hopefully I can put it outside next week!

I'm looking forward to seeing them grow! I do have to read up on maintaing beech trees. From what I've read so far, it can be quite challenging!

Giga · Mar 1, 2018

There a bit to far spaced to a be a good design but this will be good for there recovery as they will have a bit more room for roots - If these where collected this year just make sure they are watered and fertilized well with organics and thats it, no cutting, I wouldn't have wired them, but at this but just leave it on there and remove if it starts to bite in.

JudyB · Mar 1, 2018

Get online and find some diagrams of how forests are best spaced, there is a theory to it. You can re-arrange these if not next year, the year after. Be cautious with beech when repotting as they don't like a lot of root work unless they are really healthy.

Fishtank307 · Mar 1, 2018

Giga said:
There a bit to far spaced to a be a good design but this will be good for there recovery as they will have a bit more room for roots - If these where collected this year just make sure they are watered and fertilized well with organics and thats it, no cutting, I wouldn't have wired them, but at this but just leave it on there and remove if it starts to bite in.

Yeah, I tried to keep as much roots as possible, but by doing that, I couldn't fit them closer together... Maybe in a year or two. The plan is to start feeding with Abrakas and fish emulsion in a couple of months or so, and get them as healthy as possible!

Fishtank307 · Mar 1, 2018

JudyB said:
Get online and find some diagrams of how forests are best spaced, there is a theory to it. You can re-arrange these if not next year, the year after. Be cautious with beech when repotting as they don't like a lot of root work unless they are really healthy.

I have this course syllabus from a bonsai club in Florida that's really useful. It explains a lot of the design-aspect of bonsai in general. I have to admit that I have a problem with remembering those kind of things and planning ahead and actually sitting down and read more about it. So yeah, maybe in a year or two!

Fishtank307 · May 15, 2018

Happy to see them growing! Despite a spider mite attack and mildew...

Leo in N E Illinois · May 16, 2018

Good growing, next spring you can replant them, changing your spacing. Do read up on pruning beech, there are some tricks that are not obvious. You can start shaping the trees, but shape them for their future positions, not their current locations. Thickest trunk base = tallest tree, as trunk get thinner diameter, each should be shorter in sequence. And so on.

Fishtank307 · May 24, 2018

Leo in N E Illinois said:
Good growing, next spring you can replant them, changing your spacing. Do read up on pruning beech, there are some tricks that are not obvious. You can start shaping the trees, but shape them for their future positions, not their current locations. Thickest trunk base = tallest tree, as trunk get thinner diameter, each should be shorter in sequence. And so on.

I wasn't planning on pruning the branches until next year. Just let them recover and thicken some branches maybe. But now that they respond so well, some pruning might be in order! The tree on the left is the thickest and tallest, with the most movement. Probably going to make it the 'centerpiece' of the planting.

Leo in N E Illinois · May 26, 2018

Fishtank307 said:
I wasn't planning on pruning the branches until next year. Just let them recover and thicken some branches maybe. But now that they respond so well, some pruning might be in order! The tree on the left is the thickest and tallest, with the most movement. Probably going to make it the 'centerpiece' of the planting.

Good plan.
Remember, the largest doesn't have to be dead center. It will be the visual focal point, no matter where you put it. So think about how you want your eyes to move through the forest. I'd probably put it just a little right or a little left of the center, and use the smaller trees to counter balance.

Like a cluster of 3 including the tallest, then slightly toward opposite side of the pot, a cluster of 4 including the smallest and the second or third tallest.

Fishtank307 · Mar 6, 2020

Repotted! I managed to get them closer together, but I'm still missing some saplings in the background. There are two spaces, on the right and left that I'd like to fill in. Haven't pruned anything yet, so it still looks kind of messy.
I think I should use some guy wires to pull the tree on the left in a bit closer.

View from the left.

I should plant some saplings in these sections next repotting! Maybe even second group of saplings, if I choose a wider pot.

BrianBay9 · Mar 6, 2020

Nice improvement!

KiwiPlantGuy · Mar 6, 2020

Fishtank307 said:
Repotted! I managed to get them closer together, but I'm still missing some saplings in the background. There are two spaces, on the right and left that I'd like to fill in. Haven't pruned anything yet, so it still looks kind of messy.
I think I should use some guy wires to pull the tree on the left in a bit closer.
View attachment 287096 View attachment 287097 View attachment 287098
View from the left.
View attachment 287103
I should plant some saplings in these sections next repotting! Maybe even second group of saplings, if I choose a wider pot.

Hi,
I think you have made a great start here and the repot looks more foresty. I too am learning how to build forests and getting them close together and heavy root pruning on one side of each trunk might be a way.
I hate to be a downer, but what you have presented here is not Euro beech but Euro hornbeam. 1. The leaves are too wrinkly as in veins really obvious. 2. The new buds are skinny and very straight pointing. Whereas the beech (Fagus) the dormant buds point almost out at a 45deg angle and next to impossible to thread graft.
Check out @BobbyLane and his threads on Euro beech material.
Anyway doesn’t really matter which species they are because both are fun and good candidates for forests. And careful not to have 2 branches coming out the same side of the same junction (axil) = reverse taper long term and knobbly.
Charles

BobbyLane · Mar 6, 2020

im crap with beeches, my longest surviving beech are the ones i have in grow beds!

Fishtank307 · Mar 6, 2020

KiwiPlantGuy said:
Hi,
I think you have made a great start here and the repot looks more foresty. I too am learning how to build forests and getting them close together and heavy root pruning on one side of each trunk might be a way.
I hate to be a downer, but what you have presented here is not Euro beech but Euro hornbeam. 1. The leaves are too wrinkly as in veins really obvious. 2. The new buds are skinny and very straight pointing. Whereas the beech (Fagus) the dormant buds point almost out at a 45deg angle and next to impossible to thread graft.
Check out @BobbyLane and his threads on Euro beech material.
Anyway doesn’t really matter which species they are because both are fun and good candidates for forests. And careful not to have 2 branches coming out the same side of the same junction (axil) = reverse taper long term and knobbly.
Charles

These are indeed Carpinus betulus. Took me a while before I figured that out, when I was just beginning bonsai. Thanks for the reply! Still a long way to go, but I like the result so far.

leatherback · Mar 6, 2020

BobbyLane said:
im crap with beeches, my longest surviving beech are the ones i have in grow beds!

You have to be a ittle more friendly to them. THey look like strong trees. In reality they are not

Fishtank307 · Mar 14, 2021

Two trees of the original planting died last year, unfortunately. In spring of last year I bought a couple of bare rooted hornbeam saplings and potted them. Today I added those saplings to the group planting.
I also reopened two large wounds that weren't healing properly, and them covered them with cut paste.

HENDO · Mar 14, 2021

Fishtank307 said:
Two trees of the original planting died last year, unfortunately. In spring of last year I bought a couple of bare rooted hornbeam saplings and potted them. Today I added those saplings to the group planting.
I also reopened two large wounds that weren't healing properly, and them covered them with cut paste.
View attachment 360815 View attachment 360816 View attachment 360817
View attachment 360818

Looking great, nice profile! I really like the movement you've put into this, I did something similar to one of my Bald Cypress forests this year. This placement is 10x nicer than the original placement, good call. Post an update once the foliage comes in!