European Hornbeam #2

[ConorDash]

Hello All,

Tree from BobbyLane, bought this season 03-07-2019. Big lump of a multi-trunk thing. Bobby has done all the work on this so far, cut trunks shorter and hard cut back on any growth. It was in a huge air pot originally, he has also repotted so Its just for me to look at for now!!

[04-06-2019] - Bobby's Pic


[05-06-2019] - Bobby's Pic


[20-06-2019] - Bobby's Pic

DSC_0639 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
[20-07-19]

DSC_0641 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
[20-07-19]

As you can see, its budding well now and reacting to work Bobby has put in to it.
DSC_0643 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0644 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

My plan with this is to of course allow growth for now, I dont imagine any real work will be done on this, this year. Aside from tidying up unwanted buds, useless growth. Perhaps some wiring on branchs growing now. They are a strong vigorous growing species so it should put on some real growth over the next 2 months before slowing down. I will also wire up the 2 small horizon branches at the base, to turn them in to some small trunks but may also be potentially removed in future.

This is a wild, monster lump of hornbeam for me, so I want it to remain as wild and unkept as possible (within reason, for our uses in Bonsai), so my aim is to try and keep that spirit in the tree.

 

[BobbyLane]

yes, one of two mid season re pot jobs.the other hornbeam is still in the greenouse.it had even more root reduced than this one.
i like this tree, but dont have space for it.
for now just keep rotating it and give it a light feed at every watering.i wouldnt rub out any buds, let it build up strength.

 

[BobbyLane]

the future

 

[Wilson]

Great to see you two collaborating on a nice project.

 

[ConorDash]

Oh I've not updated this since I first got it.. well its.. greener! Grew out really well after Bobby's pruning, as he predicted it would (don't tell him I said that, its not like he is right about EVERY FUCKING THING!)

11/08:
DSC_0720 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0721 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

17/08:
DSC_0731 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

 

[ConorDash]

01/09:
DSC_0771 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0773 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

DSC_0772 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

 

[ConorDash]

Wow this has not been updated much! Well heres the update:

DSC_1634 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

DSC_1633 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

DSC_1632 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

DSC_1631 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

DSC_1630 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
​

It has been quite extensively wired, and left to grow and get some thickness in to those branches. It still has a number of unnecessary branches, so it looks a bit more bushy than needed currently. Once it has had 4-6 weeks of growth (or less, as it is very fast) I will be removing unnecessary branches and reapplying wire. Im really looking forward to how this will look. Strong, wild, natural, is the aim.

 

[ConorDash]

Again, i really should update this more... this is one of my more exciting bonsai, for myself, and I am not even updating my own damn thread...

Well, it got bushy, then it got thinned out and cut a few unnecessary branches. I left on a number of branches as I wanted more thickness, allowing them to extend. In hindsight, this left it too bushy still and I think it helped towards the powdery Mildew it now has on it.
Yesterday, I came to my senses more and (with a push...) I did a proper job on it.

These first 2 pics are 14 days after the picture in the above post:

DSC_1711 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

DSC_1713 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
[April 23rd]

DSC_1803 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
[May 20th]

This was the bush yesterday:

DSC_2019 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

DSC_2021 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

Then the hair cut and adjusted+additional wire. Also, half way through taking pics, I decided to pull up one of the small trunks higher. Debating removing one or both of the 4th and 5th trunks. Not sure yet. They dont look good at the moment and they will also be shaded out by the main trunks.

DSC_2048 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_2054 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_2056 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_2057 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

Advice appreciated. This tree is just going to be left to flush out. I am hoping the mildew does not spread, I have applied fungicide to it, twice now + washing up liquid and water spray. The extra light and air, will hopefully kill it off now and it won't spread but I have my doubts. It will be repotted in to a large shallower pot, next Spring and in to Akadama and Pumice, I think.

 

[ConorDash]

Did some proper work on this tree, given it its first styling. I don't think its photographed well though. The 2 smaller "trunks" are left long, so they ruin the overall image a bit at the moment, as they are long and leggy.
Its being repotted in a few months, so I didn't bother with weeding it at this point.


Before:
DSC_2813 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_2815 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

After:
DSC_2819 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr DSC_2820 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_2825 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

DSC_2832 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_2834 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

Overall I am happy with the wiring job but I have to admit, looking at it in pics, makes me unhappy... I think its still quite raw. There is carving to be done on the second larger trunk which turns at an angle, to reduce the size of it and help the image. All branches are wired to go up at the tips.

Here is something I see for the future. I think the next 1-2 years will be transformative for the tree. I like it a lot and enjoy working on it but I dont enjoy looking at it yet, it still feels very raw to me. Hopefully once it starts to grow in the correct way, then cut back, it will start to take shape. It has very heavy trunks, so the limbs need to get some thickness to them, to help my image of it.

 

[ConorDash]

Will take some time but it will look better soon.. Comes off looking like a mess in pics but all branches are in the place I want them, with movement, just need to grow out and cut back a few times.

DSC_3022 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_3024 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr DSC_3026 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_3027 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

Oh it was repotted. Had a huge chunk of wood under it, 9" wide and 4-5 inches of wood, under the visible base of the tree. I've not worked so hard to remove wood, in my life.

WhatsApp Image 2021-03-30 at 17.29.24 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
WhatsApp Image 2021-03-30 at 17.36.55 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
WhatsApp Image 2021-03-30 at 18.20.04 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
WhatsApp Image 2021-03-30 at 18.27.16 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
WhatsApp Image 2021-03-30 at 19.17.52 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr