Timbo
Chumono
I have to cut them off also, pulling them just pulls off the brittle leaf and leaves the stem. Seem harder to get off dead than alive.
EUROPEAN HORNBEAM
- Thread starter MACH5
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BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
I use a combo of pulling them off, if they come away easily or scissors. I also find it therapeutic snipping off the brown leaves, its like unveiling a painting or digging for treasure. its almost as satisfying as digging for a good nebari and being rewarded with diamonds and gold
Lars Grimm
Chumono
@leatherback and @BobbyLane Is the idea that you let it rot for a while and then put the hard brakes and treat everything with a wood hardener? Does this give you good texture to the wood grain versus just carving deeper to begin with?Walter had a Rowan tree where he stuck some moss in the hollow to speed up the rot, its on his blog.
if you really want to accelerate the process, stick the spag moss in then encourage live moss to grow on top of that. or better still just hollow it out deeper!
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
ive not used moss to speed up the process. i just leave them out on the edge of my balcony all winter and it doesnt take long for the deadwood to look weathered. i know in the US you guys have harsher winters and are a bit more tentative about leaving trees out. i dont treat hornbeams, the wood is extremely tough and takes a long time to rot.
Lars Grimm
Chumono
That's interesting. I have a large hornbeam, similar in size to Sergio's and it has rotted pretty extensively at the base where there is contact with the soil.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
As I understand it, and what I see on some of my tree that do not heal fast enough.. Basically you just let it rot. Biology: The tree will create a natural barrier between dead and alive, working against rot by impregnating a dividing layer with tannins etc. You can scratch the softer stuff out.
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
yeh it would do with all the moisture in that area.
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Here is a good video of Walter explaining his approach to carving deciduous trees. Which is exactly what I intend to do.
JoeR
Masterpiece
Mighty clean cut, especially if the wood is as tough as American hornbeam. Whats the saw you used? Need to get a new one!
Timbo
Chumono
Was thinking this also, I use a reciprocating saw with a good blade on my hornbeam, it's hard and shakes the tree a lot. I didn't have much luck using a hand saw similar to that one.
There is a smaller one handed corded saw that might get in smaller spaces better.
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
It's a Corona razor saw with a 10" blade. You can get it a various places including Amazon. It goes through wood like butter although with this hornbeam I did brake a bit of a sweat cutting that piece off. Great saw! I didn't want to use my sawzall because I needed full and careful control of the cut.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Yeah... I know! It seems to be the theme lately.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Ah well. Don't worry. Not all is in theme. Almost midnight here.
A last cold one, and time for bed. Long day tomorrow again.
Cheers!
JoeR
Masterpiece
Awesome thanks Sergio, and I bet you did break a sweat! I find the same problem with the sawzall. Much too rough unless the tree is really anchored into the ground and so forth. $22 on Amazon, not bad at all.
clem
Chumono
Hello Sergio, i've made a virtual with the 2 possible fronts side to side, to compare.. and, its just my2cents but i feel that the new front (on the right) is more powerfull, with prettier nebari and better taper of the base and has more "soul", is more "touching" "dreamlike" than the tree on the left, which is more natural looking like an old chestnut tree. Anyway, both are good & it's a very promising tree
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Lars Grimm
Chumono
I've forgotten how much I love those Walter Pall videos. Before Mirai Live, I used to obsess over them as there was so little content out there.
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Hello Sergio, i've made a virtual with the 2 possible fronts side to side, to compare.. and, its just my2cents but i feel that the new front (on the right) is more powerfull, with prettier nebari and better taper of the base and has more "soul", is more "touching" "dreamlike" than the tree on the left, which is more natural looking like an old chestnut tree. Anyway, both are good & it's a very promising tree
View attachment 349224
Yes, thanks clem! I agree and looking at the tree in person and flipping between the two, I am very partial to the one on the right. It does have more character and "soul" as you pointed out. Hard to tell in the photos but from the latest front I am working with (right photo), there is another sub-trunk on the lower right that adds complexity and dimensionality to the image.
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
I use a combo of pulling them off, if they come away easily or scissors. I also find it therapeutic snipping off the brown leaves, its like unveiling a painting or digging for treasure. its almost as satisfying as digging for a good nebari and being rewarded with diamonds and gold
Well said!
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Quick share from tonight as I came out and saw this tree dusted in snow! Took these with my IPhone so not the best quality. Although I have not done much work on it for quite some time, it is definitely in the queue to be worked. Looking at it, I think now I am changing my mind about its front and may go back to my original pick, give or take a few degrees left or right. I'll be posting more of this tree later in a month or two once I get to it.
