Ground Planting Help

[fore]

They might end up getting 15' tall at times...whatever it takes to get the trunk fat. I prune mine back a little when the side shoots grow out into the path or shade out something below it, but try not to disturb the main leader of the section I'm trying to grow. I'll upload another shot of this trident later...you'll see what I mean......
Here is the trident maple, the same as the 2010 BNut maple project thread. I let the central leader run, but trim back some side shoots to allow light to reach lower trees. It does bush out above, and no doubt contributes to the thickening of the trunk. Since I chopped it back to about 6" tall in March, the 10' of new growth is all this year's!

Thanks Brian! I'm glad that I'm on the right page here 10'/yr is very good...same for Chris, 20'/2yr Now I know what to shoot for. Good pics of the trees and the pruning. (and the same technique kinda in the needle pruning on that sacrificial branch on that jbp) I def. have to prune both the trident and elm as they are pretty bushy with limbs shooting out into the pathway.

However, the trident and elm are separated only by 18". Tight growing bed. So I'm expanding my beds next spring...think moving them will stunt their growth if done early next spring?
I'm thinking I should just go ahead and do it, for the extra root room, more light exposure and to give room to the other growing plants. And then just deal with whatever growth rate I get next yr.

 

[fore]

Chris, I'm growing a black locust for bonsai use (experimental) and I've let it just grow...it's probably close to 20' now with a trunk base around 4-4.5" I'll be chopping it way down in the spring. Amazing thing is it's only been in the ground for 2 growing seasons. I'm a little afraid what the root system might be like...

Not unheard of for people to purchase nursery stock that is 15 or 20' tall and chop it down even before leaving the nursery.

Chris

Surprising you got 10'/yr in NY and same for Brian in AL. Does that black locust grow really fast Chris?
4.5-5"...nice!

 

[coh]

Under my conditions, I have never seen a tree of any species grow as fast as this one. I think I've mentioned elsewhere that I dug it up as a root sucker from an older tree in my yard. Got almost no roots and didn't expect it to survive. But it somehow managed to grow from pencil thick to 2" and 10' tall that first season and now over 4" base and nearly 20'. I'm seriously wondering if it's going to be tameable! Maybe there's a good reason you don't see black locust used as bonsai

Side note, for comparison - at the same time I planted similar sized specimens of a number of other species...oak, larch, crabapple, chinese quince and others. None of them are anywhere near the size of the locust...most are approximately 1/2 the size in the same time period.

Chris

 

[fore]

Under my conditions, I have never seen a tree of any species grow as fast as this one. I think I've mentioned elsewhere that I dug it up as a root sucker from an older tree in my yard. Got almost no roots and didn't expect it to survive. But it somehow managed to grow from pencil thick to 2" and 10' tall that first season and now over 4" base and nearly 20'. I'm seriously wondering if it's going to be tameable! Maybe there's a good reason you don't see black locust used as bonsai

Side note, for comparison - at the same time I planted similar sized specimens of a number of other species...oak, larch, crabapple, chinese quince and others. None of them are anywhere near the size of the locust...most are approximately 1/2 the size in the same time period.

Chris

LOL Chris...the locust sounds like the siberian elms we have around here. They grow quick as weeds.

 

[GrimLore]

Under my conditions, I have never seen a tree of any species grow as fast as this one. Maybe there's a good reason you don't see black locust used as bonsai

Side note, for comparison - at the same time I planted similar sized specimens of a number of other species...oak, larch, crabapple, chinese quince and others. None of them are anywhere near the size of the locust...most are approximately 1/2 the size in the same time period.

Chris

That has been the same in this area with the types of trees you listed. So you know the property here was owned by a Fence Company and the old timer had many rows of Black Locust for use as posts. Over the past few years I cut about 20 or so that were undergrowth - they were beer can size at the base and I cut them all to about 15-16 inches. That was 3 years ago and they have only produced 5 or 6 whippy branches 3 to 4 foot long. The trees themselves do not appear to be growing. The other species you mentioned grow at half the rate but they do far better when chopped and quickly produce growth. I am only taking one small locust with me potted for that reason.

Grimmy

 

[coh]

Have the trees you cut produced a bunch of root suckers? My tree is already doing that, which leads me to wonder if a severe trunk chop will just lead to an explosion of sucker growth without much from the stump (or even possible death of the stump). My plan is to dig the thing up the following spring (2015) and work the roots and replant. Based on how far and wide the suckers are already showing up, I'm guessing there is little in the way of fibrous root near the trunk.

Another options would be to both chop and dig next spring.

Well, you never know if you don't try! The big negative effect is that I'm probably going to be dealing with residual root sucker growth in my growing beds for at least a couple of years...

Chris

 

[AboveBeyond]

Brian, do you wire your trees for movement or is there no point since it'll be trunk chopped at some point?

 

[GrimLore]

Have the trees you cut produced a bunch of root suckers? My tree is already doing that, which leads me to wonder if a severe trunk chop will just lead to an explosion of sucker growth without much from the stump (or even possible death of the stump). My plan is to dig the thing up the following spring (2015) and work the roots and replant. Based on how far and wide the suckers are already showing up, I'm guessing there is little in the way of fibrous root near the trunk.

Another options would be to both chop and dig next spring.

Well, you never know if you don't try! The big negative effect is that I'm probably going to be dealing with residual root sucker growth in my growing beds for at least a couple of years...

Chris

All of the cut and uncut produce a lot of suckers. This property was not taken care of well and I spent a few years getting things proper. Those Trees are very hard to control but a good ice chopper slows it down well. I told my Wife a few years ago they were large dandelion, spread the same and in fall drop lots of yellow leaves. From my personal experience they could be quite invasive.

Grimmy