Help Scott pick his keeper

[thumblessprimate1]

It's looking amazing, Scott!

 

[markyscott]

It's looking amazing, Scott!

Thanks TP. Not too bad for two growing seasons. I’m looking forward to collecting some more of these. @johng has a very nice forest planting, but I’ve just not seen them used very often.

They should do fine in Dallas, I think. Here’s a map of their native range.


Scott

 

[Adair M]

Update on #2, the crowd sourced favorite. Fall was today. Next step is cutback. I’ll do that in early spring before the buds start moving.
View attachment 168012

I really like working with these trees so far. That are really easy to work with and develop very quickly.

Scott

So the big tree is 3 Shiners tall, and the smaller tree is 2? That’s a good ratio 3:2.

 

[markyscott]

So the big tree is 3 Shiners tall, and the smaller tree is 2? That’s a good ratio 3:2.

Hmmm. I don’t know. It’s possible that Shiners are smaller in Georgia.

S

 

[markyscott]

Might be a little watered down too - could be that we should only use Texan Shiners for measurements.

S

 

[Adair M]

Might be a little watered down too - could be that we should only use Texan Shiners for measurements.

S

Of course Texas Shiners would be bigger!

So, measured in Georgia Shiners, that’s maybe a 5:3?

 

[Adair M]

Our power is off. Can I use the snow to cool a Shiner?

 

[markyscott]

Our power is off. Can I use the snow to cool a Shiner?

View attachment 170558

That’s probably the best way. The storm was really brutal here in Houston. Kind of touch and go for a little while, but we pulled through.



Might get a t shirt made.

S

 

[wireme]

Here’s a side-by-side for #2, Jan 2016 - November 2017.

View attachment 170522 View attachment 170523

Both #4 and #2 have turned out well, but of the two, I still like this one better. It was also the crowd sourced favorite. I edited out the smallest trunk - it was originally a three trunk clump.

Scott

It's a real shame that deciduous trees take so much longer to develope than conifers eh? Otherwise you might have gotten somewhere by now.

Sorry, kidding obviously. I'm still not fully convinced of the conifer vs decid thing though and stuff like this doesn't help convince me. Very impressive 1 season development!

 

[markyscott]

Tree #2 cutback


Scott

 

[markyscott]

Tree #4 cutback. Both trees got shorter.



S

 

[markyscott]

I’m grafting a new apex on the secondary trunk. Process involved cutting a groove with a saw and then widening it with a grafting knife. I then cut each side of the shoot I was grafting to fit into the wedge and then secured it into the trunk with grafting tape and a nail.


Scott

 

[Steve21]

That’s probably the best way. The storm was really brutal here in Houston. Kind of touch and go for a little while, but we pulled through.

View attachment 170559

Might get a t shirt made.

S

That snow accumulation is higher than the current temp here....hilarious ?

 

[markyscott]

That snow accumulation is higher than the current temp here....hilarious ?

It was totally brutal. Entire city was shut down for several days. Except for the liquor stores of course - can’t have a bunch of Texans locked in their houses with no access to Shiner. That would be courting disaster! LOL.

S

 

[Steve21]

It was totally brutal. Entire city was shut down for several days. Except for the liquor stores of course - can’t have a bunch of Texans locked in their houses with no access to Shiner. That would be courting disaster! LOL.

S

Haha I’m jealous of your weather this time of year....a little bit less jealous mid summer. Great thread (as always) Scott!

 

[markyscott]

Spring has arrived for the water elm.



Scott

 

[markyscott]

Spring work tree #2.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Spring work tree #2.
View attachment 190562View attachment 190563

Hi Scott,
I am trying to understand why you left the main trunk so long, started developing the tree, then seemed to chop 3-4 inches off the top now.
I far prefer the shorter more compact version, just confused why you didn’t chop it to this shortened height, and build the apex straight away?
Thanks for the great learning threads you write. Helps me understand what to do when I finally have a trunk worth developing.
Charles

 

[markyscott]

Hi Scott,
I am trying to understand why you left the main trunk so long, started developing the tree, then seemed to chop 3-4 inches off the top now.
I far prefer the shorter more compact version, just confused why you didn’t chop it to this shortened height, and build the apex straight away?
Thanks for the great learning threads you write. Helps me understand what to do when I finally have a trunk worth developing.
Charles

The original picture was taken after it was first potted shortly after collection. What you’re looking at there was the field chop. I later chopped each tree lower, but that was all before the first growing season.

 

[markyscott]

Tree #4 spring work.



S