Hemlock Development

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

I have several Hemlocks, collected from the wild. These are Eastern Hemlock or Tsuga Canadensis.

Does anyone have experience with these trees? Right now I am getting buds opening and lengthening on the ends of branches. The budding seems to only happen on the end of branches, I am not seeing any buds develop and open back from the ends of even the smallest of branches.

Do you let the new growth develop and then cut it back to a few needles to force budding back on the branches? Do you pull the cluster of new leaves off cleanly and get multiple buds at the branch ends like pines? Do you let the new growth go on until it hardens off and then cut it back in the fall?

Anyone found what works best to develop back budding and ramification with them. I have found them to be very slow to grow except the diameter of branches seems to increase very rapidly and you have to watch wires very closely or they will cut in before you know it.

I can post photos if needed but I think anyone that has seen them grow will understand what I am talking about.

 

[Tink32]

From what Ive read, you cut the new growth as it extends, which will produce a second flush of growth as well as backbudding at the base of old needles. heres a little more to help...

http://bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Tsuga.html

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I have several Hemlocks, collected from the wild. These are Eastern Hemlock or Tsuga Canadensis.

Does anyone have experience with these trees? Right now I am getting buds opening and lengthening on the ends of branches. The budding seems to only happen on the end of branches, I am not seeing any buds develop and open back from the ends of even the smallest of branches.

Do you let the new growth develop and then cut it back to a few needles to force budding back on the branches? Do you pull the cluster of new leaves off cleanly and get multiple buds at the branch ends like pines? Do you let the new growth go on until it hardens off and then cut it back in the fall?

Anyone found what works best to develop back budding and ramification with them. I have found them to be very slow to grow except the diameter of branches seems to increase very rapidly and you have to watch wires very closely or they will cut in before you know it.

I can post photos if needed but I think anyone that has seen them grow will understand what I am talking about.

How are your Hemlock doing? Still kicking?

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Thank you for asking. Attached are photos taken today. As you can see I used the hemlock to create two forest plantings. Miniature azalea to mimic rhododendrons that you will find in the hemlock forest areas of North Carolina. The rectangular pot is 21" across, tallest tree 24". Round pot is 18" across, tallest tree 33".

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

I like the forests. Very reminiscent of the terrain around the Nantahala river gorge. Great job!

The pot on the bottom is really bothering me though.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

For reference this is what the rectangular planting looked like in April2018.

 

[Aeast]

There's a few of us on here that have them, this is one I've been working on for a few years now. I typically pinch the new growth right before it hardens off and it is usually over an extended period of time as it seems to never stop pushing growth.

They are vigorous growers for sure!

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Nice work, they look great. I think you could thin out the foliage a fair amount, but I’m glad they are doing well.

I see @cheap_walmart_art ’s point about the pot, though maybe being on a flat surface would lend more stability. It is a warped pot and not an aspect of the photo, correct? The reason I ask is that I think the pot would look nice with a thick raft style tree growing out of it.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

@Aeast nice! I think I’d seen that one but not for a while. It is becoming a real show stopper.

 

[River's Edge]

This is a recently styled Mountain Hemlock, lots of refinement to go with foliage and pad development. Yamadori, first rough styling, twin trunk.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Nice work, they look great. I think you could thin out the foliage a fair amount, but I’m glad they are doing well.

I see @cheap_walmart_art ’s point about the pot, though maybe being on a flat surface would lend more stability. It is a warped pot and not an aspect of the photo, correct? The reason I ask is that I think the pot would look nice with a thick raft style tree growing out of it.

Yes, the pot is warped.