Hornbeam - Trunk chop first winter, what to expect next spring

rockm

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Don't give up. Hornbeams are very easy to collect successfully (expect 80% success rate). Here's a quick guide (works with most deciduous species):

1. First of all, unless you're working in very rocky soil use either a hand-held saw or cordless reciprocating saw. Shovels are too much work.
2. Once you've selected your victim, go ahead and saw off the trunk at a spot a bit longer than what you want. You'll make a second cut when potting it up.
3. Saw around the circumference of the tree roughly 6-8 inches from the trunk. Again, you'll be making second cuts when potting up so this cut can be a bit long.
4. Get up under the trunk with your saw (if using a cordless saw get the 12" pruning blade) and cut the taproot.
5. The tree should either lift now or the taproot be sufficiently cut to allow you to push over the tree and snap the tap. Finish sawing through if it's not already free.
6. I always bring tubs of rough nursery soil with me. The newly lifted trees go into this and get watered. If you can lift a soil ball and wrap it, then by all means do so. I've never had this happen satisfactorily, and if it doesn't then the root area is in danger of drying out before you get the tree home which is a big no-no. Just be sure the root zone stays moist.
7. Once home, wash all native soil off the roots. Make another cut of the trunk and cut each lateral root closer to the trunk. The cuts should be roughly three diameters of the root at its base in length.
8. Dust the roots with rooting powder.
9. Pot in the soil of your choice. I use unsifted bonsai soil. Water thoroughly.
10. Seal the chop and any other cut 1/4" or more with cut seal. I don't recommend the putty type, as it tends to dry out and allow the cuts to do likewise.

Hornbeams should be collected in winter. I begin winter collecting right after the New Year.

Zach

Print this out and take it with you when you dig a hornbeam. It is what I've been doing for years. It works.

Also, FWIW, I think this species loses vigor the further North it grows.

A big ALSO--NEVER trunk chop ANY hornbeam and leave it in the ground--even those in sun. You have essentially killed it if you do. I learned this the hard way about 15 years ago. I chopped about six really nice ones and left them in the hopes not disturbing their roots would push a strong new leader that could be grown quickly. Nope, no way. Every one of those trees died in a couple of weeks, almost no new growth.

Best is to get them out sawing six to eight inches out barerooting them and plunking them in regular bonsai soil. Sealing big cuts is a must. Also DON'T go after huge hornbeam trunks no matter how impressive they are. You will not be able to grow a leader out in your lifetime to make them look halfway decent.
 

CWTurner

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Thank you Rockm and Zach for the tips. I'll try again next Spring (late Winter). Good thing there are a lot of them!
CW
 

jeanluc83

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When I trunk chop, the new shoots, if there are any, come up off
the surface roots.

This was pretty much my experience too. I still have one that I collected 3 years ago that I'm just too stubborn to throw out. It was one of the first trees I collected. I had one shoot about 5" up start to grow the first year but didn't make it the second year. All I have left is about a half a dozen suckers from the base. If it makes to next spring I'm going to hack back the roots and top and put it in a pot and hope for the best. It this case the best is if it didn't make it. If it does I might have something interesting to work on in a few years.
 

rockm

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BTW, I meant print out Zach's instructions not mine. He's got it nailed.
 

klosi

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Thanks for the update CWT.
I'm asking because I tried the trunk chop and leaving it in the ground also, but all of the trunks I did, died. Some threw out a few shoots but soon died. I'm going to hunt a few in spring 2016 (or as it seems in winter as Zach is recomending). I will trunk chop them and dig them out. Seal the chop and put in bonsai soil mix.
Should I wash the roots with water thoroughly?
 

Zach Smith

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Print this out and take it with you when you dig a hornbeam. It is what I've been doing for years. It works.

Also, FWIW, I think this species loses vigor the further North it grows.

A big ALSO--NEVER trunk chop ANY hornbeam and leave it in the ground--even those in sun. You have essentially killed it if you do. I learned this the hard way about 15 years ago. I chopped about six really nice ones and left them in the hopes not disturbing their roots would push a strong new leader that could be grown quickly. Nope, no way. Every one of those trees died in a couple of weeks, almost no new growth.

Best is to get them out sawing six to eight inches out barerooting them and plunking them in regular bonsai soil. Sealing big cuts is a must. Also DON'T go after huge hornbeam trunks no matter how impressive they are. You will not be able to grow a leader out in your lifetime to make them look halfway decent.
I have a 6" specimen which I've been able to grow a pretty good transition on. I'll be repotting it next spring and will post a blog of it when I do.

Generally speaking, though, 4" is a good upper limit.

Zach
 

Zach Smith

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How long did that take for you? It would be awesome to see some pics.
I have tried in vain to post photos; haven't been able to since the site changed. PM'ed BNut for help and haven't heard back. Maybe it's my browser, will have to try another.
 

klosi

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OK, I hope you'll find a way to show the pictures. I just click on the lower right "Upload a File" (next to "Post Reply") and find the pics on my computer. I click upload. I wait for the bar to load to 100%. Then I choose where is says "Insert:" -Thumbnail or -Full Image

Hope this helped.
 

Zach Smith

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Thanks for the input. I could never get the file to upload. Error message only. Going to try IE next.
 

Zach Smith

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Hornbeam8-4-14.jpg
Well, well. It was Firefox. Here's my big hornbeam, from last year. You can sort of see the transition. The branch structure of this tree is a little odd but it works. Anyway, it's overdue for a repotting so looking forward to next spring and some awesome back strain. All in a good cause.

Zach
 

klosi

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Thanks for posting! Nice one. The transition is noticeable, but not that disturbing. Would love to see it naked.
 

Zach Smith

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Thanks for posting! Nice one. The transition is noticeable, but not that disturbing. Would love to see it naked.
Yeah, it'll get naked in a couple of months. I'll be posting a detailed blog on it next spring when it gets repotted. The tree was collected in 2010 and grown in a tub until a couple of years ago when it went into its training pot. Hornbeams grows roots like mad when containerized. Anyway, the tub growing got the transition close to where I needed it. There's some carving to do at the transition point that you can't see in the photo. I'll take care of that in spring as well. I'm figuring a couple more years to complete the basic work and then it'll just be refinement. We'll see how it turns out.

Zach
 

klosi

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I'm sure it will turn out great. Looking forward for the whole story in spring.
 

rockm

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I have a 6" specimen which I've been able to grow a pretty good transition on. I'll be repotting it next spring and will post a blog of it when I do.

Generally speaking, though, 4" is a good upper limit.

Zach
There are always exceptions to the rule :) Growing out a leader on an eight inch diameter hornbeam from scratch is not an easy thing to do, well, it is--if you've got twenty years to do it.
 

Zach Smith

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The chop is only about 3", Mark, with the base being 6". It does take time to transition from a 3" chop, though. In fact, when working on larger trees everything takes longer just because they're bigger. Getting heft in branches, building taper in branches, ramification, etc.

Zach
 
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