Hurricane Irma downed Vitex rescue

[JoeH]

Irma knocked down my Vitex, I knew it was pretty hardy and took transplanting well so I dug out the stump and it was split in half. The shorter bushy one was the first to come up a couple weeks ago. Today I dug out the taller stump. I had to cut it down as it fell on my wife's car.

 

[JoeH]

I am open to thoughts on where to go with either of them, the clumpier one is doing very well after a couple weeks, new growth and I am starting to prune it for more branching, just waiting to find inspiration in it.

 

[JoeH]

Any suggestions for the tall stump?

 

[Giga]

Any suggestions for the tall stump?

Just let it grow for a while

 

[JoeH]

Just let it grow for a while

it won't take long, I already see buds coming out at each leaf node. The stump is back budding, too.

 

[GrimLore]

it won't take long, I already see buds coming out at each leaf node. The stump is back budding, too.

Like he said let it be allowing it to recover and reestablish. Buds early on are not always a good sign after all.

Grimmy

 

[Giga]

Like he said let it be allowing it to recover and reestablish. Buds early on are not always a good sign after all.

Grimmy

Yeah this could be a last ditch effort to survive then it petters out and dies. Best to just let grow and gain strength

 

[JoeH]

I was planning to just let it go nuts for 6 months to a year, just was looking for thoughts on the stump part of it, I for sure want to shorten it. The root flare s really nice on it so it will make for a cool old snag type of tree.

 

[JoeH]

They are both doing well, especially the shorter one, the tall one is dropping all its original leaves and pushing out new ones. The cuttings I stuck in the pot look like they are taking, too. It was really easy to air layer, took 4 weeks, so I am thinking its able to take a lot of abuse.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I agree with the others, do nothing but let them grow, at least until middle of 2018. The shorter one has more bonsai potential, in that it will be easier to get an image with correct proportions. The big stump, will take several years longer to get a workable sense of proportions. Especially the big one, you will need to wait and see what sprouts, maybe even wait a couple years. You may have to resort to major carving to turn that straight bolt of a trunk into something more interesting than a telephone pole.

But if stuff sprouts in the right places, all is good. Wait and see.

 

[JoeH]

Thanks, yep, the short one has the most potential, but I see something in the stump with carving and hollowing it out.

 

[JoeH]

I agree with the others, do nothing but let them grow, at least until middle of 2018. The shorter one has more bonsai potential, in that it will be easier to get an image with correct proportions. The big stump, will take several years longer to get a workable sense of proportions. Especially the big one, you will need to wait and see what sprouts, maybe even wait a couple years. You may have to resort to major carving to turn that straight bolt of a trunk into something more interesting than a telephone pole.

But if stuff sprouts in the right places, all is good. Wait and see.

Its sprouting out all over on the tall stump, so I will have lots of options

 

[JoeH]

 

[JoeH]

^^^ More pics of stumpy today. Doing quite well. I lopped off a dead stub on it.

 

[JoeH]

 

[JoeH]

^^ and the shruby one.

 

[JoeH]

short shrubby one doing well

 

[JoeH]

repotted stumpy a few weeks ago as it was budding back out, starting to remove too tall stubs to get it stockier.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I like the way it is coming along.

 

[JoeH]

The tall stump is actually working out well too