Tbrshou
Shohin
So I found a American Hornbeam that reminds me of the sorting hat from Harry Potter. I liked it so I dug it up but now I dont know how I want to try and style this crazy looking thing. Wanna help? Go for it....Please
First you need to wait. We do not know which, if any, of the remaining trunks will produce buds. The tree also needs a chance to grow new roots, recover from the trauma of collection and build up reserves for the future. Probably best to just water and feed it well for the first year, maybe even longer until it is strong again. After that you can consider doing some more work to style it.
Assuming all the trunks sprout well I'd be looking toward removing the thicker, straight side trunk as it competes visually with the main trunk and has little character. At the moment it is your emergency reserve in case the other trunks don't sprout. The smallest trunk may be useful if you fancy a twin but could just as easily be removed to focus on the sorting hat trunk. Eventually the height of the main trunk will need to be reduced but that will come after it is growing well.
As there's currently nothing else to work with there is no point in proposing styling options.
Gotcha thanks againYou have kept plenty of roots so recovery should be good but remember those roots will need to be reduced at some stage in order to fit the tree into a bonsai pot. In my experience roots are much like branches. They sprout new growth as close to the cut ends as possible so the majority of your new feeder roots will be at the ends of the current roots. Whenever I've done this I've then had to make drastic cuts later when the tree has more branches to support and more to lose. you may chose to do final root reduction progressively over several years cutting a few each year. Personally I now reduce roots to stubs at collection and get better results from most deciduous species.
As stated above I agree that the central trunk ( I now see there's actually 2) is the best looking option but would not make those cuts yet. Plenty of time to do that after you see which parts are growing. Next summer will be soon enough but only if the tree produces strong new growth. There is little advantage to removing those trunks now but possibly more to lose so let it be.
Thank You and note taken. It's my first year collecting so I'm looking into all precautions.Horn beams like to die back giving you a few less than useful buds at the base. You need to keep the trunks viable. Supposedly a trick is to wrap in sphagnum. While I have a few potensai in my nursery it is not a species I mess with so this all hear-say.
So when an experienced person tells you not to cut anything you chop half the remaining tree off? Why'd you even ask the forum then? And if it's your first year collecting what makes you so sure it'll make it? Don't take any of this personal, I just see great opportunity for personal regret here. I hope it makes it though. Good luck.Thank You and note taken. It's my first year collecting so I'm looking into all precautions.
No not taking it personal at all. If u don't mind me asking what harm came from the removal of this unproportionate branch. The end goal for me was to prepare this stump for a possible life as a double trunk tree. Also to allow it to not waste any stored energy producing buds in a area that was destined to be cut off. If you could elaborate on why this was a decision that I would regret I would appreciate it.So when an experienced person tells you not to cut anything you chop half the remaining tree off? Why'd you even ask the forum then? And if it's your first year collecting what makes you so sure it'll make it? Don't take any of this personal, I just see great opportunity for personal regret here. I hope it makes it though. Good luck.
No not taking it personal at all. If u don't mind me asking what harm came from the removal of this unproportionate branch. The end goal for me was to prepare this stump for a possible life as a double trunk tree. Also to allow it to not waste any stored energy producing buds in a area that was destined to be cut off. If you could elaborate on why this was a decision that I would regret I would appreciate it.
U know on second thought thank you for your reply. There's no need to go back and forth about a cut the cant be replaced. I'm grateful for the advice. Bonsai is a hobby for me. I work long hours and when I'm free I enjoy this hobby. Reading this forum,interacting with different individuals, out In nature, I enjoy it all!!! Hech I wouldn't have even located these interesting hornbeam if it wasn't for another member advising me on where to find interesting hornbeam. I'm fine if this tree doesn't make it, and grateful and mindful of the advice that was given to me prior to my decision to cut.So when an experienced person tells you not to cut anything you chop half the remaining tree off? Why'd you even ask the forum then? And if it's your first year collecting what makes you so sure it'll make it? Don't take any of this personal, I just see great opportunity for personal regret here. I hope it makes it though. Good luck.
ThanksUltimately, when collecting any tree, you want to inflict all the trauma to the roots and canopy at/around collection, then leave it alone for however long it takes to recover- read this as potentially several years. Every time you cut or prune something on the trunk or branches during the first few months (or longer) after collection, you may injure newly grown feeder roots and set the tree back... do it enough and you'll lose the tree. Sealing the chops (vastly reduces die-back) now is the only thing I'd do until this thing is growing... then I'd just feed and water.
If this is your first year collecting, you will learn rather quickly that styling a tree out of the ground for an hour is kind of silly. Having a first-time collected tree survive is not common. This tree won't be recovered for two years, even if it pushes new growth in the spring.Thank You and note taken. It's my first year collecting so I'm looking into all precautions.