Lumpy dougy

Cadillactaste

Neagari Gal
Messages
16,262
Reaction score
20,886
Location
NE Ohio: zone 4 (USA) lake microclimate
USDA Zone
5b
Looks like you've been able to regroup after the break. No DF's down here in Florida :( The bark and nebari kinda reminds be of Jubba the Hutt :)

Hey now...that's my oldest son's nickname his science teacher gave him...my youngest was Jabba Jr. ( Our last name is Hutt of course ;) ) When my youngest did a slide show presentation...instead of his name he put Jabba Jr. As a result of that...got EXTRA CREDIT! Lol Which caused the entire story of how his nickname came about.

Sorry for hijacking...lovely tree. Love what you've accomplished with it! Will be investigating that photo of the he metal cross bars you used to help assist for leverage I'm imagining? As for the top breaking off. It seems Mother Nature seemed to help in the role of styling. From what I see...you did great with what you had. And it will add character down the road.
 

wireme

Masterpiece
Messages
3,671
Reaction score
8,238
Location
Kootenays, British Columbia
USDA Zone
3
I got around to replacing the pencil with the chainsaw file finally, better a nice mini rebar, a bit brittle, I snapped one in my hands testing for strength but strong enough.
Ironically this branch I'm bending towards the back was pulled to the side a few years back. That was before the crown broke off, with the new design I feel it needs to go right back to where it was and that's taking some effort now.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20150809_164916721.jpg
    IMG_20150809_164916721.jpg
    204.7 KB · Views: 43
  • IMG_20150809_183540.jpg
    IMG_20150809_183540.jpg
    303 KB · Views: 45
  • Like
Reactions: Vin

wireme

Masterpiece
Messages
3,671
Reaction score
8,238
Location
Kootenays, British Columbia
USDA Zone
3
I took a couple summer sky background pics to compare with last year, different light but looks like progress. The tree has extra bits that will come off in a while, being used to maintain the health and vigour by my thinking. Most of what I plan on using and developing from is pretty close to set now I think, hoping for a nice image by 2017.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20150809_173934.jpg
    IMG_20150809_173934.jpg
    135.1 KB · Views: 47
  • IMG_20150809_160838.jpg
    IMG_20150809_160838.jpg
    78.7 KB · Views: 44

wireme

Masterpiece
Messages
3,671
Reaction score
8,238
Location
Kootenays, British Columbia
USDA Zone
3
Night shot, colours a bit funny but overall the tree shows up a bit better.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20150812_001816.jpg
    IMG_20150812_001816.jpg
    195.9 KB · Views: 40
  • Like
Reactions: Vin

wireme

Masterpiece
Messages
3,671
Reaction score
8,238
Location
Kootenays, British Columbia
USDA Zone
3
I just noticed the wild columbine flowering again, I thought it was done. I've been enjoying the groundcover progression on this tree, with the addition of some dried moss during the initial potting it has all come in naturally exept for a bit of liçhen added. Some will stay, some will be pulled. I have the belief that trees don't mind a little company, sometimes I even think it can be healthy for them...IMG_20150816_201354826_HDR.jpg IMG_20150815_125648.jpg
 

wireme

Masterpiece
Messages
3,671
Reaction score
8,238
Location
Kootenays, British Columbia
USDA Zone
3
I just had this one sitting on the stump to blast off the blasted adelgids with water. Took it over to the old scrap of cement board for a photo.
Earlier in spring I pruned some exterior growth and removed a few wires that were cutting in, branches sprung a bit. The moss was starting to make watering trickier so I did a bit of landscraping to fix that. Added a couple guy wires.
That's all for now, may or may not thoroughly wire later this year, one additional year of development first and it would be a more satisfying result so we'll see. image.jpg
 

wireme

Masterpiece
Messages
3,671
Reaction score
8,238
Location
Kootenays, British Columbia
USDA Zone
3
how well has it backbudded for you? im still trying to get mine to do it but its pretty sparce, any tips for building up branches?

Yeah, it back buds well enough. You can see the difference in this branch, 2 growing seasons.
I have some ideas I'll share with you, after work tonight hopefully.
image.jpg image.jpg
 

wireme

Masterpiece
Messages
3,671
Reaction score
8,238
Location
Kootenays, British Columbia
USDA Zone
3
how well has it backbudded for you? im still trying to get mine to do it but its pretty sparce, any tips for building up branches?

Ok, here's some of my thoughts on Doug fir back budding. Just my thoughts, all unproven, untaught.

There is the technique of breaking extending shoots before they harden off, like spruce. It certainly works, multiple buds form at the base of the shoot usually and a couple or few at the break site.
I feel that allowing the tree to grow those shoots unhindered instead of pinching then pruning excess foliage off in spring is better for producing buds back on older wood. So, if I'm right about that it can depend on where you want your buds for which technique to use or use a combination. Also removing all but two side buds on tips that have multiple buds is probably almost always a good move. Unless the tree is weak.
Last year I tried different timing, pruning growth off when new growth was almost hardened and jus starting to form buds. Three different trees, all of them had less back budding than usual, terrible really. I think prune early or very late in the season. They are adapted to midwinter and early spring browsing by ungulates. Nothing else to eat then, the deer and elk scrape off the snow and munch them good.

The most important thing is to let the tree gain vigour, just let it grow if it needs to and have faith it will back bud when reasonably strong. If you only have single buds forming on the main branch tips the tree is still to weak to be doing anything with in my opinion. A strong dougy will form at least three buds on the main tips. Sometimes five or more with a few more along the little leader to the tip.

Don't bother pruning or pinching something that only has a single bud, especially if that's the end of a weak branch you want to keep. Remember keep faith that it will bud back when it's stronger and just let it grow.
 
Last edited:

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,908
Reaction score
45,579
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
motivated

Lol.....

Like a dude who carries those rocks needs motivation for plants!

Seriously.....I enjoy everything you do so much....when I get fed up with Illinois' bullshit, it's you and M.Frary I think of going to work with.

Funny cuz....when you said Range Rover, I was like oh no!...like you were one of the douchebags who park in the no parking spot in front of the Starbucks at work, so the busses can't make the turn....the other day, one of them almost blind reversed into a child....

Then I realized it was a real Range Rover..
And I was overly joyed!

Keep em coming my friend!

Sorce
 

wireme

Masterpiece
Messages
3,671
Reaction score
8,238
Location
Kootenays, British Columbia
USDA Zone
3
Lol.....

Like a dude who carries those rocks needs motivation for plants!

Seriously.....I enjoy everything you do so much....when I get fed up with Illinois' bullshit, it's you and M.Frary I think of going to work with.

Funny cuz....when you said Range Rover, I was like oh no!...like you were one of the douchebags who park in the no parking spot in front of the Starbucks at work, so the busses can't make the turn....the other day, one of them almost blind reversed into a child....

Then I realized it was a real Range Rover..
And I was overly joyed!

Keep em coming my friend!

Sorce

Range Rover? I said something about a Range Rover? Was I making fun of one?
This old girl has been places that would make a range rover sit down and cry I tell ya! (Well, used to have bigger, better tires). Difflocks on both ends, low range deisel, winch.. Pretty unstoppable actually. This rig has never stopped at a Starbucks, Tim Hortons every now and then though.,
I'm a landcruiser douchebag!!image.jpg
 
Top Bottom