Multiple V Notches In 1 Go?

[ShadyStump]

I've searched and can't seem to find an answer, much less an example. (Which might be my answer)
I have a couple deciduous I collected in the fall that turned out to have much more trunk length below the soil line than I first realized. These are two finger thick trunks, too, and several feet long.
This leaves me 3 options if I want to keep the existing branches:
A rather straight and uninteresting literati style.
Air layering and rebuilding the roots.
A series of V notches to try adding some curve to the trunks.

I've not made up my mind yet, but in considering and researching my options, I realized that it would take multiple V notches to add the sort of curve I want. Doing them one at a time, and allowing ample healing in between would mean I could spend a decade on working a curve into a trunk of a mediocre tree.

But could I do 2 or 3 cuts at once, all bending to tree in the same direction?
Would the multiple breaks in the cambien interrupt the sap flow too much, leaving the cuts further toward the top unlikely to heal, or would a good spacing help prevent this? I know the trunk would be very compromised and subject to easier breaking for many years.

I'm still in the speculative stage, and this would mostly be prunus Americana and various elms I'm considering, so quite vigorous growers.
I'm really more curious if it's even practicable from a horticultural stand point more than actually interested in doing it any time soon.

 

[RJG2]

No experience with this, and I've only seen videos of it being done on things like ficus, but you can try many kerf cuts to get the desired bending. Would probably be easier then multiple wedge cuts.

I'll look for a video.

 

[ShadyStump]

Anything along those lines really. It seems like it should be possible, because the fibers of the cambien don't move strictly straight and parallel with the overall trunk angle. They tend to wrap around the wood in a bit of twist and turn.

 

[PonderingSage:]

I helped a friend do this with a ponderosa last year, 3 wedges, they closed and healed in one year… thats a pine, not sure about deciduous?

 

[ShadyStump]

I helped a friend do this with a ponderosa last year, 3 wedges, they closed and healed in one year… thats a pine, not sure about deciduous?

Glad to hear it's not just a pipe dream though.
I think the concern with notches or kerf cuts on deciduous is the possibility for scaring you can never hide well. That's the impression I get from what I've read on the technique so far.
This can be a matter of what tree and what sort of mature bark it has, so could still be a possibility depending on the species or cultivar.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Be certain to line up edges once bent and seal to prevent drying.

 

[penumbra]

I am certain an elm would heal up faster than a conifer. I would attempt it. I have a similar situation with a Blue Atlas Cedar that I need to get some movement in. Not sure about that. Cedars are nowhere near as vigorous growers. I don't have the option of an air layer which I am certain would fail.

 

[ShadyStump]

Be certain to line up edges once bent and seal to prevent drying.

Would you think grafting tape would work, or would it have to be cut paste?

I ask because in my mind I see it as a process of working some heavy wire from the bottom of the trunk up, probably with raffia or the like, making one cut at a time as I wrap it. Seems grafting tape would be the easiest and less obtrusive means of sealing the wound in that case.

 

[parhamr]

Would you think grafting tape would work, or would it have to be cut paste?

I ask because in my mind I see it as a process of working some heavy wire from the bottom of the trunk up, probably with raffia or the like, making one cut at a time as I wrap it. Seems grafting tape would be the easiest and less obtrusive means of sealing the wound in that case.

Grafting tape. Paste or putty get into the wound and can mess up the healing process.

 

[ShadyStump]

Grafting tape. Paste or putty get into the wound and can mess up the healing process.

That I also wondered about.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Grafting tape. Paste or putty get into the wound and can mess up the healing process.

Somewhat hard to make seal with heavy wire wrap around branch to hold in place. When cuts pulled tight together cut paste is no problem as personally used. Technique used is: Apply HEAVY wire area to bend wrapping so areas to cut left open, Make saw cuts with branch already stabilized, bend as needed pulling cuts tight together, Apply clay type cut paste completely sealing cuts, Leave on wire at least 1 year, maybe 2. Remove paste after one year to see if completely healed yet, If not reseal, wait longer.

 

[parhamr]

Somewhat hard to make seal with heavy wire wrap around branch to hold in place. When cuts pulled tight together cut paste is no problem as personally used. Technique used is: Apply HEAVY wire area to bend wrapping so areas to cut left open, Make saw cuts with branch already stabilized, bend as needed pulling cuts tight together, Apply clay type cut paste completely sealing cuts, Leave on wire at least 1 year, maybe 2. Remove paste after one year to see if completely healed yet, If not reseal, wait longer.

Agreed. Shortly after my post I realized the paste can be done right, if careful.

 

[River's Edge]

For deciduous the heavy wire can be put inside tubing to protect the bark without having to wrap the area. Provides extra protection and leaves the working area open. Also using a vertical wire or two on the backside provides extra protection for possible breakage. They need to be applied first in order to be effective and then the heavy spiral wire on the trunk.

 

[ShadyStump]

So all together what I'm hearing is:
Apply wire + bracing first
Then make the cuts
Then bend
Then seal
Reinforcing the wiring with guy wires if needed I suppose would be part of after care, as well as protect from stiff winds.

Just got through a few days of highs in the 20s F, lows below zero, and just got done fixing a burst pipe. We'll see how the trees faired come spring, but hopefully I'll have something to conduct this experiment on.

 

[John P.]

I performed the kerf cuts on an oak. You’ll be surprised by how much movement one or two cuts with a thin saw blade will provide. The oak’s callous has bulged at the cuts, but it all healed and no longer needed tie-downs after 18 months. I’ll probably leave it alone for a while longer. If the bulges don’t get consumed by the expanding trunk, I may perform some surgery.

 

[penumbra]

I performed the kerf cuts on an oak. You’ll be surprised by how much movement one or two cuts with a thin saw blade will provide. The oak’s callous has bulged at the cuts, but it all healed and no longer needed tie-downs after 18 months. I’ll probably leave it alone for a while longer. If the bulges don’t get consumed by the expanding trunk, I may perform some surgery.

Do you have pctures you can show us?

 

[John P.]

Do you have pctures you can show us?

Sure … it’s a quercus chrysolepsis, Canyon Live Oak … native to SoCal.

February 2020 … straight-trunked nursery stock, cut down:
March 2020 … still boring:

July 2020 … time to get medieval:

Keeping tension on the trunk as it’s kerf-cut and bent:

Three cuts

I coated the cuts with exterior-grade wood glue after I made them; eventual planting angle:

October 29, 2020 … wound looking a bit nasty:

At this point I wondered if there was some sort of infection going on:


…

 

[John P.]

September 2021:



Mid-January 2022:

I’d do some things differently knowing what I know now, but I can say that it works.

 

[John P.]

Could be interesting to add some movement here by kerfing once on the left side of the trunk at the node:

 

[penumbra]

That is awesome. Do these bark up well? That would solve the problem of the bulges, which are not so bad.