New Addition to My Family (of) Tree(s)

[cbroad]

I was thinking about what @rockm said about the the branches being too long and since it hasn't been repotted in 4 years, maybe now would be a good time to prune them back without a repot. This way you get tighter internodes without long extensions that could be caused by a hard prune. Don't know if it could wait 2-3 more years before a repot, but I feel like now is a good time to start working on refining the branches without having to fight long internodes while it gets tight in it's pot again.

 

[John in Toledo]

Huzzah! Many happy returns of the day. It's great that something that well-cared for gets to come into your own garden.

 

[just.wing.it]

I was thinking about what @rockm said about the the branches being too long and since it hasn't been repotted in 4 years, maybe now would be a good time to prune them back without a repot. This way you get tighter internodes without long extensions that could be caused by a hard prune. Don't know if it could wait 2-3 more years before a repot, but I feel like now is a good time to start working on refining the branches without having to fight long internodes while it gets tight in it's pot again.

I like how you're thinking!
I was thinking that too, about "bonsai-ing" a tree, and letting it get rootbound and such...
It does seem to accept water ok still...no loss of percolation yet...
Maybe that's exactly what I'll do...
I appreciate the thought!

 

[just.wing.it]

More pics.

 

[cbroad]

It does seem to accept water ok still...no loss of percolation yet...

Yeah but could it take another few years without another repot, that's where my knowledge lacks? Maybe some of the pros could weigh in.

 

[cbroad]

Man, that thing is pretty... I'm probably going to be in Frederick in a couple weeks, I wish I had enough money to get some stuff from @lordy or stop by Meehan's

 

[just.wing.it]

I should stay away from Meehans anytime soon...lol!

But I will have my eyes peeled at the Nat Arb show this year.

 

[cbroad]

My sister lives about 15 minutes from there and it's hard to not stop by when I'm visiting her, but at least I bought a few trees there last year... I really need to downsize as is right now.

 

[Dav4]

I’m not familiar with the species, but I’d be reluctant to not repot if it was needed. I wouldn’t hesitate to make reasonable cut backs to the canopy at the same time. Nice tree!

 

[just.wing.it]

I’m not familiar with the species, but I’d be reluctant to not repot if it was needed. I wouldn’t hesitate to make reasonable cut backs to the canopy at the same time. Nice tree!

Thanks Dave, I appreciate your input!
And I agree with you as well...

Hmm...what to do, what to do...
Maybe, once my substrate comes in the mail in a few days, I'll just pull it out of the pot and have a gander at them there roots...and go from there...

 

[lordy]

I’m not familiar with the species, but I’d be reluctant to not repot if it was needed. I wouldn’t hesitate to make reasonable cut backs to the canopy at the same time. Nice tree!

I will weigh in on this one since I saw it through the last 7+ years. I agree that the branch structure could stand to be worked by shortening most of them, but repotting would be my priority if it were still mine. It's in pumice but the way many of my other trees reacted when I repotted many from Turface to pumice, I'd be willing to bet that pot is packed with roots at this point. I dont think it would be problematic to artfully prune some of the branches. I expect after repotting that this tree will flourish. Congrats Mike.

 

[just.wing.it]

I will weigh in on this one since I saw it through the last 7+ years. I agree that the branch structure could stand to be worked by shortening most of them, but repotting would be my priority if it were still mine. It's in pumice but the way many of my other trees reacted when I repotted many from Turface to pumice, I'd be willing to bet that pot is packed with roots at this point. I dont think it would be problematic to artfully prune some of the branches. I expect after repotting that this tree will flourish. Congrats Mike.

Thanks for chiming in!
I think that is the route I'm gonna take...
When I got home yesterday, I realized that I didn't have enough lava and pumice to repot this beast!
Made an emergency onlie order....
Should be ok for a couple more days ?

 

[fourteener]

As a general rule, I try to get my new acquisitions into my prefered soil the first spring that I own it. Secondly the leggy branches are a big issue. Starting any ramification that far out is a waste of time. A few years back I spent the winter looking at good trees and my trees ugh!! But the one thing I noticed is leggy foliage.

The one thing you have going for you is a consistent pyramid shape. I see no trouble in repotting and cutting every branch back 1/3. I’ve seen plenty of master workshops where they cut things back even more than that. You have a nice trunk line, now set your main branches, then work on ramification.

Great start!!

 

[just.wing.it]

As a general rule, I try to get my new acquisitions into my prefered soil the first spring that I own it. Secondly the leggy branches are a big issue. Starting any ramification that far out is a waste of time. A few years back I spent the winter looking at good trees and my trees ugh!! But the one thing I noticed is leggy foliage.

The one thing you have going for you is a consistent pyramid shape. I see no trouble in reporting and cutting every branch back 1/3. I’ve seen plenty of master workshops where they cut things back even more than that. You have a nice trunk line, now set your main branches, the work on ramification.

Great start!!

Awesome!
Thank you sir!

 

[Soldano666]

Killer score. Japanese hornbeam are super fast growers, from what I've figured out with them. And cuttings take real easy, incase you wanna make more..., My cuttings are going on thier 3rd season including a season of just making roots, so they only really grew last summer, and already reached 2ft+. I wrapped a bunch around rocks this week.

 

[just.wing.it]

Killer score. Japanese hornbeam are super fast growers, from what I've figured out with them. And cuttings take real easy, incase you wanna make more..., My cuttings are going on thier 3rd season including a season of just making roots, so they only really grew last summer, and already reached 2ft+. I wrapped a bunch around rocks this week.

Thanks, that's good to hear!
I'm a pro at failed cuttings...

 

[cbroad]

I expect after repotting that this tree will flourish

I have zero experience with this species and very little with the native and Korean varieties, but could he run the risk of inducing vigor by root pruning and branch pruning, or is my logic completely wrong? I'd just hate for him to prune the branches back and then he gets 2"+ long internodes and have to wait a couple years for it to slow down.

 

[just.wing.it]

I have zero experience with this species and very little with the native and Korean varieties, but could he run the risk of inducing vigor by root pruning and branch pruning, or is my logic completely wrong? I'd just hate for him to prune the branches back and then he gets 2"+ long internodes and have to wait a couple years for it to slow down.

Even if that happens, I'm gonna be happy knowing that the roots are in fresh lava/pumice, and that's most important to me right now.
Even though water does percolate through, I can tell by stabbing with chop stick, its got a lot of roots in there...

 

[rockm]

I have zero experience with this species and very little with the native and Korean varieties, but could he run the risk of inducing vigor by root pruning and branch pruning, or is my logic completely wrong? I'd just hate for him to prune the branches back and then he gets 2"+ long internodes and have to wait a couple years for it to slow down.

Wont happen. Hard pruning is how you push ramification into hornbeam branches. Timid end pruning does nothing. Those branches are too long by half. As said, trying to make ramification that far out will be strange looking. A reduction by a half on everything will set a decent frame to work from. I'd be a bit more aggressive with the top. It's waaaay too long...

 

[lordy]

I dont recall what the root system looks like on that tree, but guess that you can root prune pretty substantially, and to compliment that pruning, taking off 1/3 of the branch length might just help it recover a bit by not taxing the roots so much right off the bat. The good thing is that you will be doing the repot right when the buds are beginning to swell, not after it has leafed out. I think that made sense, but it is after 5:00...!