Pencil thin spruce. What would you do?

[Tycoss]

My family owns a bit of land which is forested with white spruce and trembling aspen. The understory trees are, of course, straight trunked and spindly branched. There are some in a sort of boggy area that are rather stunted and show some relatively flaky bark and downward facing branches. They are in wet peat and would be very easy to collect. I was wondering if someone could dig some up, gradually increase the sun and either put them in the ground or in fast draining soil. Since they are mostly between pencil and finger thickness, it should be very easy to put some dramatic bunjin-esque bends in them, after protecting the bark with raffia. I am wondering though, if speeding their growth and wiring would eliminate the bark quality and branch shape I found attractive in the first place. Sure nothing special, but might be a fun experiment.

 

[0soyoung]

I would venture out in to this boggy area and bend a few over to assess how flexible they are. If they are bendy, I might pack a couple out, wire & bend 'em, and put them away for the winter - see how they do next spring. Then I would decide whether this is a good or silly idea.

That is what I would do.

 

[MichaelS]

Or you could just dig them up and plant them in attractive groups as is.

 

[Soldano666]

Wire this now thru this winter while in the ground, maybe even prune a few branches to help establish some shape. Then feed like a mofo 2017. Collect 2018. Orrrrrrr further develop it in the ground for a few years and collect over the course of a couple years. Then in 2020 (it's not that far away) youl have something way closer to pot ready. For now collect a couple and compare a few things with ones your field working. That's what id do. Oh and tryn dig some the big flakey barked ones to hold me over

 

[M. Frary]

You live in a climate similar to mine. We even get our snow from you via the Alberta Clippers. I would at the most this time of year just bend them where they are. Choosing only the ones with the lowest branches having mind of using a low branching as a new top. Keeping the rest to bulk up the trunks. Collect them when they are fat enough.
In the springtime.

 

[Tycoss]

Not planning on doing anything till spring anyhow. Things seem less hardy after wiring here.

 

[Tycoss]

Just so you have an idea, this is the same tree:

 

[Tycoss]

That one is about as thick as my index finger, and very flexible

 

[sorce]

Do you have really really big fingers!?

That looks way bigger!

I bet if you get it out into Sun it will grow apeshit.

Have fun!

Sorce

 

[Tycoss]

My fingers are as big around as your arm bro. Just kidding, but I am wondering if you folks think it would loose the nice bark texture in all the "apeshit growth"?

 

[MichaelS]

My fingers are as big around as your arm bro. Just kidding, but I am wondering if you folks think it would loose the nice bark texture in all the "apeshit growth"?

No not for a long time. But I don't think you'll get green growth where there is none now.
Bunjin singles and 3 or 5 tree bunjin groups would look cool. Do you have lots to choose from?

 

[Random User]

"My fingers are as big around as your arm bro."

Glad you ain't my family doctor... I'd have to "size up" with a wine bottle for 3 weeks before going for a physical.

 

[Tycoss]

They backbud pretty well, but I agree that bunjin is the only way they will look really good. I was thinking with these I could shorten the toughest part of getting a good bunjin, rugged bark on a slender trunk, and still be able to add some dramatic curves into the trunk, since they are still so flexible.

 

[Tycoss]

Other examples:

 

[Tycoss]

There are also potential bunjin spruce that are larger, but with trunks much too thick to bend. This one has a trunk 2" thick.

 

[Random User]

Tycoss, is there any chance that it would back-bud if you put a tourniquet on the trunk somewhere?

 

[Soldano666]

I'd be willing to bet if you get them potted up and into the sun you'd get some back budding. I know Colorado blue will back bud all day in the sun.

 

[Random User]

I agree Soldano... they easily grow in the open here, but are much shorter for the age of the tree of course. I kind of think that just leaving them in the sun might produce varying results... I was grasping at the faint hope that the tourniquet might force profuse back-budding, and a much more reliable and consistent result.

I'd dare say that they are the most common conifer here in the prairies, but that is quickly changing with all the hybrids now. I'm not much of a conifer guy... but you guys and your insanity are infecting my brain with all your "thinks and thoughts". I gotta get out of here and back to my side of the fence.

 

[Tycoss]

I'd be willing to bet if you get them potted up and into the sun you'd get some back budding. I know Colorado blue will back bud all day in the sun.

I think so too. White spruce seem to backbud just as readily in the sun. The two I have collected so far have.

 

[Soldano666]

Tycoss, is there any chance that it would back-bud if you put a tourniquet on the trunk somewhere?

Just wondering how this works? I've never heard of this... for new roots yes but for back budding? Would you place the tourniquet up the trunk and hope for buds to pop below it? I guess I'm lost on this technique but definitely interested