Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglasfir)

Potawatomi13

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I have had this for two years. It has many more to go.
View attachment 110023

Love wire scars. Should add character to tree. Have one that was volunteer seedling about 8 years ago in another trees pot. Determined in beginning to grow as Cascade and is on its way. Must see if can do picture post for you:confused:.
 

sorce

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There he is!

Sorce
 

Potawatomi13

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IMG_1408.JPG IMG_1409.JPG IMG_1410.JPG IMG_1411.JPG IMG_1412.JPG

First 4 pics of volunteer seedling about 9-10 years old. Needed to revise age after closer examination. Last pic of Randy Knight collected Ponderosa about 250-300 yrs used as part of very confused background. Apartment deck is most crowded:rolleyes:. Many wires near bend of tree because tree was notched 2015 and is holding in position. Plan to do again at different spot in one or two more years likely to lower further. After much abuse deserves to be at least minor masterpiece in unknown number of years:confused:.
 
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Giga

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View attachment 110292 View attachment 110293 View attachment 110294 View attachment 110295 View attachment 110296

First 4 pics of volunteer seedling about 9-10 years old. Needed to revise age after closer examination. Last pic of Randy Knight collected Ponderosa about 250-300 yrs used as part of very confused background. Apartment deck is most crowded:rolleyes:. Many wires near bend of tree because tree was notched 2015 and is holding in position. Plan to do again at different spot in one or two more years likely to lower further. After much abuse deserves to be at least minor masterpiece in unknown number of years:confused:.

That last pine is very nice
 

Cypress187

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Those screws on the edge are smart man, or I'm stupid :)
 

Arcto

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Nice to see some valley Dougs being worked on. @Potawatomi13, very nice material. You are hurting for a bigger bench aren't you?
 

Potawatomi13

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Those screws on the edge are smart man, or I'm stupid :)

When shortening pots much easier to run screws out from inside than other way around. Also will not hang up roots at repotting. Only need to be careful when carrying/lifting and can always wear gloves:D.
 

Potawatomi13

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That last pine is very nice

Thank you. Has bushed up and ramified very well since getting April 2015;). Needles also got longer from good care. Can shorten when ready for more refinement time comes. Next comes first real wiring likely 2017.
 

Cypress187

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When shortening pots much easier to run screws out from inside than other way around. Also will not hang up roots at repotting. Only need to be careful when carrying/lifting and can always wear gloves:D.
I made holes in the side and put the wire thru that, but it's tedious and inconvenient (just like the climate), this solution is much better also for tightening, and it looks cool ;)
 
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parhamr

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I found an old photo from before the trunk bend
IMG_8088.JPG

On 9/20 I applied wire to the whole tree again. The canopy is tricky but I think I'm finding the right solution. My near future struggle will be to balance growth vigor to prevent excessive thickening in the upper branching.

New photos to come… soon.
 

RKatzin

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Coming along nicely! How much sun are you giving it? I find they back bud and brush-up in full sun. Just my experience. I've taken spindly whips from the dark forest and planted them in full sun. Not so different from what happens when they cut away the big trees. They respond exactly the way you want. Boom! Really tight explosive growth. More than enough to replace over size branches, if you wanted to, not saying you should, but I have worked them through a few revolutions of branches as I built the tree. Funny that I only have one now just starting out. I am however about to begin a major Dougie dig. Y'all come now! LOL No, really, our pond will be repaired soon, like when the rain starts up, which will raise the water level to the original state. All the dougies that have grown on the exposed bench have to be removed first. There's at least a couple of dozen nice young bushy trees, ten to fifteen years old, deer and elk pruned trees in the inch to two inch size trunk. Some bigger. Some have grown on the embankment and have great sweeping curved bases. Not fifty feet from the house!
 

parhamr

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How much sun are you giving it? I find they back bud and brush-up in full sun. Just my experience.
Good eye! This tree is nestled down between two benches. It deserves more sun. I'll keep that in mind and look to relocate it.
 

GGB

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Looking nice, you have built in sacrifice branches or are you sticking with a thinner trunk? I really like it, just curious
 

parhamr

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@GGB on the lower branches I will allow long, unchecked growth. There were some lower branches but they were weak enough I was unlikely to get good extension growth from them.

Since this trunk has sinuous movement then it would be "more normal" to keep it thinner and less chunky. I'd like it to get thicker but I'm not looking for this to be a corker.
 
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parhamr

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I’ve had some backbudding this year, plus additional buds are maturing on older wood.
4B785EBA-4684-49E5-85F2-41D4527856A9.jpeg

The bottom three branches might be sacrificial. I think the final proportions of this tree will have the foliage within the top third.
 
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