Really thinking of planting this in the ground...no longer waisting time on it

Cadillactaste

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This Hemlock was given to me because the backside has arctic wind damage from a few winters ago. I chopped a good 2/3's off it. I may play with my carving tools at the top dead wood...but I see it being planted out at my dad's place. It takes up a good amount of space...and isn't really specimen quality with the dead area on the back. Really chewing on what is in my collection...where it can actually go...and what needs to be thinned. Though my collection is small...I hate waisting time on something that will never amount to anything...and it takes up space where a better tree could go.

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The not so pretty...puts things into a better perspective...
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sorce

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Fear not the wicked big conifer!

It is grand!

Sorce
 

Cadillactaste

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Fear not the wicked big conifer!

It is grand!

Sorce

I edited my prior post...to show the "ugly" of it. Though, I half wonder making Shari down the length of the trunk...and wire applied with my knowing proper technique. Could offer something gnarly...in the back of my mind...I think...lost cause. Waist of time...and so fourth.
 

Cadillactaste

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Eeeeeeee.....

I'd cut it back hard to see of it will bud.

If not.....burn it!

Sorce

See...opens ones eyes to the ugly...it's the back side. Why am I bothering to mess with this!?! Other than...I may pull my carving tools out just to play with the top since it's here. But...it's ugly. I see it going to the farm...just to be ugly yet live.
 

Cadillactaste

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Your eye is starting to develop, so things you thought had potential, you are now seeing with a different perspective. Happens to everyone if they stick with it and try to progress...

Thanks Judy...I just think it has to many things that make me wonder...Why am I bothering with this...waisting my time!?!

But then I regress...I picked up a tree yesterday for it's blooms...HELLO blooms are short lived. It most likly will go to the earth as well. I'm trying to improve my collection not regress. Luckily it will bloom and done by the time the rest of the yard wakes up. For nothing in my landscape is of that color scheme.
 

Steve Kudela

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See my post about this one on facebook, in my opinion, you should keep this one. Let it grow, study it over the next few seasons. Trees like this one can help build design chops. And as stated on facebook, if you get tired of it, send it down south.
 

sorce

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See my post about this one on facebook, in my opinion, you should keep this one. Let it grow, study it over the next few seasons. Trees like this one can help build design chops. And as stated on facebook, if you get tired of it, send it down south.

I like your thought process Mr. Kudela,
it reaks of perpetual progress.

Sorce
 

ABCarve

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I wouldn't put that in the ground unless you want a big tree in the ground. That has great potential. Hemlock is one of my favorites. I'll tell you this...They are very uncontrollable in the ground because they are so apically dominant. That has great bark for its size. You need to chase it back before it gets away from you. Chop the top....too tall. It will heal before you know it. "With the bare side facing the ravine." "Bare side" That's what wire is for. They also can be approach grafted very easily.
 

Alain

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If not.....burn it!

Burn the witch! Burn it! :p
Oops sorry, wrong forum, I though I was on "Salem-on-the-grill.com"

I like the start of the trunk.
And i just discovered 'hemlock', I would have say 'yew':oops:
Now I realized that a bunch of trees I saw and though were yews must indeed be hemlocks....o_O
 

ABCarve

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They do not bud back on old wood. You need a healthy needle to get a bud.
 

Cadillactaste

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Holding my breathe...One an hour away from me one was tagged on FB group...to see if they are familar with this species. If so...I could see me taking it to him. And having him guide me on where to proceed. Fingers and toes crossed...that this one knows something. I would be willing to take it to him...if he's able to offer some light on the tree. He may say...It's beyond help...or...take it to another level I've not seen.
 

0soyoung

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Those branches are quite bendy. Many things can be done with bendy branches. Two I can think of are to use foreshortening techniques to make the foliage appear to be closer to the trunk. The other is to bend branches back to/toward the trunk to approach graft the foliage closer to the trunk.

The trunk is long, straight, and pretty uneventful except maybe the bottom 25% - it has some nice bark texture and a little movement. Too bad there is no foliage there. Were there, the trunk chop could be hidden in the foliage to make it look like a very civilized little tree or turned into a shari for a tree with a wild look that has a canopy hanging to one side.

But, regardless, the tree presents a lot of challenges, artistic and technical. It has all the requirements needed ...
 

Smoke

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Though my collection is small...I hate waisting time on something that will never amount to anything...and it takes up space where a better tree could go.

While Judy's option is telling it is not the only answer. This piece of material while ugly now has lots of potential in the right hands. Just because you do not possess the technique for improving it is not a reason to give up on it. Rather than pushing all the "no potential" on the tree, why not take a different route and improve your potential. Long thin branches on this hemlock can be wired and trained into wonderful graceful artistic shapes and bent down to give a startling image of age. Your only investment is wire and time. Look at good Bunjin pictures on the web, look thru books to see how thin long branches are handled and what foreshortening can do.

Then after all that, put your newly wired and styled tree on the bench and let it grow for a season or two and then reassess on the nature of your charge.
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Cadillactaste

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While Judy's option is telling it is not the only answer. This piece of material while ugly now has lots of potential in the right hands. Just because you do not possess the technique for improving it is not a reason to give up on it. Rather than pushing all the "no potential" on the tree, why not take a different route and improve your potential. Long thin branches on this hemlock can be wired and trained into wonderful graceful artistic shapes and bent down to give a startling image of age. Your only investment is wire and time. Look at good Bunjin pictures on the web, look thru books to see how thin long branches are handled and what foreshortening can do.

Then after all that, put your newly wired and styled tree on the bench and let it grow for a season or two and then reassess on the nature of your charge.
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What you did...is simply amazing. Maybe...I have tunnel vision thinking of keeping the naturalistic weeping of the foliage. I really hope Dale is up to the challenge of my brining it to him. One far wiser and knowledgable who can offer first hand direction. It could be what is needed to bring out the potential in this matieral.

But...your tree's after photo...has me thinking I am very short sighted in my vision for this tree. So...holding off on grounding it. Especially with what @ABCarve stated. I assumed since the top was dead...That it couldn't get taller...is crazy. Yet...glad to know before placing it in the ground.
 

coh

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But...your tree's after photo...has me thinking I am very short sighted in my vision for this tree. So...holding off on grounding it.

One of the toughest things to learn is how to see the potential in material like this. That's why you should post "problem trees" here or on facebook, there may be someone else out there who can help you see something you're not ready to see on your own. Smoke's example is impressive but I think the stock he started with was better than your tree, so something like that will be more difficult to accomplish. But there are always was to improve material - someone suggested grafting, bending, etc.

I've also got a hemlock that I picked up at a nursery a couple of years ago, it has some potential but has a long bare section of trunk. I'm trying approach grafts but when I did them I hadn't done any before and I don't think I did a very good job, so even if they take they may not look very good. So, there's a good chance it will wind up as a garden tree. Good learning experience, though.
 
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