Shohin hornbeam progress

[badatusernames]

I'll have to dig up an earlier photo, but this is the hornbeam I got from @JudyB last year. Original photo:



I took a class and wired it with guidance, here it was after that. There was some debate as to whether or not to keep the root on the bottom right - I'd be curious to know if folks think I did the right thing, I'm still not certain.




I thinned it out, rebuilt the apex, and wired it today. Its roots are wild - I'm going to need to deal with them this year. It was potted in an unglazed pot, and I think it needs to be in a glazed to slow down the growth. Not sure if I'm thinking of this correctly, and am open to being corrected.

A part of me regrets going as hard as I did on the apex - I could envision a different tree had I kept it all, for sure - but I feel as though it was a good opportunity to sort of take ownership of the direction of the tree while addressing how busy it was, while being confident in what I was working towards. I'd like to widen out the base of the canopy this year.

The one thing that I think I'm not going to be able to do much about is that reverse taper in the trunk. I kind of like it the way it is regardless, but a part of me wonders if there's more I could do about it given that it's an obvious flaw - perhaps air / ground layering?

Not sure if this is one of those flaws that you just need to let go and accept in a tree or if folks have other thoughts. General feedback welcome as well.

 

[JudyB]

I think with Korean hornbeam, you live with the tree as it comes to some extent as they are so slow. There are some that seem faster as if there are two varieties. But the smaller internodes and better branching belong to the slower ones… I have the same issue with one of mine and I love it for what it is, not what it can’t be…
that said, could you tilt it to the left with the repotting and minimize the reverse taper at the base???

 

[badatusernames]

I think with Korean hornbeam, you live with the tree as it comes to some extent as they are so slow. There are some that seem faster as if there are two varieties. But the smaller internodes and better branching belong to the slower ones… I have the same issue with one of mine and I love it for what it is, not what it can’t be…
that said, could you tilt it to the left with the repotting and minimize the reverse taper at the base???

That's sort of what I'm thinking. I like it as-is, it's good to hear confirmation from you that that would be seen as appropriate in this instance!

 

[JudyB]

I would look at the angle at repotting and see if angling to the right to minimize it might help, it would also introduce movement at the same time.

 

[badatusernames]

I would look at the angle at repotting and see if minimizing it might help, it would also introduce movement at the same time.

Thanks!

I'm curious - do you think I did the right thing taking the root off that was on the bottom right in the original? I'm still not certain, but it seemed out of place to my eye and I'm still not sure what it would look like with several more years of growth on it...

 

[JudyB]

Thanks!

I'm curious - do you think I did the right thing taking the root off that was on the bottom right in the original? I'm still not certain, but it seemed out of place to my eye and I'm still not sure what it would look like with several more years of growth on it...

For me, yes, I would have removed it or cut it back a lot if I had kept it as I don’t like large awkward roots, it it is a personal thing, some don’t mind the on chunky trees.

 

[badatusernames]

Thank you! That’s reassuring. I may not ask about the apex

I like it, and I know where it’s going, but in retrospect I recognize that that was kind of a big cut.

I’ll play with potting angles!

 

[HamburgerTrain]

i like the inverse taper, looks like it's little tummy is full. quirks like that work on little trees where you have limited opportunities for features at that scale. Without it your eye would just be more drawn to the inverse taper at the top. Very cool tree!

 

[smjmsy00]

is airlayering right at the widest part of the 'tummy' not an option?

 

[BrianBay9]

I think I would just try planting it a bit deeper and see if you get some higher roots.

 

[badatusernames]

Honestly, I kind of like the tummy, I was just curious if folks with more tenure under their belt would say I wasn’t putting in enough effort

Judy presented at Nationals so I’m sort of taking that as tactic approval to be allowed to keep enjoying it and not worrying about it haha

but yeah, planting angles are definitely going to be experimented with

 

[badatusernames]

I would look at the angle at repotting and see if angling to the right to minimize it might help, it would also introduce movement at the same time.

I think I figured out why I didn’t want to ask about the apex

love to take a year making a decision only to regret it a week later. Well, at least they do grow. I think once it gets repotted it’ll still look great, but I feel like I could have done better.

it’s funny how coming to this hobby can feel like “ok, what branches should I cut” when in reality the real question can sometimes be “how can I use what’s here and improve it”.

I’m finding I rarely regret not making a cut.

FWIW I have a different angle picked out for the hornbeam I posted in the tree thread too. It doesn’t impact its wiring much but it helps address the kind of C or bow shape the trunk has at its current front.

 

[JudyB]

I actually think the apex is better now, it needs time but it’s less confusing to the eye. And when I said tilt to the left, I meant right! Lol…. If you tip it to the right, then the undercut area may disappear somewhat…

 

[badatusernames]

I actually think the apex is better now, it needs time but it’s less confusing to the eye. And when I said tilt to the left, I meant right! Lol…. If you tip it to the right, then the undercut area may disappear somewhat…

yes! I am thinking to the right. I see a really fun jaunty little tree here.

I think I wouldn’t have gone as aggressively at the top at first in retrospect. I may have still ended up at the same place, but I think that may have been a bit much to go at once. Some movement to the right at the top would really help, I think it should come relatively quickly in a few years though.