Siberian elm clump

[ponderingsage]

Hi,
I am attempting a clump style tree by treading saplings thought holes in a board. I have seen this done with one hole to encourage new roots and fuse the roots/trunks. I only had a 1" paddle bit and larger saplings, so l improvised. I ended up getting 5 or 6 in there as tight as I could. Anybody else try this with multiple holes? If so, how did it turn out?

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy.

Sorce

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nice. Interesting

If it were mine, as soon as possible, I would use wire, or several wooden wedges or chopsticks pieces, or something to arrange the angles the trunks have relative to each other. The largest diameter trunk should be your "main tree", and be more or less upright or leaning slightly toward the "front". The rest should lean slightly away from the main tree and each other. The outermost should lean the most away from each other. Not necessarily a large lean, less than 15 degrees off vertical would be enough. But the leaning into each other will become a serious problem if the roots fuse in that position.

 

[ponderingsage]

That's a great idea. I'll use some guy wires.