Silver birch raw material

Cattwooduk

Shohin
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Right I've come across this tree which is growing as a collection of trunks. I cut them all back so I've got 2 options.

First option is to let the piece I left taller sprout lots of new growth and then air layer below it later in the year. If I do this I'll put more of an angled cut at the top.
Second option is to cut it lower like the others and dig the whole thing up. Again I need to cut them slightly lower with angled cuts I think.
I'm liking the idea of making something out of the whole thing but I haven't done much looking into how to make a good bonsai out of something so multi-trunked, is this even possible? I'm thinking cut away the couple of really thin bits and maybe even take out the one second from the left as it's pretty much up against the other trunk.
Is splitting the whole thing in half or dividing it up to get one good trunk out of it a possibility, or will having big wounds at ground level just kill it off?

Just been looking around out the back of my grandparents and found some bits and pieces which might be worth using.
There is a 15ft silver birch which they want removed, so I'm going to cut it right back to the lowest branch - I've already cut that back to encourage closer new growth and then air layer it below the branch. If it works as planned I should end up with a trunk about 4-5 inches thick with a new leader in place and some fresh closer shoots on top to power it after removal.
I originally thought I could cut the whole thing down to a stump and dig it out (fat 7-8inch trunk at the base) but it's right in the middle of a dense hedge so it took an hour of clearing to just get near the trunk and see whats what. No chance of digging it out!
I'll add a picture of the tree when I'm next there.

IMG_20170226_170845332.jpg

Any critique welcome as I'm still learning about what's good potential material to dig up! Next time I go I'm going to have a good wander round and take lots more pictures. Hopefully something there will be good starter stumps!
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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I'd dig 2 thousand shitty English elms before one excellent birch.

And this is not an excellent birch.

But digging any tree is educational and you are half way there!

Sorce
 

BobbyLane

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This one doesnt seem to have any bonsai potential, i'd steer clear tbh. look for trunks with visible or even subtle movement, taper from the base upwards, dig around to see if there is any nebari. characterful bark, low branching are some clues to look for. i dont collect, maybe others who do can give you some advice on it.

ps doesnt look like a birch
 

Cattwooduk

Shohin
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Yeah the clusterf**k of trunks immediately made me think it probably isn't worth digging, but wasn't sure if there was some technique or bonsai style which could utilise and of them. Since I've cut it back already I might let the tall one regrow and then layer below it later in the year. All good practice!
 

Cattwooduk

Shohin
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Having said that like you said there really isn't any movement in the long trunk either. I'll get a picture of the big ol' tree next time I'm over there because that thing has much more going on. It starts in the middle of a hedge and grows out at a steep angle before going up. I think it was finding its fastest way to the light. The section below the lowest branch has some nice typical silver birch bark and isn't dead straight so might have more potential. The branch which I've cut back to encourage new growth is also pretty twisty so could make an interesting new top. This is so long as I get the layer in the right place and plant at the right angle... Which is unlikely.
 

Cattwooduk

Shohin
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ps doesnt look like a birch

It doesn't but the bark above where I cut was much more silvery. Also the branching and buds looked very much like silver birch to me. Admittedly the base doesn't at all, I'll try get a pic of the bits I cut off next time.
 
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Two suggestions:
1. If you want to collect a Birch make sure it is fully white, Birch around here don't seem to whiten up very well after collection.
2. Try and look for Hawthorne over there if you can.
 

Cattwooduk

Shohin
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The woods open out into a marshy meadow that has a stream running through it. If I remember rightly there is a fairly big Hawthorne growing in the middle. I'll have to have another look next time I'm over there and report back!
 
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