Tanuki

[penumbra]

Was the base of the deadwood treated to prevent rot?

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Was the base of the deadwood treated to prevent rot?

Thats very important with tanukis, seal the wood base or treat it with wood hardener

 

[ShadyStump]

Now it looks like the lizard is holding the tree lovingly, about to kiss it.

Sorta.
It's an amorous drunk lizard.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

 

[crab apple]

Man, that is really cool. I didn't know that was a thing, can't wait to try it myself.

 

[misfit11]

I need to do some serious thinning and wiring on it. It grew well last year. I've been working on trees quite a bit lately (repotting, wiring, styling, grafting, etc.) I just haven't posted anything on the site in a long while. Thanks for the likes. I think this will be a nice Tanuki at some point.

 

[misfit11]

One way or another hanging dead branch should stay exposed. Has great movement/is valuable deadwood.

Yes. I'm definitely going to keep that visible. It's a nice feature of the deadwood. It has become almost completely engulfed in foliage since last year but with some thinning and wiring I'll expose it again.

 

[misfit11]

Was the base of the deadwood treated to prevent rot?

Yes. I treated it with PC Petrifier. I also built a "dam" out of a small plastic pot (kind of how people use them to air layer) that I put on the base to keep damp soil from being in direct contact with the deadwood.

 

[misfit11]

Very cool project. I wonder what type of wood one needs in order to keep the long term viability of such a tree?

You need something very hard and most likely evergreen. Deciduous trees tend to rot more readily. Juniper deadwood is quite rot resistant because of the resins Junipers produce.

 

[misfit11]

Here it is after pruning and wiring

 

[ShadyStump]

Coming along nicely.