Thoughts on this hornbeam

[According_bid]

Dug this one up while picking ramps. Buds were just starting to break, so I'm a bit concerned it will make it. Got a fair amount of fine roots though. The pics were taken right after rinsing out the root ball before any further root pruning. There was no taproot and it will sit pretty flat after just a little trimming of the few downward reaching roots. Do you think it will have better odds of surviving if I find a place for it in the ground, or would it be fine in a pond basket with boon mix? I sealed the chop buried it in my raised bed vegetable garden for the time being.

 

[canoeguide]

If it were mine, I'd chop it far lower. Good find!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Dug this one up while picking ramps. Buds were just starting to break, so I'm a bit concerned it will make it. Got a fair amount of fine roots though. The pics were taken right after rinsing out the root ball before any further root pruning. There was no taproot and it will sit pretty flat after just a little trimming of the few downward reaching roots. Do you think it will have better odds of surviving if I find a place for it in the ground, or would it be fine in a pond basket with boon mix? I sealed the chop buried it in my raised bed vegetable garden for the time being.

Indeed, once WELL established would cut far lower to reduce uninteresting straight trunk. A LOT.

 

[According_bid]

Indeed, once WELL established would cut far lower to reduce uninteresting straight trunk. A LOT.

That's what I was thinking. Plan to reduce further after seeing where it decides to send out new buds.