What to do with boring collected olive stump.

[Ravaginggoatman]

I collected this olive stump a couple years ago, nothing is going to sprout from that very large chop (was done years ago when the field was cut down. So I thought that I would bore 5/8'' hole in the center and plant a large cutting in it. The cutting is about 3/8'' the hole is drilled completely through to the soil, the cutting was dipped in root hormone inserted to the soil and then packed with fine sifted pumice around the cutting. Olives root rather easily, no guarantee that it will root or solve the ugly issue but it will be an interesting experiment.

 

[leatherback]

Youi do realize it is a different olive that you have planted in the trunk? In other words, growth habit and foliage will never match the trunks growth.

 

[Shibui]

So I thought that I would bore 5/8'' hole in the center and plant a large cutting in it.

What do you imagine will happen over time, assuming the new addition grows roots under the trunk?
Just asking because I can't see a long term future for this.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

A couple of comments:

(1) The inner xylem, aka heartwood or deadwood, is dead. You can drill a hole in it and put a cutting in it, but that cutting will never grow because it is surrounded by deadwood. If you want to attach a cutting to a tree, you have attach it to a notch in the bark so that the sapwood of the cutting and the sapwood of the tree are aligned - ie never in the center, always in live bark.

(2) If you get an olive stump like this, cut off all the roots and flip it upside down and plant it in soil upside down. In most cases it will throw new roots off the bottom of the inverted stump (which used to be the top) and you will get new buds popping out of the top where the roots used to be... with a nice chunky base that has no cut scar.

(Watch this video from 3:00 on...)

 

[Ravaginggoatman]

A couple of comments:

(1) The inner xylem, aka heartwood or deadwood, is dead. You can drill a hole in it and put a cutting in it, but that cutting will never grow because it is surrounded by deadwood. If you want to attach a cutting to a tree, you have attach it to a notch in the bark so that the sapwood of the cutting and the sapwood of the tree are aligned - ie never in the center, always in live bark.

(2) If you get an olive stump like this, cut off all the roots and flip it upside down and plant it in soil upside down. In most cases it will throw new roots off the bottom of the inverted stump (which used to be the top) and you will get new buds popping out of the top where the roots used to be... with a nice chunky base that has no cut scar.

(Watch this video from 3:00 on...)

What do you imagine will happen over time, assuming the new addition grows roots under the trunk?
Just asking because I can't see a long term future for this.

The way that I see it the stump had no long term future as it was. So this is more of an experiment than anything else. The cutting actually goes through the 5'' stump and imbedded in the soil so I think that there's a good chance that it will root. I have collected several of these stumps from a very old olive orchard and so far all have rooted and are very healthy. But for this tree being as flat and stubby as it is I really could not see any path forward for it to make it at least an interesting looking tree. So thinking out side the box I decided to add this cutting and see how it goes. The cutting looks to be from a different variety but its actually from another stump that has been able to grow out over the years, so I assume that the smaller leaves on the stumps are due to the constant mowing resulting in smaller leaves. There are a few trees that have not been cut down that produce small purple/black fruit.

 

[Ravaginggoatman]

A couple of comments:

(1) The inner xylem, aka heartwood or deadwood, is dead. You can drill a hole in it and put a cutting in it, but that cutting will never grow because it is surrounded by deadwood. If you want to attach a cutting to a tree, you have attach it to a notch in the bark so that the sapwood of the cutting and the sapwood of the tree are aligned - ie never in the center, always in live bark.

(2) If you get an olive stump like this, cut off all the roots and flip it upside down and plant it in soil upside down. In most cases it will throw new roots off the bottom of the inverted stump (which used to be the top) and you will get new buds popping out of the top where the roots used to be... with a nice chunky base that has no cut scar.

(Watch this video from 3:00 on...)

I had seen that video a couple years ago but I hadn't even thought about trying that. My initial thought for this stump was exactly what Tom Vuong was showing in the video. My goal for this tree was something like the picture bellow. But obviously that wasn't working. But after reading your reply and revisiting the video I'm considering going with your idea. I imagine that it would still have just as good a chance of rooting now as it would have before.

 

[Shibui]

The way that I see it the stump had no long term future as it was. So this is more of an experiment than anything else. The cutting actually goes through the 5'' stump and imbedded in the soil so I think that there's a good chance that it will root.

All very well for the cutting to root and begin to grow but after that?
As mentioned by @Bonsai Nut the inner wood is dead so the cutting cannot actually graft onto the stump unless it grows thick enough to come into contact with live bark.
As the cutting grows and thickens, sap flow will be restricted by the hole through the stump which will effectively strangle your developing cutting and probably kill it before it can grow to any real size.
Not trying to be negative. I love to see people trying innovative things but there are certain aspects of plant growth that we cannot circumvent.

 

[leatherback]

I remain utterly confused why you would not use the same olive variety in this stump.
The foliage and growth habit will never match, even if you find a solution the to cutting to remain alive in years to come and not girdle in the stump.

 

[Ravaginggoatman]

All very well for the cutting to root and begin to grow but after that?
As mentioned by @Bonsai Nut the inner wood is dead so the cutting cannot actually graft onto the stump unless it grows thick enough to come into contact with live bark.
As the cutting grows and thickens, sap flow will be restricted by the hole through the stump which will effectively strangle your developing cutting and probably kill it before it can grow to any real size.
Not trying to be negative. I love to see people trying innovative things but there are certain aspects of plant growth that we cannot circumvent.

Actual I decided to go in a different direction. As recommended by Bonsai Nut. Attempting the upside down method for olives as mentioned in the Tom Vuong's Garden Video on YouTube. But to answer your question the cutting was actually from another stump from the same field and I believe that it is the same variety but was able to grow out being that it was near a chain link fence made it harder to keep cut down each year. The constant mowing of this field keep these stumps very compact just as would be done in a bonsai pot and result in that very small leaf. You can see my new post. (What to do with boring collected olive stump 2.0)
Thanks for your reply.

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