When to Chop Back Carpinus caroliniana

[barguy8194]

I have a couple American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) on some property I own. They’re currently about 10ft high, with 2.5”-3” wide trunks, and they already have some nice ribbing and a bit of nasal flare. I want to cut them back to a manageable height if not too late this year - but I’m not sure when that should be done. I assume at this point I should wait until new growth hardens off (most trees here are just barely leafed out, some may have a couple weeks before they’re fully out).
But is now ok? Or should I wait until the winter? I would like to cut them back and then leave them in the ground for at least one winter before collecting, just wondering when the best time to chop them down would be. Could I do it this year and collect next spring? Or wait to chop until next spring and collect the following year?

 

[hlabonte]

I'd say chop now and wait at least two years for bud back and branches to grow before pulling it out. Are there any branches below the chop point?

 

[TN_Jim]

Chop and collect at same time in early spring/late winter just prior to bud break.
Chopping now and leaving in the ground is not best practices

 

[rockm]

DO NOT CHOP AND LEAVE IN THE GROUND. THE TREE WILL PROBABLY DIE. I speak from experience. I 've chopped and left more than a couple of hornbeam in the woods to see if I could get a jump on rebuilding the apex in the ground. That has mostly resulted in dead and extremely weak trees. It's not a good thing to do.

Thing is, although it may not look like it, those trees are fighting for position and resources in the woods with other trees. Removing their tops removes their energy source, as well as their competitive advantage over other trees in the growing season. that setback can be enough to kill them over the summer and into the winter.

Carolina hornbeam are best rough chopped and dug ALL AT ONCE at collection time.

 

[rockm]

FWIW, there is absolutely no reason to chop them to "manageable height" in the wild. That is an excuse just to mess with them, which is understandable with trees you're looking to get. Resist ALL impulses to mess with them at this point. You can pull the soil at the bases back to see what kind of nebari may be there and locate major roots, to plan on what you're going to need to get them (and a battery-powered reciprocating saw is THE best tool for this--shovels are pretty useless), but THAT IS IT until collection time next spring.

 

[Wilson]

DO NOT CHOP AND LEAVE IN THE GROUND. THE TREE WILL PROBABLY DIE. I speak from experience. I 've chopped and left more than a couple of hornbeam in the woods to see if I could get a jump on rebuilding the apex in the ground. That has mostly resulted in dead and extremely weak trees. It's not a good thing to do.

Thing is, although it may not look like it, those trees are fighting for position and resources in the woods with other trees. Removing their tops removes their energy source, as well as their competitive advantage over other trees in the growing season. that setback can be enough to kill them over the summer and into the winter.

Carolina hornbeam are best rough chopped and dug ALL AT ONCE at collection time.

100% truth! You are only cultivating kindling by chopping forest trees, and leaving them in the ground.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Don't chop and leave in ground. I've had mostly bad experiences doing that. The only exceptions that did well were the ones that had good southern exposure.......on the edge of a road, pasture, body of water. Chop and dig in spring so you'll have control over the tree from day one.

 

[just.wing.it]

I followed @rockm's advice with positive results, thanks BTW, sir!

I dug one up this spring....more sawed it out if the ground....removed probably 98% of its roots and chopped it to about a foot tall.....potted up in lava pumice and bark.....all good so far.

 

[bwaynef]

DO NOT CHOP AND LEAVE IN THE GROUND. THE TREE WILL PROBABLY DIE. I speak from experience.

I have one I'm growing out (from seed) that I chopped this spring. Wish I'd read your experience before the top died back. It seems to have a will to survive, but I've lost a portion of the trunk in the process.

 

[barguy8194]

DO NOT CHOP AND LEAVE IN THE GROUND. THE TREE WILL PROBABLY DIE. I speak from experience. I 've chopped and left more than a couple of hornbeam in the woods to see if I could get a jump on rebuilding the apex in the ground. That has mostly resulted in dead and extremely weak trees. It's not a good thing to do....

Carolina hornbeam are best rough chopped and dug ALL AT ONCE at collection time.

Thanks @rockm ! I’m still new to collecting. My thought on chopping and leaving for a season was to allow the stronger root system to help it recover, but I didn’t even think about it from the competition side. I’ll wait until next year and collect them then.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

When I collected my hornbeam, I chopped and dug all on the same day. Good results.

 

[rockm]

Thanks @rockm ! I’m still new to collecting. My thought on chopping and leaving for a season was to allow the stronger root system to help it recover, but I didn’t even think about it from the competition side. I’ll wait until next year and collect them then.

By chopping the top, you weaken the root system because it has no growth to sustain it...

 

[TN_Jim]

@rockm your advice with the one I collected last year (need to update that thread) was rock solid for me as well. Thanks again very much!
Furthermore, I am certain that your (others as well) advice prevented mortality following collection.
I dug 5 more this past season using said techniques. 100% success rate across all.

 

[rockm]

@rockm your advice with the one I collected last year (need to update that thread) was rock solid for me as well. Thanks again very much!
Furthermore, I am certain that your (others as well) advice prevented mortality following collection.
I dug 5 more this past season using said techniques. 100% success rate across all.

Great to hear! Good luck with all of them!