Witch hazel ground layer

[ABCarve]

Here we go again! This time I’m using the concrete method I saw NaoTK use. I know the method works but I’m not quite sure about this Hamamelis intermedia jelena. It has a stupid nebari so I have nothing to lose.
This is about building a bonsai from scratch. New nebari, branch placement ala approach graft etc.

 

[0soyoung]

No carving.




Cutting girdles doesn't count.

 

[PA_Penjing]

I saw this in Andrea Merigioli's book, interested to see if there's a benefit that matches the extra work

 

[ABCarve]

I saw this in Andrea Merigioli's book, interested to see if there's a benefit that matches the extra work

Not really much extra work. What time you spend now is more than saved when you separate it.

 

[ABCarve]

Great fall color this year....better than most. On putting out roots......not so much. There are some slowing forming but not enough to support the tree. The strategy is to let it grow another season before cutting off the bottom. It will either form roots or die....I don't have anything to lose.

 

[0soyoung]

Thanks to polar auxin transport, auxin builds up at the top of a girdle or tourniquet (or any kind of restriction, form that matter). In addition to enhanced radial growth, this causes a secondary effect of stimulating the leaves to behave a bit like fall is coming (it is a facet of the somewhat complicated chain of ethylene biosynthesis and effects) . Most often it causes leaves to redden and then they become really red in fall, just like you are seeing.

The effect becomes even more obvious if one applies an IBA overdose (high concentration powder or gel) to the top of a freshly cut girdle. I once dusted a girdle I had made on a green acer palmatum with 4.5% IBA powder. The leaves of the layer soon looked like those of a red Japanese maple and the actual fall color was incredibly intense!! I subsequently tried this on several other species. Those that make anthocyanins behaved similarly (e.g., stewartia pseudocamellia). Those that don't, such as Japanese hornbeam, turned intensely yellow, but otherwise the same effect. I presume sub-alpine species and birch would behave similarly since these species rely on xanthophyll instead of anthocyanin to protect photocenters ('the chlorophyll' so to speak).

 

[ABCarve]

Thanks to polar auxin transport, auxin builds up at the top of a girdle or tourniquet (or any kind of restriction, form that matter). In addition to enhanced radial growth, this causes a secondary effect of stimulating the leaves to behave a bit like fall is coming (it is a facet of the somewhat complicated chain of ethylene biosynthesis and effects) . Most often it causes leaves to redden and then they become really red in fall, just like you are seeing.

The effect becomes even more obvious if one applies an IBA overdose (high concentration powder or gel) to the top of a freshly cut girdle. I once dusted a girdle I had made on a green acer palmatum with 4.5% IBA powder. The leaves of the layer soon looked like those of a red Japanese maple and the actual fall color was incredibly intense!! I subsequently tried this on several other species. Those that make anthocyanins behaved similarly (e.g., stewartia pseudocamellia). Those that don't, such as Japanese hornbeam, turned intensely yellow, but otherwise the same effect. I presume sub-alpine species and birch would behave similarly since these species rely on xanthophyll instead of anthocyanin to protect photocenters ('the chlorophyll' so to speak).

Interesting…….these leaves had a brownish cast to them all summer. I used KLN rooting liquid on the girdle. Not sure about the IBA part for that product.

 

[ABCarve]

Not sure if this was a good idea (letting it bloom) to let it use energy on the flowers when it could use it for pushing new roots. @0soyoung . I could have cut them off when they were emerging, but…..WTH. The approach graft took quite well which is first time I had one fuse in one growing season.

I love this winter bloom when it’s gray and cold. However I think it could be problematic formally displaying this as there are no January shows. Right now I have to go sit on my tractor in the garage and stare at it . Weather is a little unpredictable to leave it outside.

 

[0soyoung]

Some time ago, this year, some vegetative buds transformed (metamorphosed?) into floral buds. The leaves/flowers were formed in the buds prior to dormancy. The auxin they produce is but a trickle in dormancy. The auxin each bud produces is largely consumed locally in loosening the cell walls so that the cells can elongate and present leaves/flowers. The elongation of cells is simply a process of water filling cell vacuoles by osmosis and analogous to pumping your tires. This is what makes rooting hardwood cuttings so difficult, IMO. But, this is a layer, so the availability of water isn't an issue.

So, as I see it, the alternative to enjoying the flowers was to have plucked the flower buds as soon as you could discern them. But this wouldn't have given you any more auxin to produce roots than with flowers.

 

[ABCarve]

Some time ago, this year, some vegetative buds transformed (metamorphosed?) into floral buds. The leaves/flowers were formed in the buds prior to dormancy. The auxin they produce is but a trickle in dormancy. The auxin each bud produces is largely consumed locally in loosening the cell walls so that the cells can elongate and present leaves/flowers. The elongation of cells is simply a process of water filling cell vacuoles by osmosis and analogous to pumping your tires. This is what makes rooting hardwood cuttings so difficult, IMO. But, this is a layer, so the availability of water isn't an issue.

So, as I see it, the alternative to enjoying the flowers was to have plucked the flower buds as soon as you could discern them. But this wouldn't have given you any more auxin to produce roots than with flowers.

I wish I could like this reply twice!! Thanks.

 

[ABCarve]

So this is something new! Sporadic fall flowers which look significantly like our native witch hazel (small yellow petals) which will start blooming in another few weeks. You can see that not all of the flower buds are opening. It also did this briefly this spring shortly after its winter bloom was spent. I have an identical species in the ground and it has never done this. @0soyoung any thoughts? This has had two growing seasons to put some roots on the layer. All I can tell is that it has put on some significant scar tissue. I can't really tell if there are many roots without being fairly intrusive. I would have thought the bottom half of the root ball would be dead by now. Next spring it will be drastically reduced with the first styling and I'll remove the screening to see what's going on in there.

 

[0soyoung]

But, the one in the ground isn't being layered = is about the only thought that I have. Ethylene is part of the go-to-dormancy signaling. As we saw previously, excess auxin at the top of the girdle produced some ethylene that made the leaves turn red/orange. So, it might well be that this set one of the triggers for flowering.

I dunno the sequence of things that normally lead to flowering in winter, but events like this would certainly be useful for figuring it out (IMO, of course). It is plausible that an ethylene signal enables flowering and that one or more subsequent signals makes them bloom. Layering a branch (or two) of the one you have in the ground to see if the same thing happens would tell us if this idea has any merit (for whatever good that does for ya!).

 

[ABCarve]

But, the one in the ground isn't being layered = is about the only thought that I have. Ethylene is part of the go-to-dormancy signaling. As we saw previously, excess auxin at the top of the girdle produced some ethylene that made the leaves turn red/orange. So, it might well be that this set one of the triggers for flowering.

I dunno the sequence of things that normally lead to flowering in winter, but events like this would certainly be useful for figuring it out (IMO, of course). It is plausible that an ethylene signal enables flowering and that one or more subsequent signals makes them bloom. Layering a branch (or two) of the one you have in the ground to see if the same thing happens would tell us if this idea has any merit (for whatever good that does for ya!).

Good thoughts. I may give that a try, especially since I was going to prune a branch or two off the one in the ground. As always, thanks for your comments!!

 

[ABCarve]

With all this rollie coaster weather we've been having has started the flowers to decline. This is a sign the tree is waking up. I've poked around in the ground layer and there is definitely roots in there, so I decided to do the big cutback and get things started. I probably won't separate it for another month although it may be sooner with this crazy weather.

 

[ABCarve]

Time for the big cut!


Once out of the pot I removed some of the larger roots to lighten the load and so I could split the cement with a hammer.



After busting off the cement you can see where the girdle was covered to prevent bridging and how the new roots were segregated from the old root ball.




I ran the whole tree through my bandsaw to remove the stub. I used the bandsaw so as not to shake the tree too much using the sawzall as its weight was significantly reduced.



All potted up ready for growing out. Hopefully I'll get some well placed buds to come out from the large cutback. Bird netting placed on top of the sphagnum to keep it in place. Old flowers will be cut off. One thing to mention I didn't know before, this is a graft. The color change on the trunk when it's wet is the indicator.

 

[ABCarve]

This is after one growing season. The old flowers have been removed and care taken not to cut off vegetative buds nearby.

1. Choices were made for which branches will be allowed to form the apex/crown of the tree. Some may be removed later. The wire was applied early to give better direction.

2. The large branch was removed in favor of a smaller branch which emerged last growing season. It caliper will be more in line with a branch that has formed at the top of the tree. It will be allowed to grow rank this season to gain some caliper and strength.

3. This is an approach graft which was started back at the initial ground layer. It was allowed to grow rank last season to gain strength/caliper. I cut off the first two terminal buds to keep the branching behind it going. It will grow rank again as last year with the intent to let it gain caliper somewhere in between the first and third primary branches.

4. The bud beside the numeral 4 was strong and extended quite a bit. It was cut back (12 inches) and wired to start forming what will become the first pad of the tree. The weaker branching behind this first primary branch was not pruned at all and will be allowed to grow this season.