Collected white oak advice

[Aeast]

Hello bnut,

I am seeking advice from any oak experts on here. I collected this white oak a month ago and need help on the next step.

As you can see, its pushing shoots out like crazy, but I don't know what to do next to ensure its survival.

Should I just let it go, keep it in full sun, and water as usual? Should I thin some of the shoots?

I obviously had to sever the tap root that was about 2" across but I did manage to save a decent amount of roots. The base is around 4" actoos, by approximately 10" tall.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Aaron

 

[Steve Kudela]

Hello bnut,

I am seeking advice from any oak experts on here. I collected this white oak a month ago and need help on the next step.

As you can see, its pushing shoots out like crazy, but I don't know what to do next to ensure its survival.

Should I just let it go, keep it in full sun, and water as usual? Should I thin some of the shoots?

I obviously had to sever the tap root that was about 2" across but I did manage to save a decent amount of roots. The base is around 4" actoos, by approximately 10" tall.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Aaron View attachment 107003

Hey Aaron, I'm not an oak expert,(but I do play one on tv....lol), About the only thing I would do is remove those sprouts from around the base. Then let that thing grow all it wants this season to rebuild the root system. Begin pruning and shaping next season. Hope that helps..............SK

 

[rockm]

Steve's advice is right on. Remove a few of the shoots from around the base. Allow the higher ones to grow all they want. Nice start. You're after a new leader among those high shoots to become the tree's new top--I wouldn't use the branch you've left on the top as a new apex. It emerges from an awkward angle. Such an explosion of new growth is encouraging, especially with the shoots higher on the trunk.

I would, however, allow two years of growth before you begin shaping. What you're going to wind up with then is a lot of branches that are growing straight up from the trunk and you will probably have to prune those back considerably to bring replacement growth back to more horizontally-oriented branching.

This is going to take some time, don't rush it.

 

[Aeast]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen, that's what I was wondering if I should thin some of those lower ones, or let them grow to give it some more strength and cut them later.

 

[Cypress187]

Is that ground covered with an inch of moss? Isn't that too wet?

 

[Aeast]

It's only about a half inch, its a pretty fast draining soil so it dries pretty quick. Just trying to promote more surface roots.

 

[Cypress187]

It's only about a half inch, its a pretty fast draining soil so it dries pretty quick. Just trying to promote more surface roots.

Oh ok, well I don't know the best way for that, I only noticed the moss If it works it works I guess

 

[Waltron]

that's pretty sweet, this things got some potential I think, just curious, what is your soil mix? my only thought is maybe could have left the tree a bit taller just for the fact that the leaves might end up being pretty large, but you can always make it taller when you choose the new leader next year. well done.

 

[Aeast]

The soil is a haydite mix from a local nursery. I cut it that short so I could create taper in the tree without it being huge. I'm not too worried about the leaves being big, but hopefully I can get them to reduce some.

 

[rockm]

Waltron makes a good point. I would also have left an additional foot or so on the trunk. Gives more room for potential leaders to pop. More options. I'd also aim for a longer apex extension. White oak leaves don't reduce a whole lot.

I also use the long fibered sphagnum moss thing for my recently collected trees. I pile it up especially near the base to keep the root crown from drying out. You have to be careful, however, not to keep watering when the moss dries a bit. The soil underneath can still be quite damp. Watch the soil underneath, not the moss for dryness. Overwatering recently collected trees can reduce or kill off new, developing roots.

 

[Aeast]

That's exactly what I do, when the moss is completely dried I lift it up to check before I water.

 

[Aeast]

So how would one go about choosing a leader and or future branches?

 

[Waltron]

id get rid of all the lower growth below a certain point that suits your fancy, maybe leave a couple shoots at different angles and heights before the new leader. let all the top stuff grow out and harden off, choose a new leader and a back up leader early spring and get rid of the rest. I've got quite a few trees in this stage as well so that's my plan at least, there may be a better way, but harry harrington has some good articles on his bonsai4me webpage on the subject.

 

[Aeast]

Well I trimmed off all the lower branches and I think it's looking good.

20160607_205256

• Aeast
• Jun 12, 2016

 

[sorce]

Those new pink leaves are pretty.

A lot of folks might say go with the old park oak look....understood..

But I'd go for a look more like @Brian Van Fleet s Hawthorne....with a pinch of old oak, due to the start....and the current branching situation....

Nice!

Sorce

 

[Aeast]

Yes, thanks for the suggestion, that's the image I'm trying to achieve!

Would that be considered semi-broom style?

 

[Aeast]

Just an update and more advice needed. Since collection I haven't done a whole lot except try to let it recover and grow. Today I carved the top down and now I'm trying to determine what's next. What stays and what goes??

 

[Aeast]

I thought about this but didn't want to remove all of my options until I got some advice.

 

[JosephCooper]

In later spring, (mid-april) I'd recommend you cut the branches back to where you wanted to. Maybe even further.

 

[Aeast]

Thanks. Should I also wire the branches to set the structure? Or just let it grow for now and cut back again next year?