European beech

[barrosinc]

So I looked under the soil... got roots, but not a lot. I would really have to chop low for the amount of roots to handle the tree.
It is in nursery soil... Should I remove as much as possible and put it in nice soil, add the wire around the trunk and leave old roots in there until next winter? First layer that I do on a species other than elm or maple. I would really appreciate some more help.

 

[barrosinc]

Got roots only on one side...

Gonna give it another year.

 

[barrosinc]

Hope it doesn't die... If I starved the roots

 

[leatherback]

Why did you do that? Why not just leave it alone? More trees die because of 'just a little bit more' than of leaving them alone and get settled in..

 

[barrosinc]

Because it is dormant and as we don't get any freezing, all my friends start repoting now.

I was going to move it to the ground but weren't enough roots

 

[barrosinc]

can these be chopped to no observable bud?

 

[AlainK]

Because it is dormant

In the southern hemisphere, June is the equivalent of December here.

I would refresh the cut in two months' time, at the end of the winter (here, February, where you live, August?...)

???

 

[barrosinc]

In the southern hemisphere, June is the equivalent of December here.

I would refresh the cut in two months' time, at the end of the winter (here, February, where you live, August?...)

???

Thanks, Alain. That message was from june last year.
I think i got roots this year but will wait until june to look.

 

[barrosinc]

Do these heal well from hard chops??

 

[leatherback]

Do these heal well from hard chops??

I have 1 inch cuts close in 2 seasons, living fairly far north in the dark and cold

 

[barrosinc]

I have 1 inch cuts close in 2 seasons, living fairly far north in the dark and cold

Thanks! I think I finally got roots and will be chopping low.

 

[barrosinc]

It took two years to layer!! But it's done.

 

[Danny Tuckey]

Nice looking good.

 

[barrosinc]

It has been doing well.
I always think i should cut it shorter...

 

[Danny Tuckey]

It has been doing well.
I always think i should cut it shorter...


I'd say it's short enough.. Why go shorter it looks a good height ?

 

[leatherback]

It has been doing well.
I always think i should cut it shorter...

I would say so too. Now you have a long trunk with no movement and little taper. And on top all of the sudden a swing of the trunk.

If you have a decade to grow this into a bonsai, I would consider chopping back to one of those lower branches, and develop from there..

Putting the saw where my mouth is, in my garden..:

 

[AlainK]

Ich denke "leatherback" is richtig: I would also cut the trunk further down, to where the new leader starts.

And what are you using as wound sealant, Max - barrosinc? It looks very dark, like tar. Are you sure it's something suitable for bonsai?

The best is probably Japanese sealant, like the one used by "leatherback", but if it's hard to get where you live, "sticky aluminium tape" used for plumbing is an excellent alternative.

 

[barrosinc]

Alain, it is a lot lighter than it seems. Is a bonsai putty.

Leatherback, i think i will chop it lower. Probably give it the year to save up some energy.

 

[leatherback]

Probably give it the year to save up some energy.

I made this cut in winter. I am not sure what the best moment with Beech is, to get least callus bulging out. More energy can never hurt!

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

I would let the colander fill with roots. Transplant in a big wooden box next opportunity. Beech don't like to go dry, so I see no benefit in a colander. After the beech has filled the box shorten if still needed. You will have to let a leader grow, waiving in the wind for a few meters so you create taper and close the wound. When you have a more compact root system in the box you might be able to slip pot in the ground for 2 years to have maximum power. Depends on the size of tree you want.