European White Birch

[Eric Schrader]

I've been filming a long-term video for YT over the passed 18 months. It shows this technique on chinese elm primarily. I have tried it on Zelkova with some success also (nothing like a chinese elm, lol.)
I've also tried it on various other trees as a test. It differs from full defoliation in that where twigs are not fully hardened off, they wont die back like when totally defoliated.
Obviously, nothing like this should be done to a sick or weak tree - but Danny's is obviously in high-gear. The "and report back" was meant to indicate I'm interested in the result, meaning I'm not 100% sure what will happen.
I have a birch tree that's in year 4, it's a cutting I rooted from the birch I sold to Sergio, but I haven't tried this on it. I want to, but the tree only just started growing crazily a couple weeks ago. So I'll be trying it in a month perhaps. Although we're starting to get into fall so not sure it'll be the same.
I've also tried this on styrax ssp with good results, fuji cherry, trident maple. But the origin of it was as I said above - if you're trying to make compact elm branching and you do a total defoliation, you get some twig dieback, at least in my climate.

 

[Hartinez]

@Eric Schrader The buds at the base of each petiole cut are swelling and will soon be extending. Including the bud at the base of the leaf that was left behind. Having the tree open gave me the opportunity to wire for some movement and to clean up and re apply cut paste as needed. The only tips I left untouched/uncut were those of the primarily leader in the apex. I also reduced problematic junctions where 3 branches emerged.

While this tree has a bright future, the pics in leaf are deceiving. The structure of this tree is still so young and undeveloped. 7-10 hrs I think is still a solid timeline for quality.

 

[Wood]

7-10 hrs I think is still a solid timeline for quality

you weren't kidding that this tree is really firing on all cylinders

 

[Hartinez]

you weren't kidding that this tree is really firing on all cylinders

I’m on a serious feeding regimen with my trees.

 

[Maros]

@Eric Schrader The buds at the base of each petiole cut are swelling and will soon be extending. Including the bud at the base of the leaf that was left behind. Having the tree open gave me the opportunity to wire for some movement and to clean up and re apply cut paste as needed. The only tips I left untouched/uncut were those of the primarily leader in the apex. I also reduced problematic junctions where 3 branches emerged.

While this tree has a bright future, the pics in leaf are deceiving. The structure of this tree is still so young and undeveloped. 7-10 hrs I think is still a solid timeline for quality.
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Have you ever heard advice to remove all buds from the base of the branches like in this detail? I heard a recommendation to remove them to prevent the dieback of the branches on birches. I try to do that as much as possible.

 

[RJG2]

(note to self: check back at 7PM Eastern)

 

[Hartinez]

(note to self: check back at 7PM Eastern)

Shits about to get wild.

 

[Hartinez]

Have you ever heard advice to remove all buds from the base of the branches like in this detail? I heard a recommendation to remove them to prevent the dieback of the branches on birches. I try to do that as much as possible.
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As it relates to Birch, I haven’t heard that. But I’d say that is sound advice and will do just that. Thanks Maros

 

[Wood]

Shits about to get wild.

Danny looking at his birch:

 

[Jrmcmich]

Have you ever heard advice to remove all buds from the base of the branches like in this detail? I heard a recommendation to remove them to prevent the dieback of the branches on birches. I try to do that as much as possible.
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Can you answer why this would cause die back? And would this be similar for other species or just related to birch? Just wondering. Thanks

 

[Maros]

Can you answer why this would cause die back? And would this be similar for other species or just related to birch? Just wondering. Thanks

They are not causing die back in itself. Theory is, those buds serve as fallback options for a tree. If branch is shaded, or stressed in other way, it could decide to drop the branch an fallback to those buds.
I remember having this discussion with few guys on some French forum years ago. One of them suggested this a I thought it hold some water, i keep doing it since then.

 

[Eric Schrader]

@Eric Schrader The buds at the base of each petiole cut are swelling and will soon be extending. Including the bud at the base of the leaf that was left behind. Having the tree open gave me the opportunity to wire for some movement and to clean up and re apply cut paste as needed. The only tips I left untouched/uncut were those of the primarily leader in the apex. I also reduced problematic junctions where 3 branches emerged.

Yep, thanks for sharing. That's what I'm seeing on the elms. You get a lot of light to the interior, no branch dieback and rather than just a new shoot at each tip you get 2-5 shoots coming from the entire length of the branches.
I'd also second Maros' suggestion - as those buds swelling have no purpose at the moment and you can almost always get more there.
One thing to note - when I did this three times in a row in one season to an elm the results were not uniformly perfect. However I suspect I rushed the second round by a couple weeks. It seems to work better if you allow the new branching to run a bit longer, then repeat. When I did it too soon it mostly worked, just not as well.

And nice call on the top leaders - I think your tree could use some more trunk dev so those are going to help.

 

[Hartinez]

Yep, thanks for sharing. That's what I'm seeing on the elms. You get a lot of light to the interior, no branch dieback and rather than just a new shoot at each tip you get 2-5 shoots coming from the entire length of the branches.
I'd also second Maros' suggestion - as those buds swelling have no purpose at the moment and you can almost always get more there.
One thing to note - when I did this three times in a row in one season to an elm the results were not uniformly perfect. However I suspect I rushed the second round by a couple weeks. It seems to work better if you allow the new branching to run a bit longer, then repeat. When I did it too soon it mostly worked, just not as well.

And nice call on the top leaders - I think your tree could use some more trunk dev so those are going to help.

Eric. After listening to your episode a few weeks ago about trunks and development, I’m second guessing my pot selection for 50% of my trees. Needless to say, many trees will be going into larger less visually appealing grow boxes this next spring for the purpose of trunk development. So thank you for the amazing info on your podcast and dam you for soon making my benches less visually appealing.

 

[MACH5]

My questions:

Can a Birch trunk age and get the white bark in a container? I read it will be after at least 5 years? But that would be in full ground.

Yes it can. Take a look at these pics of my birch. Some of the primary branches slowly turning white. It will be another few years before they become bright white. It takes years in a pot but they will turn. It just takes patience and time.

 

[NeedlesAndLeaves]

Yes it can. Take a look at these pics of my birch. Some of the primary branches slowly turning white. It will be another few years before they become bright white. It takes years in a pot but they will turn. It just takes patience and time.

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Thanks for your reply
Just visited your website, that is amazing!

 

[Hartinez]

Perhaps some more trimming and structural trimming come fall. But the bones are ok and maybe even satisfactory for a decidous.

 

[INDIGO-STEVE]

Perhaps some more trimming and structural trimming come fall. But the bones are ok and maybe even satisfactory for a decidous.
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That's an awesome tree