Honeysuckle stock
- Thread starter tlynchjr
- Start date
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Chop anywhere you like as it's honeysuckle and will still grow back no matter where you chop.
Now some more sensible answers.
Has it just been collected or transplanted? I'm guess in the new branches are all growth since collecting and the initial chop? Which would indicate a year or 2 since collection?
Trunk lacks taper so I'd lean toward a harder chop say just above the first set of branches. That would start taper and a nice bend but will probably be the longest term development plan for the tree.
It might be possible to carve out the upper part of the trunk and continue some dead wood down the trunk to disguise the lack of taper. That would still leave some options for apex and branches that could shorten the development phase for this tree.
Now some more sensible answers.
Has it just been collected or transplanted? I'm guess in the new branches are all growth since collecting and the initial chop? Which would indicate a year or 2 since collection?
Trunk lacks taper so I'd lean toward a harder chop say just above the first set of branches. That would start taper and a nice bend but will probably be the longest term development plan for the tree.
It might be possible to carve out the upper part of the trunk and continue some dead wood down the trunk to disguise the lack of taper. That would still leave some options for apex and branches that could shorten the development phase for this tree.
Tieball
Masterpiece
Questions….
Was the tree growing at this specific angle or did you just plant it at this angle?
Are the roots oriented toward this specific angled planting?
What did the root flare, the nabari, look like when planted? Rugged? Nothing special?
I’m most curious about what the roots look like below the current wood chip cover.
Possibly you recently collected this tree. I would be inclined to let the tree leaf out and see what growth happens before chopping away. I think carving could make this very interesting, however, what the nabari looks like would drive my carving direction. I’d hesitate on carving too much if the tree is just a post coming out of the ground.
I would likely let branches develop secondary branches and try to work with the tree taller like it is now before chopping it way down lower. Once leaves develop on the current branches I’d prune them back to buds that will push growth away from the trunk and less stick-straight. I like to see the natural tendency of a tree's growth before drastic low chopping.
I would not prune off any dead branches. They may be valuable features when carving is considered. If all the branches develop leaves I’d select one branch to continue growth rather than three or four growing from the same point. Again, if excess branches are pruned I’d leave stubs of one inch or so to work with possible future carving….or as a better branch selection if buds develop on the stubs. This could result in a more gnarly tree appearance.
Honeysuckle trees, the trees I see anyway, seem to develop straight-stick branches (like you have right now) so pruning branches back will be a good experiment. That’s probably why I’d let it grow as is right now so I could experiment on branch pruning and understand more about how the tree will respond to pruning.
Was the tree growing at this specific angle or did you just plant it at this angle?
Are the roots oriented toward this specific angled planting?
What did the root flare, the nabari, look like when planted? Rugged? Nothing special?
I’m most curious about what the roots look like below the current wood chip cover.
Possibly you recently collected this tree. I would be inclined to let the tree leaf out and see what growth happens before chopping away. I think carving could make this very interesting, however, what the nabari looks like would drive my carving direction. I’d hesitate on carving too much if the tree is just a post coming out of the ground.
I would likely let branches develop secondary branches and try to work with the tree taller like it is now before chopping it way down lower. Once leaves develop on the current branches I’d prune them back to buds that will push growth away from the trunk and less stick-straight. I like to see the natural tendency of a tree's growth before drastic low chopping.
I would not prune off any dead branches. They may be valuable features when carving is considered. If all the branches develop leaves I’d select one branch to continue growth rather than three or four growing from the same point. Again, if excess branches are pruned I’d leave stubs of one inch or so to work with possible future carving….or as a better branch selection if buds develop on the stubs. This could result in a more gnarly tree appearance.
Honeysuckle trees, the trees I see anyway, seem to develop straight-stick branches (like you have right now) so pruning branches back will be a good experiment. That’s probably why I’d let it grow as is right now so I could experiment on branch pruning and understand more about how the tree will respond to pruning.
Tieball
Masterpiece
If….I were to low chop I’d probably chop like this and begin the development of a good sized rugged edge with the chop top that might begin to naturally roll-over in a few seasons.
