Hornbeam help

[bonsailevel:master]

I have 2 hornbeams that I collected 3 1/2 months ago. They have put on a ton of new growth. I collected a couple last year that are good healthy growing trees but didn't even come close to putting out this much foliage. I know you should let them be the first summer but I think I might have a little imbalance in root/foliage quantity. There is nothing glaringly wrong with them, they just don't seam to be as healthy as they should. They are planted in 2/3 inorganic
(turface and oil dry) and 1/3 organic
(pine bark and peat). Would it be ok to trim back and do a little unwanted branch removal now? I'm located in so. Indiana. Thanks for the input.

 

[Shogun610]

They look healthy to me despite the poor media you have it in. No I wouldn’t trim since it’s first year collecting, just leave it and do branch selection next spring.

 

[bonsailevel:master]

They look healthy to me despite the poor media you have it in. No I wouldn’t trim since it’s first year collecting, just leave it and do branch selection next spring.

Thanks for the advice Shogun 610. What would you recommend for better soil composition? I appreciate the help.

 

[Cmd5235]

They look healthy to me despite the poor media you have it in. No I wouldn’t trim since it’s first year collecting, just leave it and do branch selection next spring.

These look good to me, as someone who has a lot of collected hornbeams. Don’t touch or prune them- as Shogun610 said, let them grow this year. I let mine go at least one year, two if they’re struggling, before I do any pruning or selection. You said they don’t look as healthy as they should- depending on how much root mass was left, I wouldn’t look healthy if I was collected a few months ago. Let them go, be patient, and you will have good material to work with next year!

shogun- is the 610 your area code? That’s mine.

 

[Shogun610]

Thanks for the advice Shogun 610. What would you recommend for better soil composition? I appreciate the help.

Next spring I’d remove the peat , it breaks down and can prevent proper oxygenation of the roots. The media , you want water and oxygen , peat can inhibit that. Now for Hornbeams I’d use a 1:2 Pumice and Akadama ratio since Hornbeams do well with water retention. i never used turface but I never had I’ll affects with Pumice and Akadama, you can use Pine Bark for organic or anything , just not too keen on Peat Moss

 

[Shogun610]

These look good to me, as someone who has a lot of collected hornbeams. Don’t touch or prune them- as Shogun610 said, let them grow this year. I let mine go at least one year, two if they’re struggling, before I do any pruning or selection. You said they don’t look as healthy as they should- depending on how much root mass was left, I wouldn’t look healthy if I was collected a few months ago. Let them go, be patient, and you will have good material to work with next year!

shogun- is the 610 your area code? That’s mine.

Yep I am in the Lehigh valley

 

[Cmd5235]

Yep I am in the Lehigh valley

I’m in Chester County!

 

[Shogun610]

I’m in Chester County!

Uh oh , look like we’ll have to expand coalition and range in the the spring for collecting. @PA_Penjing