Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Cleaned up and carved the chops to promote healing. Looking decent.
How should I chop this ilex?
- Thread starter Cajunrider
- Start date
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Fall prune. Ready to show off the red berries this winter. Also add a ring of soil to promotes roots at the ground layer. The ground layer shows beautiful callus but few roots. The plan is for a repot midspring next year with a 1/3rd bottom root chop.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Berries are starting to turn red.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I have serious design questions. The trunk for the tree is OK for me. The nebari will be developed later. However I am unhappy with the entire canopy. There are so many branches with straight sections. I am asking for design suggestions.
Here are some of my thoughts.
1. The lowest branch is a sacrifice branch for me. It is too straight, low, and pretty much has out grown its purpose. I will likely remove it.
2. The next one I am planning to cut it short and redevelop the sub branch. It too is too straight and had a deep wire scar that makes it weak. If y'all think it is too low, I can remove it as well.
3. I also am thinking about cutting back ALL the side branches to stubs and and redevelop the entire canopy. Knowing the tree I think I can get it to look OK in 3 years.
Your thoughts? I will most likely do something early spring (February 2024) and would like to get my plan together.
As always, your thoughts and suggestions are highly valuable to me. I might or might not use them, however, all the suggestions will be carefully considered.
Here are some of my thoughts.
1. The lowest branch is a sacrifice branch for me. It is too straight, low, and pretty much has out grown its purpose. I will likely remove it.
2. The next one I am planning to cut it short and redevelop the sub branch. It too is too straight and had a deep wire scar that makes it weak. If y'all think it is too low, I can remove it as well.
3. I also am thinking about cutting back ALL the side branches to stubs and and redevelop the entire canopy. Knowing the tree I think I can get it to look OK in 3 years.
Your thoughts? I will most likely do something early spring (February 2024) and would like to get my plan together.
As always, your thoughts and suggestions are highly valuable to me. I might or might not use them, however, all the suggestions will be carefully considered.
Pixar
Chumono
Any updates ?
MrFancyPlants
Masterpiece
I think you are on the right track, but maybe wire the shoots, while skinny, for some movement and then cut back for ramification. I used to have one back in Florida, and if you let it do it’s thing it will send stick straight branches everywhere.
I think you are right about removing the lower branch.. I forget if they backbud.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Did it today. I notched 3 branches and pulled them down then cut them short. The entire lanky apex was also chopped along with the low branch.
Before
Wedge cut
Lanky apex
After
Last edited:
HorseloverFat
Squarepants with Conkers
Ahhh surgery day!
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Canopy rebuild has a good start.
Hack Yeah!
Omono
Still no repot shot?
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Hack No! Bahaha.
I checked. The roots still don't look good and right now I want all the roots to support the canopy rebuild.
Mebbe next year.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
All 3 wedge cuts to drop the angle of the branches healed beautifully. Tree was growing vigorously.
All wires removed and branches pruned back.
Wedge cuts
Before
After
The plan is to cut off bottom 2” of roots at 2024 repot.
All wires removed and branches pruned back.
Wedge cuts
Before
After
The plan is to cut off bottom 2” of roots at 2024 repot.
LeatherTree23
Yamadori
It’s really nice to see wedge cuts heal well. Really like this tree. It’s a survivor!
Orion_metalhead
Masterpiece
Awesome progression so far!
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Hey @Hack Yeah!
I checked the roots. Instead of repotting, I am going to pull the tree out, cut a few inches off the bottom and put it right back into the same pot. This will challenge the tree and force it to grow roots higher up. I will repot into a shallower pot next year.
I checked the roots. Instead of repotting, I am going to pull the tree out, cut a few inches off the bottom and put it right back into the same pot. This will challenge the tree and force it to grow roots higher up. I will repot into a shallower pot next year.
Hack Yeah!
Omono
Cool, post a pic of you can. I've got one that has grown through a flat into the ground. Meant to repot this year and just didn't get to it. Will be nice to see a comparison
namnhi
Masterpiece
Why your Ilex looks so much easily to style than anything I have.
The pine looks pretty good, can we have a full shot of it please? The new growths look lush green... beautiful.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Cuz I got skillz! BahahahaWhy your Ilex looks so much easily to style than anything I have.
namnhi
Masterpiece
LOLCuz I got skillz! Bahahaha
