new hornbeam

[donkey]

My girlfriend has bought me this hornbeam as a replacement/apology for frying my berberis and i am a little unsure where to go with it my gut instinct is to remove the thick branch on the left and then use a clamp to slowly lift the branch which comes out forwards to nearly vertical to create some taper then leave it alone to see what new growth it gives me. Is this the correct opinion or is there something i have missed.

 

[Bill S]

Don if you don't like what is there chop it off, you will have numerous new choices not too long after that.

 

[donkey]

cheers bill i think i'll go home and chop it off soon as i've finished here

 

[rockm]

I'd chop that upper left top branch (that goes at a right angle to the trunk) off at the trunk. You'd have a pretty good start on an apex. I would not let that branch grow as it will do so at the expense of other, more in-scale, apex shoots...

 

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Preparing to sound wise.....

I'd chop that upper left top branch (that goes at a right angle to the trunk) off at the trunk. You'd have a pretty good start on an apex. I would not let that branch grow as it will do so at the expense of other, more in-scale, apex shoots...

Yah... what he said.

V

 

[donkey]

this is the branch i was planning on chopping

 

[John Ruger]

yup, what they all said

 

[J W]

I would chop it down to the first branch and feed, water, feed, water and feed...

It will take off and you will not be stuck with that straight section that has no taper. It will have movement and taper and you will be happier in the long run.

JW