Small Eastern Hemlock development

[sorce]

and a rule for scale.

Do you really call it a rule?

We do too....but anyone else you ask is like......, you mean tape?
No.....rule Damn it!

Anyway....thanks for this info!
I want to see Cadi's tree become wicked!

Sorce

 

[ABCarve]

@Cadillactaste ...
Medium akadama is REALLY big for your size of trees. You should know this before you order. I have some good-sized trees, but don't use much medium, except for big junipers in 20"+ pots, and for black pines as drainage layer. Everything else gets small, which is slightly larger, on average, than Turface.

Here is small and medium grain akadama, side by side:
View attachment 100142
And a few grains of medium:
View attachment 100145
If you're moving to akadama, learn how to secure trees in their pots so they are really stable.

Brian you could be right. I was always told the fewer the root the bigger the media. It had very few root when I pulled it and washed it. It did well.... It's in regular sized media now.

 

[VAFisher]

I'm interested in the development of this tree as Eastern Hemlock has been on my short list for a while. I recently collected one and am hoping it survives. I didn't get a ton of roots so right now I'm keeping it in the shade and misting it a couple times per day - and keeping my fingers crossed of course. I'll probably take some pics and make a thread for it after I'm sure it survived the collection.

Great job on this one so far.

 

[ABCarve]

Went on a collecting trip to the neighbors with my pals Thursday. Not sure why...don't need more trees...I guess its good fun.....anyways.
This place was logged about 45 years ago....you can see the ruts from the log skidder in the foreground. This lot is about fifty acres of clay soil, poorly drained as you can see and could pass for a swamp this time of year. The hemlocks grow on the top of the ruts and their roots are very shallow, prime for digging.

 

[ABCarve]

Once around the roots with a cordless saws-all and the need for a shovel is almost eliminated. Using the tree itself as a lever to pry it from the ground. Once shaken loose the whole rootball and all weighed 20 lbs.

 

[ABCarve]

Back at the ranch......hose taken to roots to find all the impostures roots and remove the cheesy soil. But now, it revealed why the swamp is a great place to collect these. None of the roots are growing down (no wet feet) and just about a perfect radial root structure around the trunk. It looks as though it was growing in a giant bonsai pot its entire life.

 

[ABCarve]

I bury the nebari about an inch so it doesn't dry out. This extra soil will be removed a little each growing season to expose the nebari. Then make some general choice on which trunks/branches I want, slightly hollow the wounds with a carving gouge and seal them. The choices are made based on how many potential branches remain on each individual branch as these don't bud back on old wood. So any little twig with needles on it is a potential branch or new leader.

 

[ABCarve]

There are still more trunks and branches to removed but kept for now for the health of the tree. Now that this tree has been totally insulted and humiliated.......let the healing begin.

 

[ABCarve]

This was collected last spring.....repotted this morning into new pot. The trunk is barely 3/4" in caliper.......the proverbial "stick in a pot"!

 

[VAFisher]

They do not bud back on old wood .

ABC, you mentioned earlier that these will not back bud on old wood and that a needle was required. I was out this morning looking at mine and noticed this:



Sorry for the terrible pic but it sure looks like a new bud - which is very cool. Have you seen this before at all or does it just happen infrequently?

 

[ABCarve]

Ahhh yep....Never say never. My 15 footer in the ground will do this at the top when I prune it hard. It may sprout one or two in the crouches. In general they don't, so don't get used to it. Never had it happen to one in a pot. Congratulations!!! Hope it's in a spot that's useful. Looking at it from here, it does.

 

[CWTurner]

I've seen Hemlock listed as a "hedgeable" plant. Maybe depends on the specie, or if you start trimming it while it is young?
I collected a couple of abandoned hemlock in March and had to chop them back to get them home. So far, no back budding, but my fingers are crossed.
CW

 

[ABCarve]

I've seen Hemlock listed as a "hedgeable" plant. Maybe depends on the specie, or if you start trimming it while it is young?
I collected a couple of abandoned hemlock in March and had to chop them back to get them home. So far, no back budding, but my fingers are crossed.
CW

They are hedgeable and I've seen some nice ones. Doesn't necessarily mean they back bud on old wood...............readily

 

[VAFisher]

Ahhh yep....Never say never. My 15 footer in the ground will do this at the top when I prune it hard. It may sprout one or two in the crouches. In general they don't, so don't get used to it. Never had it happen to one in a pot. Congratulations!!! Hope it's in a spot that's useful. Looking at it from here, it does.

Yep. In a very useful spot.

It looks like this thing is alive so if its alright with you I'll be picking your brain going forward.

 

[VAFisher]

ABCarve, wanted to get your advice on this one. It's putting on some new growth since I collected it but 99% of it is at the ends of the branches. Understanding that these won't bud back on old wood very readily, what's the best plan for chasing the growth back where there are still older needles. Should I let the new growth extend and harden off - then cut back into the old needles? Or should I leave some of the new growth? What's the best time of year to cut it back? Can I expect more than one flush of growth per year? Thanks much for your help.

I got impatient and did some wiring on it to move some branches down - which hasn't seemed to hurt it so far.

 

[ABCarve]

ABCarve, wanted to get your advice on this one. It's putting on some new growth since I collected it but 99% of it is at the ends of the branches. Understanding that these won't bud back on old wood very readily, what's the best plan for chasing the growth back where there are still older needles. Should I let the new growth extend and harden off - then cut back into the old needles? Or should I leave some of the new growth? What's the best time of year to cut it back? Can I expect more than one flush of growth per year? Thanks much for your help.

I got impatient and did some wiring on it to move some branches down - which hasn't seemed to hurt it so far.

If you just collected it this year......just let it grow....get healthy.....get roots. They do put out more than one flush of growth. A lot of your questions can be found on this thread http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/eastern-hemlock-top.9933/ . As for wiring....they having a very, very, very good memory. You need to watch the wire closely if you don't want wire scars. It seems like one day its fine and the next day its cutting in, so rewiring becomes part of the process.

 

[VAFisher]

If you just collected it this year......just let it grow....get healthy.....get roots. They do put out more than one flush of growth. A lot of your questions can be found on this thread http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/eastern-hemlock-top.9933/ . As for wiring....they having a very, very, very good memory. You need to watch the wire closely if you don't want wire scars. It seems like one day its fine and the next day its cutting in, so rewiring becomes part of the process.

Yes, I'm definitely not planning on doing any pruning this year - just trying to sorta formulate a plan.

By the way, the tree in that thread is just awesome.

 

[ABCarve]

CUT-BACK TIME
For my neck of the woods new growth is starting to harden off which is the time to cut back.
Pic 1 is from March 17.
Pic 2 is new growth as of today.
Pic 3 after cutting. Top is allowed to grow for healing purposes. Lower branches - new growth is pruned back to a few new needles. Some secondary branches are cut completely off (mostly at the tips) to encourage the newer growth closer to the trunk. The approach grafts are allowed to grow.
Pic 4 Originally #1 was going to be the new leader. Second thoughts made me choose #2 for a new leader because #1 wouldn't have any close branches below that point to help build a crown with. #3 will become a companion to the crown. #1 will be wired down. All 3 of these branches have been cut back fairly close as to not let them become to strong and closer growth.

 

[ABCarve]

Cut sacrificial top, wired out...new pot

 

[GGB]

Right on, love this species because it's native. Picked one up this spring> I;ll add a pic after work. it;s a twin trunk