Next up is Carpinus caroliniana, The American Hornbeam. I am new to all of this, so don't take this thread as advice (unless it isn't coming from me).
It was propagated from seed last year. I bought it in a one-gallon pot with 80% pine bark. Leaves have already opened obviously, but I tried this anyways.
My goal for this tree is to thicken the trunk and develop the roots by repotting it in a larger, 5-gallon Rootmaker container with a more air-retentive soil. I realize I could plant it in the ground for maximum thickening, but I simply don't want to.
Roots look decent.
After knocking some soil off.
The other side.
There are two patches of fine roots, one high one low. I sever the tap root in betwen them.
The result.
I'm using a kitchen-sink blend as a substrate. I ultimately need 50+gallons of substrate to up-pot my newly acquired trees, so using up as much of the material I have recently purchased for my soil tests was beneficial. It's equal parts Sifted Pine Bark, Grit, Turface & Diatomaceous Earth (2-5mm) with a dash of Sphagnum Peat Fines. I tested the soil's mechanical properties at 29% Saturated Porosity (air-filled space), and 25% Field Capacity (water-filled space) after draining. Hopefully it will work, because conventional substrates are difficult to find. I added the fines back into the mix after sifting the
I am divided on whether to let it grow naturally or to do some trimming. I would prefer to air-layer instead of prune. I could see it happening above that first branch and that first branch becoming the new leader.
I will be posting separate threads for my other species as I get them in pots this weekend.
It was propagated from seed last year. I bought it in a one-gallon pot with 80% pine bark. Leaves have already opened obviously, but I tried this anyways.
Roots look decent.
After knocking some soil off.
The other side.
There are two patches of fine roots, one high one low. I sever the tap root in betwen them.
The result.
I'm using a kitchen-sink blend as a substrate. I ultimately need 50+gallons of substrate to up-pot my newly acquired trees, so using up as much of the material I have recently purchased for my soil tests was beneficial. It's equal parts Sifted Pine Bark, Grit, Turface & Diatomaceous Earth (2-5mm) with a dash of Sphagnum Peat Fines. I tested the soil's mechanical properties at 29% Saturated Porosity (air-filled space), and 25% Field Capacity (water-filled space) after draining. Hopefully it will work, because conventional substrates are difficult to find. I added the fines back into the mix after sifting the
I am divided on whether to let it grow naturally or to do some trimming. I would prefer to air-layer instead of prune. I could see it happening above that first branch and that first branch becoming the new leader.
I will be posting separate threads for my other species as I get them in pots this weekend.
