Collected Cedar Elm I thought was going to be a twin trunk

[travislivid]

When I collected this I had every intention of keeping the second smaller trunk. The pictures are where I chopped it in the field. I was not sure where I wanted to go with the smaller trunk.

Now that I have it home the second trunk is just growing in the wrong direction. I am really thinking of just cutting it off and leaving the lower branch.

I have seen some extreme jobs done spreading trunks apart by making a relief cut. I am wondering if it is worth trying to partially cut and spread the trunks apart so that the smaller one grows away from the larger one not towards it? Is this worth doing? How?

 

[fourteener]

You've got a main trunk with cool scars, bark that's grown irregular and it has some visual interest. Then the second trunk is straight like a broom handle. It's dull, uninteresting, and detracts from what is interesting.

For the future I'd say it has to go. Don't let uninteresting things compete for space. You might keep it for now. You might get it to branch out and find a new more interesting leader down the road. That long straight run serves no visual purpose.

The trunk on the main tree has some good potential!!

 

[Poink88]

I agree with fourteener...I'll remove that smaller trunk in a heartbeat.

Even now, a lopper will take care of it fast.

 

[travislivid]

That was my gut thinking the minute I had it potted up and took a step back. The saw was telling me "do it".

As always thanks for the courage.

 

[Jason_mazzy]

unless you can rig a spreader of some sort. If you can rig a jack style spreader I think a double trunk would be interesting.

 

[fourteener]

That was my gut thinking the minute I had it potted up and took a step back. The saw was telling me "do it".

As always thanks for the courage.

It's nice to see if people see the same thing you do!!