English Oak Yardadori

[cishepard]

I just collected this English Oak from an alleyway (got permission from the city) and the trunk went way deeper into the ground than I was hoping, with roots coming out all along the length. I think I should cut off a large section of the underground portion, but my question is how many roots to save? The more roots, the longer the thick section will be, that will have to be cut off again, later, but I don’t think oaks are like some deci where you can start with hardly any roots … Any advice, please?

 

[cishepard]

“but I don’t think oaks are like some deciduous where you can start with hardly any roots …”

 

[CptnGlyn]

If it were mine I would wrap a wire around the thick section just below the higher roots (roughly in the upper portion of that scuff mark).
I would hope over time this would result in the tree ground layering, and a new set of roots growing above the wire.
This way you can keep as many roots as possible now for the best chance of survival, and you can then cut the lower thick section off over the next few repots.

 

[rollwithak]

I’m curious to see if that tree makes it. Not a lot of surface roots, looks to me like you had to cut off the tap root that had all the feeder roots

Wishing you two all the best luck! Keep us posted

 

[cishepard]

I’m curious to see if that tree makes it. Not a lot of surface roots, looks to me like you had to cut off the tap root that had all the feeder roots

Wishing you two all the best luck! Keep us posted

Probably, but it was getting down into a very rocky hardpan that I was not equipped to deal with. It was also growing close between a concrete wall and some pavement. I hope it makes it, it has a lovely curvy trunk, but no nebari to speak of …

 

[cishepard]

Well, I felt like I had to do something with it today, So I cut it at the red line, put a tight wire around the trunk at the green line, dusted some rooting hormone around the wire, planted it in a sphagnum moss heavy mix and set it in my unheated greenhouse with mulch piled around the pot. And added an orgone energy pyramid for extra measure ; )

 

[rollwithak]

Well, I felt like I had to do something with it today, So I cut it at the red line, put a tight wire around the trunk at the green line, dusted some rooting hormone around the wire, planted it in a sphagnum moss heavy mix and set it in my unheated greenhouse with mulch piled around the pot. And added an orgone energy pyramid for extra measure ; )

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Gosh I hope that lives. Cool little tree. All you’re missing is a quartz crystal now

 

[BrianBay9]

I wouldn't bother doing anything with it for at least a year. Hope it lives, thrives, then start working it.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

Did it survive?