Newly Collected American Hornbeam

[JoeR]

This is one for @sorce and @Zach Smith ! Thanks for your help!


A feminine American Hornbeam twin trunk, smallest tree I am collecting this year. It is potted in an oil pan, with 100% DE Napa Oil Dry and a layer of my normal mix [pumice, lava, bark] in the bottom. It is unsifted and was NOT washed prior to potting. I am hoping that the roots will choose the soil they prefer. There is a method to my madness for not washing it. In another thread here on B-Nut, an interesting 'technique' was mentioned. It was said that the run-off water from washing the DE could be captured and then sprayed on trees with aphids and other pests, claiming that it dehydrates them. I am hoping to have this same effect here. I also know that American Hornbeam grow along river banks in rich moist soils; this one was in clay. I am hoping that the small partical DE will be similar to its native soil in terms of water retention and density, but still have good air exchange and drainage.


Blame Sorce if it doesnt work!


I swear, the pictures do this tree NO justice. I think the issue is that it is very big, and in order to get a full picture of it I have to stand far away. It makes the trunks look much thinner. Also my phone camera sucks so that doesnt help.


Has a 3"+ base with small uro buried, main trunk is a little over 1". Probably not the best front, I will take better photos of the whole tree at a later date. Over three feet tall.


Leaving photos as thumbnails because they are oversized.

 

[JoeR]

I was not able to collect enough roots to support all of the twigs, less than you see in the second photo.

 

[sorce]

It is unsifted and was NOT washed prior to potting.

Blame M.Frary if it doesnt work!

You have already cleared me from blame!

You Avatarless People DO hate me!

I'm already neck deep JoeR!

Lol.

JoeR's contribution to Sniping and Bickering for 2016!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

I'm sorry I freaked...

The pictures look nice.
But I will have to return later...
Composed!

Sorce

 

[JoeR]

You have already cleared me from blame!

You Avatarless People DO hate me!

I'm already neck deep JoeR!

Lol.

JoeR's contribution to Sniping and Bickering for 2016!

Sorce

You know how I said I can understand most of your posts?

This is not one!

Prob because I have not read that sniping thread.


I did water it until the water ran clear. Maybe avoids the purpose but whatever. I wore a mask, no worry

 

[BMV Bonsai]

Nice find Joe,
@zachkent29 and I went scouting for some stuff yesterday but due to some time constraints we just marked trees to come back to in a couple weeks. Most were American hornbeam as well. I'll post a thread with our dug up stuff when that time comes.

 

[JoeR]

Nice find Joe,
@zachkent29 and I went scouting for some stuff yesterday but due to some time constraints we just marked trees to come back to in a couple weeks. Most were American hornbeam as well. I'll post a thread with our dug up stuff when that time comes.

Please do!


Probably going to end up killing this one if I didnt already, as this is only my second tree that I have collected. Plenty more out there though.


I love its naturally fine twiggy-ness. I actually just really like the species in general so far, I hope to find more. This one was just one in my backyard.

 

[Zach Smith]

You know how I said I can understand most of your posts?

This is not one!

Prob because I have not read that sniping thread.


I did water it until the water ran clear. Maybe avoids the purpose but whatever. I wore a mask, no worry

Joe, you really need to chop this tree back to about 1' in height. It's way too tall as it is, lacking the proportions you need to make it look like a real tree. If you do chop, be sure to seal the cut ends. Also, you need to bring those roots way back in. Go to my site and read today's blog about severe root pruning upon collection. You might find it helpful. If not for this specimen, then for the next one.

Zach

 

[BMV Bonsai]

I have had good success over the past 2 winters collecting beech... and hornbeam seem to be heartier than them. This will be my first winter collecting hornbem, but @Zach Smith at Bonsai South seems to have good luck collecting them in winter too. Hopefully this mild winter continues, just protect it well if a harsh freeze is coming.

 

[JoeR]

Joe, you really need to chop this tree back to about 1' in height. It's way too tall as it is, lacking the proportions you need to make it look like a real tree. If you do chop, be sure to seal the cut ends. Also, you need to bring those roots way back in. Go to my site and read today's blog about severe root pruning upon collection. You might find it helpful. If not for this specimen, then for the next one.

Zach

Thanks Zach, you have been a tremendous wealth of knowledge for me.


Something came up, and I was not able to finish the top part so I will look into chopping it lower Monday.


As far as root reduction, I think it is too late for this one. I would have brought them back further IF I knew what/how many twiggs I would use. I think quite a few of them are useable so I wanted to leave feeders for those.



And of course, its going to be 20° Monday night. Have to figure out protection for this one now...

 

[Zach Smith]

American hornbeam is hardy to Canada, so just make sure your root zone is protected considering the tree's just been lifted. I've never lost one to the cold, even in our 2014 wintry snow and ice adventure.

 

[sorce]

You know how I said I can understand most of your posts?

This is not one!

Prob because I have not read that sniping thread.


I did water it until the water ran clear. Maybe avoids the purpose but whatever. I wore a mask, no worry

You see I put Frary in the blame quote!
Hehehe.

SIFT!

Sorce

 

[Giga]

American hornbeam is hardy to Canada, so just make sure your root zone is protected considering the tree's just been lifted. I've never lost one to the cold, even in our 2014 wintry snow and ice adventure.

So hornbeam would be best to collect now, and just protect from bad freezes? I would think that early spring would be best?

 

[Zach Smith]

You can collect hornbeam from now until the buds begin to swell. Once they start leafing out, my success rate has been zero. Could be me, but I don't think they like being disturbed once growth begins. This isn't true of all deciduous species. You can collect bald cypress after they start coming out and they'll generally come back. Wait till May or June for sweetgum. Be sure to defoliate in both cases.

Zach

 

[Giga]

Hmmm, I've never collect deciduous in winter, I've always collect in very early to mid spring before leaf out. Maybe I'll try a hornbeam or two to try this out. Do you bare root them @Zach Smith like you would in spring? Or just keep as much intact(soil it's collected in) as you can? Then I'd imagine protect from freezing so they go in my garage for the rest of winter.

Yeah I collect my baldy in early summer and it did fine.

 

[Zach Smith]

I always wash off all native soil on my deciduous trees, then cut back the roots for proper tapering down the road and to ensure they'll fit in a bonsai pot. Nothing more aggravating that having to chop roots twice on the same tree.

The only species I've found that don't seem to like being collected in winter are sweetgum and water-elm (May/June and summer through fall, respectively).

Zach

 

[JoeR]

It's alive!



Hopefully it won't crap out on me after budding out.

 

[will0911]

if its been this long and is just putting out leaves now it should be fine.

 

[JoeR]

Definitely regret not chopping this thing lower. Noob mistake!

Oh well, just a years growth wasted- next February I will be chopping to about the red lines. Pictures against the white backround make it look especially thin, its not like that irl. I also dont know where the best front is yet...

 

[JoeR]

Wow I haven’t updated this thread in a while huh?

Well let’s do it!

She got a repot yesterday, old one was jam packed with roots and muddy akadama. Some roots even circled the pot a couple times. I think I bought the wrong brand of akadama tbh. But who knows. I still don’t know what to do with that huge root, so I reduced it by about half and sealed again. Maybe I’ll carve it in the future or graft a seedling to it? I don’t know yet. I also want the two larger trunks pushed away from each other more but I’m not sure what to use that won’t damage the trunks.