Problematic hornbeam trunk - advice needed on wound management/closure

[zeejet]

I recently got a great deal on a Korean Hornbeam that is maybe a year or two out from a trunk chop. However, the material has some issues near the chop - namely two large water spouts that look like they also need to go but I am unsure as to how to remove them without creating additional issues since they may overlap with the existing trunk chop wound.

Do I leave these alone for now? Or do I start gradually reducing them and live with the fact that it may take a long time to heal? Are there other options or approaches to this?

 

[Cmd5235]

I can’t see the other side of the trunk, but I would let it grow out like crazy this year and build up energy. Next spring, I’d cut everything off and start all over again- chop that trunk below all of the existing branches and totally regrow. Cut it flat across, seal the cut, see where it throws buds, and then V-cut the following year to redevelop the top and taper.

 

[zeejet]

I can’t see the other side of the trunk, but I would let it grow out like crazy this year and build up energy. Next spring, I’d cut everything off and start all over again- chop that trunk below all of the existing branches and totally regrow. Cut it flat across, seal the cut, see where it throws buds, and then V-cut the following year to redevelop the top and taper.

Thanks for the opinion! My only concern is how low the chop will be - I want this to be fairly large eventually and the chop would put it at around 5 inches in height, which would results in a final height of around 15", which isn't very big at all - unless this rule is a loose guideline and I can still work this trunk to be taller with a lower trunk chop.

 

[Gabler]

Mach 5 advised me that hornbeam chops are slow to heal, and it's sometimes better to create a deadwood feature. He recommended it for one of my trees which has put on substantial growth above the wound but made only a small amount of progress toward healing.

Take that with a grain of salt because your tree is not my tree.

My own inclination would be to chop the tree lower and try to develop it as a broom. I like a good broom. Before you chop, thread graft some branches where you want them, so you don't need to pray for buds in the correct places.

 

[rockm]

I'd just cut all of that knotty top growth off below where it begins and start over on an apex. If you try to use what's there, it's going to be an odd looking mess down the road as all those wounds push callus tissue and growth from their edges.

Nest spring, Start clean just below the current trunk chop.

Also I will second and third Mach 5's assessment that hornbeam closes big chop wounds slowly, sometimes V-E-R-Y slowly. That's why I chuckle when someone posts a huge collected hornbeam with a massive 5" or more trunk chop. Twenty years from now, it MAY be close to covering the deadwood...

This tree isn't all that large, so it will cover the wound in a few years. Leave subsequent growth alone next year and the next after the trunk chop and let it get a head of steam going before cutting it back.

 

[zeejet]

I'd just cut all of that knotty top growth off below where it begins and start over on an apex. If you try to use what's there, it's going to be an odd looking mess down the road as all those wounds push callus tissue and growth from their edges.

Nest spring, Start clean just below the current trunk chop.

Also I will second and third Mach 5's assessment that hornbeam closes big chop wounds slowly, sometimes V-E-R-Y slowly. That's why I chuckle when someone posts a huge collected hornbeam with a massive 5" or more trunk chop. Twenty years from now, it MAY be close to covering the deadwood...

This tree isn't all that large, so it will cover the wound in a few years. Leave subsequent growth alone next year and the next after the trunk chop and let it get a head of steam going before cutting it back.

Thanks for the advice - starting to get some buyers remorse now haha - maybe this will be a good learning experience though as it require a lot of techniques to get going it seems.

Mach 5 advised me that hornbeam chops are slow to heal, and it's sometimes better to create a deadwood feature. He recommended it for one of my trees which has put on substantial growth above the wound but made only a small amount of progress toward healing.

Take that with a grain of salt because your tree is not my tree.

My own inclination would be to chop the tree lower and try to develop it as a broom. I like a good broom. Before you chop, thread graft some branches where you want them, so you don't need to pray for buds in the correct places.

I'm not the biggest fan of brooms, but I'll consider it! Also, how long to thread grafts take to set? Will I need to postpone the chop for another season?

It seems like the prevailing advice here is to chop next spring just below the problematic growth and start development over - my question about final tree height still remains - will the chop height limit the optimal final design height?

 

[Gabler]

will the chop height limit the optimal final design height?

In theory, no.

 

[AshleyMammal]

As ever, there's a quick way and a long way with bonsai. A complete fresh chop may be considered the 'correct' way of doing things but it will set you back a good few years and still require healing.

A little clean up as below will keep the taper you've got going on. The first branch nub will probably require a bit of creative knob-cutting in the future but I don't think it's insurmountable.

 

[zeejet]

OK, this is a bit off topic but still pertains to this particular tree.

Is this even a Korean Hornbeam? After looking into other varieties more closely, I noticed that the bark and trunk are more in line with an American Hornbeam (smooth bark and muscle-y appearance of the trunk).

 

[leatherback]

As ever, there's a quick way and a long way with bonsai. A complete fresh chop may be considered the 'correct' way of doing things but it will set you back a good few years and still require healing.

A little clean up as below will keep the taper you've got going on.

Hm.. I would challenge the premise that "cleaning up" as proposed is a quicker way. I doubt it is. Larger pruning wounds will be the result, and the tree will have a harder time growing over odd-shaped wounds. A smooth, freh cut with a leader allowed to grow might actually heal faster. Unless of course, healing the wound is not the aim.

 

[zeejet]

Hm.. I would challenge the premise that "cleaning up" as proposed is a quicker way. I doubt it is. Larger pruning wounds will be the result, and the tree will have a harder time growing over odd-shaped wounds. A smooth, freh cut with a leader allowed to grow might actually heal faster. Unless of course, healing the wound is not the aim.

The goal is to develop the tree as quickly as reasonably possible, which might be best served by a clean cut below all of the troublesome growth (the separate water spouts). However, if there is a way to clean up the water spouts while keeping the existing leader (looks maybe 2-3 years old considering KH is a very slow grower), that might save time too. Unfortunately, trying to carve this tree with preserving the existing growth may lead to a very messy wound that may never close at all.

I have no experience with a tree (or wound) this large - and considering the slow growth rate, I'm a bit paralyzed by the choice. For now, I'm letting it re-establish and gain vigor (seller shipped it without a pot in the summer - essentially came bareroot - not sure what they were thinking). This was actually also a huge gamble since we do not get proper winter chill temps here in San Diego (average winter lows are only about 50F with <100hr under 45F - essentially borderline Zone 10b/11a). I'm not even sure this thing will survive long term as it might never get a proper dormancy out here.