Small Eastern Hemlock development

[ABCarve]

This is a tree from earlier in the thread the was collected (2016) in a quasi-swamp. I remove a bit more of it each year and pinch it lightly just to keep it in check. I'm not sure where its going, but each time I water it I see something new. I like to style trees in years and not in a few hours. Eventually it will make itself evident. The close up is to show how its healing.

 

[ABCarve]

This is also from earlier in the thread and is trying to be my litter-ratty. I've put it into this large shallow pot to help it develop a nebari which was non-existent when it was started. Not sure this will ever amount to much but it presents me with a challenge and that's how I learn. Eventually, it'll get a more appropriate pot or at least what I think is appropriate.

 

[GGB]

Certainly worth the space in the garden. I'd actually love to have an upright one, just because that's how I see them near me. I want to try something narrow and conical. Probably boring to anyone with skill but I'm still new. It's a nice manageable, logical way to style a tree until I have better vision with raw material

 

[ABCarve]

Certainly worth the space in the garden. I'd actually love to have an upright one, just because that's how I see them near me. I want to try something narrow and conical. Probably boring to anyone with skill but I'm still new. It's a nice manageable, logical way to style a tree until I have better vision with raw material

Well put......It's their natural growth habit.

 

[Wilson]

Here are the three I have kickin around. They are awkward to photograph right now, though the dish rack adds some class.?

 

[ABCarve]

Buds are getting quite tight. However, not sure how long I can keep it this size. Maybe rounding out the crown?

 

[Wilson]

That's coming along great! You really have the eastern hemlock figured out.

 

[Aeast]

Bringing this back up with a couple of mine..

 

[ABCarve]

Bringing this back up with a couple of mine..

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Looking good! I'll be curious to see the little guy develop.

 

[Aeast]

Thanks and me too. That was my first that I collected so hopefully I can make something decent. Nor real sure how to address the apex yet.

 

[Aeast]

David, do you have a picture of the hemlock you worked on in your recent presentation in Cleveland? I'm interested to see how it turned out.

 

[ABCarve]

David, do you have a picture of the hemlock you worked on in your recent presentation in Cleveland? I'm interested to see how it turned out.

I really didn’t have time to actually style it. Mostly it just got repotted into smaller pot and the heavy lower branch was chopped back. I didn’t want to beat it up more than that. The program was largely a slide progression of the large one. I might try to work on it after the summer cut back.

 

[Aeast]

Do you think you'll eventually take off the entire top of this tree and just use the large section to the left? That would be a pretty interesting hemlock.

 

[ABCarve]

Do you think you'll eventually take off the entire top of this tree and just use the large section to the left? That would be a pretty interesting hemlock.

There are actually two tops. The trunk splits above the lower left branch and I’ll have to choose a primary top. The tree is a bit one sided, so it will be a challenge to make that work. I’ve seen it done before on some of Walter Palls spruces. Persevere and the rest will make itself evident.

 

[ABCarve]

Second flush

 

[ABCarve]

@Aeast I took your advice....chop chop. I'll keep observing, the rest will make itself evident. Definitely not a formal upright!

 

[ABCarve]

The most vigorous extensions of tender new growth is being pinched pinched back to its first bifurcation almost daily. Seems to be the only way to keep the growth from getting away from me. I've never seen it more vigorous.

 

[ABCarve]

Here we go again. This tree had a great growing season last year and a serious cut back is due.

 

[ABCarve]

First— needle reduction is getting better.
This shows one branch with a white paper under it to show the density and after trimming. This is the most aggressive cut back since I collected it.

 

[ABCarve]

I’m not sure this tree can maintain this size. I’ll be curious as to how it buds out after such a severe pruning. Maintaining any kind of pad distinction is fairly difficult. I don’t have that problem with the larger hemlock.