Some Carve and Burn on KH

[Johnnyd]

I was re-scaring the edges of the hollow on my triple trunk Korean hornbeam when I discovered more deadwood rot . Took out my carving tools and lighter to see if I can make this into a feature. Just burned it enough to get an idea of how it will look. Thats all for now. Going to think about it a bit.
Some possible directions.
Patch it and let it heal over.(this was my initial intention)
Make it more of a feature/ larger hollow. (@BobbyLane style )
Or leave it be and let it rot naturally.
What do you think?

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

Since it’s mostly healed over, I would say to heal it over. Fill the hole with a two part epoxy and keep the callus a-rolling!

 

[Johnnyd]

I looked at it for a day decided to fill it in with some Dap liquid wood putty.
I like the idea of uro on an Oak but KH may not be a good fit. I like the combination of a rough bark species with a hollow. Some aged rough bark material might be more complimentary.

 

[LanceMac10]

"Carvin' ain't easy!"

Nice!!

 

[BobbyLane]

I looked at it for a day decided to fill it in with some Dap liquid wood putty.
I like the idea of uro on an Oak but KH may not be a good fit. I like the combination of a rough bark species with a hollow. Some aged rough bark material might be more complimentary.
View attachment 241609

yeh, it has to speak to you. sometimes it just doesnt look right or maybe your eye just wasnt used to it yet. sometimes a change can take a while for it to grow on you. during that time you might be thinking ok if i did this or that, it would look better and be more convincing. but you could also make it worse!

at first, i wasnt happy with the work i did on this large chop

20170825_172554 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20170825_183742 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i thought the staining looked a little contrived and somehow the smaller uro off to the left, didnt really fit with the large on, no flow
IMG_5386 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

so i tried to get more detail in there
20170924_134115 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

then i decided to tie in the smaller uro with the big one, but still not quite happy with the big hollow as tool marks were quite visible, i still wasnt convinced
IMG_5551 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

so i took the hollow even deeper and gave it some layering
20180717_190156 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

by now its beginning to gain character
IMG_7115 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

then i added another small uro where a large root was removed and im happy with the image finally

obviously with your tree, there isnt much bulk to work with. i think the uro would of looked ok but maybe you need to fill in the branch structure to take your eye somewhere else.

 

[Johnnyd]

Wow! Big improvement on the ridge to be left. Looks spooky!

 

[Johnnyd]

A few changes after some encouragement from my bnut friends.

 

[Smoke]

Sexxy....

 

[Johnnyd]

On a branch above the uro I have leaf discoloration. Not sure if it is due to stress or maybe some lime sulfur getting into the roots. I put it in the shade and throughly rinsed the soil. Maybe next time I will dilute the lime sulfer. Maybe fumes are the cause?
Any guidance for preventing this is appreciated.

 

[BobbyLane]

ive seen that before. it could be fungal. or it could be compromised sap flow. im not entirely sure. wonder if @Paulpash knows?

anyway, in the past ive cut off affected leaves and new ones have grown in place. not a big deal really. its not lime sulphur. fwiw ive never, ever used LS on deciduous trees apart from with water added for a winter wash.

 

[Johnnyd]

ive seen that before. it could be fungal. or it could be compromised sap flow. im not entirely sure. wonder if @Paulpash knows?

anyway, in the past ive cut off affected leaves and new ones have grown in place. not a big deal really. its not lime sulphur. fwiw ive never, ever used LS on deciduous trees apart from with water added for a winter wash.

Thanks Bobby!
I combined dye and straight lime sulfur .

 

[Paulpash]

Did you use a blowtorch on the uro? If it's localized leaves & you have not protected them they can go this colour if they get a bit scorched. Spilling Lime Sulphur on the surface would affect the whole tree, not just one area, by raising alkalinity to dangerous levels - fumes won't affect anything. However you'd have to be pretty careless and spill a lot. FWIW I wouldn't use LS on deciduous species - it never looks right - too bright.

Did this happen straight after work you did on the uro? Did you carve anything else on the tree or just this?

 

[Johnnyd]

Thank for the response Paul.
I burned it then painted with a mix of LS and ink. Only1 uro was done. Used a small lighter torch. A small amount of the mix dripped down the front of the trunk. Rinsed it off with water.

The carving was done Monday night and the discoloration was only present Wednesday morning. A few small leaves on the branch were unaffected. I left them on and removed the discolored ones.

 

[Paulpash]

Thank for the response Paul.
I burned it then painted with a mix of LS and ink. Only1 uro was done. Used a small lighter torch. A small amount of the mix dripped down the front of the trunk. Rinsed it off with water.

The carving was done Monday night and the discoloration was only present Wednesday morning. A few small leaves on the branch were unaffected. I left them on and removed the discolored ones.

If you didn't protect the foliage above with a wet rag the heat might have cooked the leaves above a bit - that's my 'educated' guess. Hornbeam leaves are pretty sensitive and the edges can go brown just due to heat or wind.

Be aware that it may be a crap shoot if the tree decides to push leaves again on that branch this year but it should be fine long term, especially if there's some leaves pulling sap along it still.

Edit: are you sure it's a Korean Hornbeam? It sure looks like European to me (Carpinus Betulus).

 

[erb.75]

yeh, it has to speak to you. sometimes it just doesnt look right or maybe your eye just wasnt used to it yet. sometimes a change can take a while for it to grow on you. during that time you might be thinking ok if i did this or that, it would look better and be more convincing. but you could also make it worse!

at first, i wasnt happy with the work i did on this large chop

20170825_172554 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20170825_183742 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i thought the staining looked a little contrived and somehow the smaller uro off to the left, didnt really fit with the large on, no flow
IMG_5386 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

so i tried to get more detail in there
20170924_134115 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

then i decided to tie in the smaller uro with the big one, but still not quite happy with the big hollow as tool marks were quite visible, i still wasnt convinced
IMG_5551 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

so i took the hollow even deeper and gave it some layering
20180717_190156 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

by now its beginning to gain character
IMG_7115 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

then i added another small uro where a large root was removed and im happy with the image finally

obviously with your tree, there isnt much bulk to work with. i think the uro would of looked ok but maybe you need to fill in the branch structure to take your eye somewhere else.

do you preserve the wood with something like PC wood hardener?

 

[erb.75]

yeh, it has to speak to you. sometimes it just doesnt look right or maybe your eye just wasnt used to it yet. sometimes a change can take a while for it to grow on you. during that time you might be thinking ok if i did this or that, it would look better and be more convincing. but you could also make it worse!

at first, i wasnt happy with the work i did on this large chop

20170825_172554 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20170825_183742 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i thought the staining looked a little contrived and somehow the smaller uro off to the left, didnt really fit with the large on, no flow
IMG_5386 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

so i tried to get more detail in there
20170924_134115 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

then i decided to tie in the smaller uro with the big one, but still not quite happy with the big hollow as tool marks were quite visible, i still wasnt convinced
IMG_5551 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

so i took the hollow even deeper and gave it some layering
20180717_190156 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

by now its beginning to gain character
IMG_7115 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

then i added another small uro where a large root was removed and im happy with the image finally

obviously with your tree, there isnt much bulk to work with. i think the uro would of looked ok but maybe you need to fill in the branch structure to take your eye somewhere else.

really like the tree!

 

[Johnnyd]

If you didn't protect the foliage above with a wet rag the heat might have cooked the leaves above a bit - that's my 'educated' guess. Hornbeam leaves are pretty sensitive and the edges can go brown just due to heat or wind.

Be aware that it may be a crap shoot if the tree decides to push leaves again on that branch this year but it should be fine long term, especially if there's some leaves pulling sap along it still.

Edit: are you sure it's a Korean Hornbeam? It sure looks like European to me (Carpinus Betulus).

Yes it may be EH.
I read that I should have left the carved wood dry out before applying the lime.
Ma Ke warned that the xylem can absorb the lime and affect the tree.

 

[BobbyLane]

do you preserve the wood with something like PC wood hardener?

i use nothing

 

[Johnnyd]

If you didn't protect the foliage above with a wet rag the heat might have cooked the leaves above a bit - that's my 'educated' guess. Hornbeam leaves are pretty sensitive and the edges can go brown just due to heat or wind.

Be aware that it may be a crap shoot if the tree decides to push leaves again on that branch this year but it should be fine long term, especially if there's some leaves pulling sap along it still.

Edit: are you sure it's a Korean Hornbeam? It sure looks like European to me (Carpinus Betulus).

I've been trying to figure out what kind of Hornbeam I have. I came across this in my search. The marker according to the article is hairy twigs. I took a close up picture of the branch where I removed damaged leaves. C. turczaninovii /Chonowski Hornbeam?

If you didn't protect the foliage above with a wet rag the heat might have cooked the leaves above a bit - that's my 'educated' guess. Hornbeam leaves are pretty sensitive and the edges can go brown just due to heat or wind.

Be aware that it may be a crap shoot if the tree decides to push leaves again on that branch this year but it should be fine long term, especially if there's some leaves pulling sap along it still.

Edit: are you sure it's a Korean Hornbeam? It sure looks like European to me (Carpinus Betulus).

 

[Paulpash]

I've been trying to figure out what kind of Hornbeam I have. I came across this in my search. The marker according to the article is hairy twigs. I took a close up picture of the branch where I removed damaged leaves. C. turczaninovii /Chonowski Hornbeam?
View attachment 252946View attachment 252947

View attachment 252949

Korean Hornbeam has bronze, reddish leaves when they first open then they change to green as they mature. EH is just green with no hint of red. Does yours show red tinges in Spring and also a colorful Autumn show?

The KH I had (wow maybe 20 years back) was quite well ramified and had smaller leaves than appears on yours but this could be due to it being more developed rather than being a different variety.