Tilia cordata/small leaf lime/linden rebuild?

[MrWunderful]

Thanks to you all for your input. Earlier in the spring I repotted the tree in order to check the root system. It seemed healthy, I carried out some minor root pruning etc and I exchanged the organic soil it was in for a large grade 1:1:1 Akadama: lava: pumice mix.

Im not sure what kind of pruning/pinching regime it has previously been under so I can’t really comment on that.

I think the thing to do is to give it a year of free growth to recharge itself and get a good food store for winter. If it enters dormancy looking healthy I might take the whole thing back to stubs in the winter, hoping that in spring it will bud up like crazy and give me some good bud locations to select some branches. I’m still undecided about retaining some of the lower branches. Maybe il chop them, but leave them a few inches longer in the hopes of getting some buds out on them to give them a head start, thickness-wise...

That plan is exactly what I would do.

 

[CptnGlyn]

So, my area of the UK experienced a pretty terrible growing season overall this year, and I thought I would give an update on this lime.

You will see that the silhouette of the tree remains exactly the same. This tree leafed out, and then sat there for the remainder of the year, putting on no extension growth at all. It did retain its leaves much later than it did last year (I acquired it end of august 2020 and it’s leaves were on the turn then) and it has popped buds all over its branches and trunk.

So the consideration is: Do I carry out the cut back work this winter? Should I retain the branches and cut back to buds or fully cut to the trunk? Should I give it another year of rejuvenation? Should I Airlayer off the top this spring to use as a little tree and then rebuild the top of the trunkline on this along with the branch structure?

All thoughts/opinions/criticisms/questions welcome!

 

[leatherback]

Why did the tree not grow? Did you fertilize? Lots of Light? Plenty of water?

 

[CptnGlyn]

Why did the tree not grow? Did you fertilize? Lots of Light? Plenty of water?

The tree was fertilised quite strongly, with solid fertiliser pellets in line with the instructions on the pack, and an occasional blast of a stronger liquid fertiliser.
The tree had full sunlight to dappled shade all year, and was watered well, primarily with collected rain water (my tap water is hard as nails).

As for the lack of growth, I’m embarrassed to say I have no idea. Previously the apical buds were the only remaining buds on the tree, so the presence of many axillary buds makes me think that it is doing ‘better’ than it was. Perhaps it was more unhealthy than I first realised when I got it, and I was blinded by the ‘bargain’.

 

[leatherback]

[I think if you trim back now and leave 2-3 buds on each branch you should be fine by the way. Full of buds as you said: Looks ready to do some growing in 2022]

 

[JudyB]

The tree was fertilised quite strongly, with solid fertiliser pellets in line with the instructions on the pack, and an occasional blast of a stronger liquid fertiliser.
The tree had full sunlight to dappled shade all year, and was watered well, primarily with collected rain water (my tap water is hard as nails).

As for the lack of growth, I’m embarrassed to say I have no idea. Previously the apical buds were the only remaining buds on the tree, so the presence of many axillary buds makes me think that it is doing ‘better’ than it was. Perhaps it was more unhealthy than I first realised when I got it, and I was blinded by the ‘bargain’.

I wonder if the tree is very root bound and that might have caused the stalling of growth. I would look to improve it's health before doing any drastic work to it. If it's not growing well you may limit it's ability to generate energy if you cut a lot off. I would see if a repot can help this along before any other work. But an air layer could be done after an assessment of good health.

Edit: Ooops, just saw the post where you repotted, so maybe this year it'll take off!

 

[CptnGlyn]

I wonder if the tree is very root bound and that might have caused the stalling of growth. I would look to improve it's health before doing any drastic work to it. If it's not growing well you may limit it's ability to generate energy if you cut a lot off. I would see if a repot can help this along before any other work. But an air layer could be done after an assessment of good health.

Edit: Ooops, just saw the post where you repotted, so maybe this year it'll take off!

Yes I repotted in spring ‘21 (following purchase in august ‘20) into a open grained inorganic soil as the tree seemed to be in ‘generic mud’. I didn’t go too hard on root pruning, there were a few longer ones I pruned back but no ‘reduction’ or anything drastic.

 

[CptnGlyn]

maybe this year it'll take off!

Well it’s certainly doing something!! Buds popping all over the place!

Excuse the little white ptfe tape ‘bandage’, my toddler snapped one of the branches a couple of months back, hoping it will graft itself. (Not snapped off completely, just like a miniature hazard beam/delamination crack)

 

[JudyB]

Well it’s certainly doing something!! Buds popping all over the place!

Excuse the little white ptfe tape ‘bandage’, my toddler snapped one of the branches a couple of months back, hoping it will graft itself. (Not snapped off completely, just like a miniature hazard beam/delamination crack)

That is great to see. Whatever you did worked well.

 

[CptnGlyn]

Well this tree launched into growth and had a good start to the year. Unfortunately the latter part was blighted by a ridiculous heatwave and an attack of scale insects. Anyhow, I decided to cut it back to new buds, leaving plenty of new ones on the interior… il probably cut back harder once the inner buds develop into shoots next spring. The white at the base is simply limescale from my hard as nails tap water- I got through all of my rain water in the heatwave

 

[CptnGlyn]

Sorry, here it is in late spring this year.

 

[BobbyLane]

So, my area of the UK experienced a pretty terrible growing season overall this year, and I thought I would give an update on this lime.

You will see that the silhouette of the tree remains exactly the same. This tree leafed out, and then sat there for the remainder of the year, putting on no extension growth at all. It did retain its leaves much later than it did last year (I acquired it end of august 2020 and it’s leaves were on the turn then) and it has popped buds all over its branches and trunk.

So the consideration is: Do I carry out the cut back work this winter? Should I retain the branches and cut back to buds or fully cut to the trunk? Should I give it another year of rejuvenation? Should I Airlayer off the top this spring to use as a little tree and then rebuild the top of the trunkline on this along with the branch structure?

All thoughts/opinions/criticisms/questions welcome!

at this point I would of removed the weeds, to check for grubs.

 

[BobbyLane]

Well this tree launched into growth and had a good start to the year. Unfortunately the latter part was blighted by a ridiculous heatwave and an attack of scale insects. Anyhow, I decided to cut it back to new buds, leaving plenty of new ones on the interior… il probably cut back harder once the inner buds develop into shoots next spring. The white at the base is simply limescale from my hard as nails tap water- I got through all of my rain water in the heatwave

We dont get much sun here, so when heatwaves come you need to take advantage, as in feed and water copiously and Linden will definitely thrive. again id remove the weeds weeds will suck nutrients and moisture from the tree and hamper drainage. scale tend to attack weakened trees. bug clear should keep pests at bay, but just keeping an eye on your trees will usually prevent anything from gaining a foothold. this tree just looks like its never been cut back hard enough, never really had any wire applied and suffered from a little neglect. going by the pics, looks like there was some opportunites to cut it back a bit harder as well.

 

[CptnGlyn]

We dont get much sun here, so when heatwaves come you need to take advantage, as in feed and water copiously and Linden will definitely thrive. again id remove the weeds weeds will suck nutrients and moisture from the tree and hamper drainage. scale tend to attack weakened trees. bug clear should keep pests at bay, but just keeping an eye on your trees will usually prevent anything from gaining a foothold. this tree just looks like its never been cut back hard enough, never really had any wire applied and suffered from a little neglect. going by the pics, looks like there was some opportunites to cut it back a bit harder as well.

Yeah I’ve been a bit strapped for time this year between work, a toddler and part time study, the weeds have gotten away from me a bit. Il hopefully get out there for some weeding at the weekend
You are right, there are interior buds to the ones I cut back to, I simply cut to the more or less the innermost of the larger buds in most cases. Perhaps I need to be braver with it .
It’s certainly doing better than it was when I got it though, it originally had solely apical buds on the tips of the branches so we are moving (slowly) in the right direction vitality wise.