Tsuga Canadensis study group

[WinstonWolfe]

Grafting

single-point graft may be the answer, IF you can bend the branch w/o breaking it.

www.bonsainut.com

I've never tried any grafting so for my experience level, both thread, and single point seem to be the best options. The lower right is quite barren with a thick enough base to attempt the single point easily.
Is now a good time to try grafting, or is it too late in the season?

>>>>wire this weekend
wait until fall IMO

I'm not planning to go crazy with it. A couple guy wires, and moving some small wispy branches into a better location. I think it'll help determine a future direction. plus there is the poorly wired branch on the lower left that points back toward the base... it was a drunken demo for a friend that never got removed hehe

But I love windswept

I also am a fan of the windswept style, but I'm not feeling it in this case. In the next couple seasons, I'll probably shorten the tree 4-6" and wire a new leader.
It will never be an decent formal upright, but if I can clamp the movement out (where you suggested the air layer) then, continue to chase the foliage back, and resolve the fat brach issue with grafting, then its starting to look like something. Definitely a long term project, but might be ready for a show in another 5 years

How about cleaning up previous cuts on tsuga in general? Ive been leaving the collar, but now they are lumpy.
Can I shave them off, hit it with paste, and expect a more flush wound, or do I need to carve out in order for it to heal flush?
Finally, when would you suggest doing the previous scar clean up actions?

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Yes but we work w/what we have. If you can get a replacement started by cutting back...

Yes from me on this. If it's healthy I'd cut back hard to force back buds. I have had good luck getting new buds on older wood.
>>>>wire this weekend
wait until fall IMO

I’m a advocate of lob-sided trees . Foliage/ roots . Been successful for my . Especially with my arborvitae. ( Yamabeaver ) and others . What I mean by that . The idea of foliage and roots in balance . Is a refinement ideal . Trees in development . Get the tree healthy . Let the top grow let the roots grow . Well fed after a repot . Say 1/2 way to next repot . That’s when you cut back hard . The healthy large root mass will force . Regrowing . Ie back budding . The reverse is also true.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

there is no rush, so maybe try @Underdog s approach for a while and try and get some back budding. I found that with a nice large sifted aggregate soil mix, 1/3 akadama, 2/3 pumice and some long grain spaghnum mixed in, I can use high Nitrogen fertilizer (I bought a big box of the agriform fertilizer tabs). These can really crank out some growth in the right conditions.
I would suggest to do what you can not to cut or style for a year or two. Maybe you get some back budding, or maybe you find that with a full head of hair, the flaws are less visible. When they put on a lot of growth, the foliage will start to weep under it’s own weight.
Keep the grafting option in mind for down the road, as it develops.


Ten or so years later

 

[shohin_branches]

I haven't had this one long but I need to restyle it. Still learning a lot from this one. It's much happier under the shade of my norway maple than scorching on my bonsai benches. The guy I got it from said he collected it in 2014. Grill for scale.

 

[rusticana]

There are thousands of them in the clearing at a friends cottage on the mountain +3000ft. And some monsters in the woods. The western hemlock variety.
A couple years back I decided to staple a row of them to a section of branch and reburied them. Trying to simulate them growing on a fallen tree. Hemlog I call it. Last time I checked they were doing prety good. I pruned them back slightly. I have a long trough that I will one day plant it in? I also brought another one home with me but its not doing much.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

There are thousands of them in the clearing at a friends cottage on the mountain +3000ft. And some monsters in the woods. The western hemlock variety.
A couple years back I decided to staple a row of them to a section of branch and reburied them. Trying to simulate them growing on a fallen tree. Hemlog I call it. Last time I checked they were doing prety good. I pruned them back slightly. I have a long trough that I will one day plant it in? I also brought another one home with me but its not doing much.View attachment 550692

That’s a cool project. As far as I know the western hemlock. Does well in its native range . Where it grows vigorously. When moved east . Not so much . In the words of David Easterbrook it languishes . Ryan Neal prefers the mountain hemlock . More adaptable . But quality western hemlock exist . You guys have the mountains . And all the dwarfing ability that affords .

 

[Frozentreehugger]

A project I’ve been rolling around my head . Is a forest . A single dominant tree . Preferably upright . Like a old forest survivor. The other trees will all be . Small . I’m thinking the dominate tree may be the one I found . And will collect next spring . ( knowing my luck I’ll probable kill it ) the smaller trees may be dwarf nursery stock cultivars . The image I’m thinking is a forest fire survivor . Or a depiction of mankind’s forest destruction. Where a single old survivor . Restarts the forest . Time and Mother Nature . Try again . Thoughts opinions

 

[MrFancyPlants]

My bro @MrFancyPlants . Has self grafting on the brain this year . . First it’s your tree you need to make choices on style size . Intended goals . As is it’s tall thin fairly straight trunk ( with some age characteristics) if left in that basic style . It needs growth closer to trunk to rebuild the branching structure . And foliage pads . And yes my Bro . Has a good idea with self grafting . Considering there wound healing abilities . If you stay that rout you need something elegant maybe no Jin or short Jin’s . A tree exists maybe 2 . Option . Air layer the top off . Above the branch 1/2 way up . Coming towards the front. N my making a much shorter tree . Use the air layer as a second tree or . Use it to approach graft to the shorter tree . I would be very tempted to do this . Shorter version . Lean everything to the left . As a windswept is possible . But I love windswept . I think sone sort of condensed shorter tree is best single tree version . If it’s going to stay tall. Make a good forest tree . Or at least a couple more to fill in lay it down as a raft is also a nice idea dead wood . Roots like a old blow down just some ideas . Tall elegant foliage close to trunk . Would be less dramatic

I don’t recommend that everyone does it, but I do recommend just about everyone considers the option. And I have never done it myself..

 

[Frozentreehugger]

I don’t recommend that everyone does it, but I do recommend just about everyone considers the option. And I have never done it myself..

It’s a good option . How’s the new home . Find any new cool trees . Spent my honeymoon on the outer banks if North Carolina . But never made it to SC other than drive thru . I think I would be live oak hunting

 

[MrFancyPlants]

It’s a good option . How’s the new home . Find any new cool trees . Spent my honeymoon on the outer banks if North Carolina . But never made it to SC other than drive thru . I think I would be live oak hunting

Hose is great. MB is weird; Southern hospitality can be really hard to find. But, the schools are great and 14 min from a surf on the occasion we have some swell.

I only have a couple yankadori and barely trying cuttings attempts as new trees. I gathered some pin oak(?) acorns, but none hatched. It can be real hard to collect in sand from my previous life in Florida.

Yankadori: pulled out of a parking tie and the juniper, a volunteer off my front porch. Look like juniper virginiana?


I went to take the photo and realized I also have a Depo Mugho, some @cmeg1 stock. And a gulf coast native mimosa that I lost the scientific name on.

JBP are going to love it here.

 

[rusticana]

That’s a cool project. As far as I know the western hemlock. Does well in its native range . Where it grows vigorously. When moved east . Not so much . In the words of David Easterbrook it languishes . Ryan Neal prefers the mountain hemlock . More adaptable . But quality western hemlock exist . You guys have the mountains . And all the dwarfing ability that affords .

Unfortunately we are in the misdst of a hemlock looper outbreak. The painting is of a giant Nootka cypress also up on Cypress mountain. This is a picture of a giant snag with a hemlock growing on top dangling its roots 30 ft down.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Unfortunately we are in the misdst of a hemlock looper outbreak. The painting is of a giant Nootka cypress also up on Cypress mountain. This is a picture of a giant snag with a hemlock growing on top dangling its roots 30 ft down.

That’s cool . I have to get out west . Never occurred to me they grow like that . The eastern hemlock . Is very much a forest tree . They love to propagate on stumps and fallen logs . I have a interest in a hemlock root over rock . ( my first failed dwarf cultivar on a small rock ) manipulated the roots to much . It struggled first summer and did not make it thru the winter

 

[rusticana]

That’s cool . I have to get out west . Never occurred to me they grow like that . The eastern hemlock . Is very much a forest tree . They love to propagate on stumps and fallen logs . I have a interest in a hemlock root over rock . ( my first failed dwarf cultivar on a small rock ) manipulated the roots to much . It struggled first summer and did not make it thru the winter

On stumps and logs here too and all over the forest floor with their shade tolerance. Many things are just bigger here. Especially on the coast where its wet and cool. But even in the interior things like the western larch are much bigger than yours. Even the crows.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

On stumps and logs here too and all over the forest floor with their shade tolerance. Many things are just bigger here. Especially on the coast where its wet and cool. But even in the interior things like the western larch are much bigger than yours. Even the crows.

Moisture rich enviro . In most cases warmer climates . Ie longer grow season . Milder winter . Leads to evolution of trees to take advantage . Most don’t consider the effect of water . On weather . Example Ottawa Canada is almost the exact same distance from the equator as Moscow . But Moscow has a much colder harsher climate . The difference is water . In the form of the Great Lakes on North America. They moderate the temp of all the land around them . And add moisture to the weather , there surrounded by forest and farm land . Look at the prairies. Colder dryer. I live about 1/2 way from Ottawa to the St Lawrence river . Work in Ottawa . But even that 45 minute drive changes weather not . From heading south but getting closer to water . Almost every day . 1 to 2 degrees cooler in sumner and 1 to 2 degrees warmer in winter .

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Visit to a tree in the woods at my cottage plan . Is to collect next spring . As I said before it’s bean pole straight . But has great aged rough bark . Low short growth . Growing in a hill of granite . There is not 3 inches of root mass . Under this tree . Root ball teased up . Fert stick and 50/50 mixture of DE and well rotted pine bark added . Under base . To try and stimulate . Roots and or collection shock . Tree is about 10 feet tall . The back side has considerable wound . For those that think . These trees do not exist in collectable condition. This tree has the triple threat your looking for . Good light . Somewhat constrained roots . Or at least collectable . And damage creating regrowth . Will be a bummer if I lose this one but I’m very optimistic.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

An update on my Tsuga in foster care.

 

[VAFisher]

Does anyone have any experience with how long it takes the bark to change from the smooth grey on young trees to a more furrowed aged bark? I have one collected from a seedling in 2017 and it's still smooth. Just wondering how long it will take.

 

[Underdog]

aprox 25yr old field grown

 

[VAFisher]

aprox 25yr old field grown
View attachment 562748

Thanks. How long has it looked like that? Did it take all 25 years?

 

[MrFancyPlants]

My collected one had green bark with some banding when I collected it, but it got craggily within about 5 years.
I think full sun and sacrifice growth (having a nice long runner) aged the bark rather quickly.

That is a nice one @Underdog .