Fall work 2022 deciduous

When the leaves drop or change colors. When they are easy to poke off. It's a good time to do silhouette work. When young it's a good time to put some boogie in the trunk, branch! I am not making big chops, nothing over a pencil size. Big chops is for the summer just after growth has hardened off.

I wired both trees pretty heavy. A lot of branches will not be part of the tree after the foliage hardened off. I still wired because I want them to have some boogie for making cuttings. Last growing season I had great success on cuttings. But they all are ram rod straight. The details you will learn with time. The wire I will remove just after the buds break or leafs harden off.

You can see the branches pretty darn straight. This is a Japanese Maple Arakawa, I have owned for 2 growing seasons.

Showing all sides. Taking a look before I remove leaves.

Leaves are removed and now taking in thought of what am I gonna do with it? The top will be made into a air layer or cuttings once the material hardens off next growing season. Then look to see where I want to make my chop to start a new leader?

All wired.

The red line indicates where I would chop for the air layer or cuttings.

New leader and a chop thicker branch. Let it rip for a few more years and repeat new leader process. Every year after leaves drop you should perform a silhouette tune. Always want branches with some movement.

I do plan on repotting this one this upcoming season. Start to work on roots and trunk thickness.

Next one I did this morning before work. A Hornbeam, Japanese or European. This tree had the wire left on a little to long. I do not have much hope for it. Still plan on working it to fine tune my abilities. Also along the way I can propagate material from it. It will also be planted in a grow box. You never know someone might dig the wire scares?

Tree has plenty of movement but the wire scaring is just bad. The majority of deciduous trees should never have scaring? A conifer with big chunky bark it's ok with scaring. I leave my wire on my pines way longer just to have it bite.

Maybe I could build the top and do a air layer? That's a fine idea. Remember nothing is done or lost. Keep hope on everything.

Such a good and relaxing time while working on trees.

October 27, 2022

Ted