boxwood stock progression 2

[ynot]

Tom,

Much appreciation for the update.

Excellent start you have going there IMO . It has only been what...Two months...? [img]https://www.mysmilie.de/english/green/smilies/characters/015.gif[/img] Your tree is obviously loving that soil & your TLC .

IME, Gnome is absolutely correct in this:

From what I've read Buxus must be wired early as they are difficult to wire after the branches have hardened off.

If you miss an opportunity to wire effectively you can always cut it back and catch the 'wiring window' when it grows back out.

Boxwoods are good like that and it beats having that 'out of place' branch annoy you for the rest of eternity you know..

ynot

[constantstaticx3]

If you miss an opportunity to wire effectively you can always cut it back and catch the 'wiring window' when it grows back out.

That is good information thankyou. For this year though I just going to let it go and maybe do some wireing next year if needed. I will also need to get a smaller gauge wire because what I have now will not work.

Thanks for all the compliments .


Tom

[constantstaticx3]

Well it was a great year for this little box, its turned out great so far. Here is the last pic of it for this year.
[url=https://img248.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01492wb2.jpg][img]https://img248.imageshack.us/img248/6393/dsc01492wb2.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Tom

[ynot]

[url=https://imageshack.us][img]https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4540/thumbnailji8.jpg[/img][/url]


ynot

[constantstaticx3]

I did some winter pruning today. I really like the way the trunk line shows through now.
[url=https://img257.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01567es0.jpg][img]https://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2932/dsc01567es0.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img524.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01568wj6.jpg][img]https://img524.imageshack.us/img524/2922/dsc01568wj6.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Tom

[Gnome]

Tom,

Your Boxwood looks good and healthy. How have you been keeping it this winter? I lost a lot of things in the early years due to inadequate winter storage. If you keep this up you'll have a fine collection in a few years.

I left my Boxwood and Azalea outside until just recently when the cold snap hit. They're now in the garage until the weather moderates a bit and then I'll get them back out to get a little sun. I'm starting to get anxious to get to work. I have a few things that need re-potted this year, but not yet.

Norm

[constantstaticx3]

Gnome,

I've actually been keeping this one and the pine out on my deck. I put them on the bottom part of my plant stand so the are semi protected from the wind by the railing of the deck and the stand. My mom has some of these in a widow box completely exposed to the wind and they do just fine so I'm not worried about these. I have more sensitive trees up against the house where they are better protected. If I know it will be really bad weather, I will put them under a table that is on the deck for all around protection.

I have a few trees inside. I have my trident maple group, my cork bark elm, and my smaller zelkova inside the garage.

If you keep this up you'll have a fine collection in a few years.

Thanks, I really hope so. I really need atleast one tree to show for my efforts and this one has some real potential.

I'm getting restless as well. I wont be repotting too much this year, only the ones I had to slip pot in the summer. I will be putting a trident maple in the ground to thicken up though.

If your interested, I could post up a few other trees that are in progress. I just love sharing pics of my trees, even if there isn't much to show.

Tom

I thought I should point out that this tree is only 7inches tall.

[Gnome]

Tom,

By all means post the pictures. Have you had the opportunity to work the roots of the Trident yet or will this be this first chance? I imagine you know about the technique of planting the tree on a tile or a board. Just make sure you make a note of it in your journal. It is easy to forget what is what after a few years.

Norm

[constantstaticx3]

No, I have not been able to work with the roots of the maple yet. I was actually just thinking about where I should plant the tree and if I should put something underneath for lateral root growth. I also realize that I'm gonna have to put some chicken wire around it so the squirrels don't chew it to bits.

I guess I'll be making a couple more progression threads soon.

Tom

[constantstaticx3]

OK, I have re-thought my original plan for this tree. I realized that it would be too tall in relation to the trunk and after some careful thought here is what I have come up with.
[url=https://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01569pm5.jpg][img]https://img168.imageshack.us/img168/9611/dsc01569pm5.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Here is a drawing I did that resembles what I would like it to look like. I'm not the greatest drawer but you get the idea.
[url=https://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01572zx0.jpg][img]https://img168.imageshack.us/img168/397/dsc01572zx0.th.jpg[/img][/url]

I am much happier with my new plan now. What do you guys think?

Tom

[Gnome]

Tom,

I agree wholeheartedly, removing the "handlebar" branches improves the image greatly. Boxwood are such slow growers that you might as well accept that this is going remain a small tree. You've realized this trees limitations and made a plan to maximize its potential, good work. I'd put those concave cutters away for a while though.

This is in contrast to your Black Pine which will grow quickly and change dramatically over the next five years. That is a tree that is worthy of a long term plan.

Norm

[constantstaticx3]

I'd put those concave cutters away for a while though. :Wink:

Lol, I know its tough though. You know how it is. I have nothing else left to cut so they are going away.

Tom

[constantstaticx3]

Another update. This tree continues to amaze me. The first right hand branch has outstanding ramification considering how long it's been in training. It is bursting with buds all over. I have been pinching it back and I have removed the leaves that were way too big for the tree. Well here are the pics.

[url=https://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01733tz8.jpg][img]https://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8536/dsc01733tz8.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://img257.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01728gh4.jpg][img]https://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1826/dsc01728gh4.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01732dl1.jpg][img]https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/5439/dsc01732dl1.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01729pk0.jpg][img]https://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8215/dsc01729pk0.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://img411.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01731lb1.jpg][img]https://img411.imageshack.us/img411/2783/dsc01731lb1.th.jpg[/img][/url]

The first pic is the front and the last one is the back. In the front, I plan on making a small shari/hollow trunk where I removed that large branch.

In the third pic I need some help. I can't decide whether to remove the branch just above the first left hand branch or not. If I do, that area will be a little bare but I know it ruins the image. If I leave it, I will try to reduce the stub and make it into a back branch. Any thoughts?

The apex has some great buds on it and, at this rate, it should fill out very soon and improve the image.

There are two back branches, I'm not sure which one to keep just yet, in the last pic that just grew this year. I will leave them for now and decide on it next year.

I love the image it projects already. I see a very tall oak that remains after a storm killed the younger trees around it and took one of its branches with it.

Tom

[Gnome]

Tom,

I agree that the branch stub you mentioned does look out of place. I'm surprised that you are getting new branches forming already this year. My Boxwoods (at least the two that are growing) are just getting started.

You mentioned creating a hollow on the trunk. Have you seen this?
[url]https://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATUro.htm[/url]

Norm

[constantstaticx3]

Thank you Norm for that article. I have always wondered how they are created and I'm glad to find out that it is that easy. I will probably perform this task in the fall, that seems to be the best time to do it.

As for that branch stub, I will reduce it as much as possible and post a pic to see what you think and then if it still doesn't look right I will remove it completely and maybe make another uro at that point as well. This could be a very interesting tree by the time this year is finished. I already have a nice pot to put it in next spring and I can't wait to do so.

My Boxwoods (at least the two that are growing) are just getting started.

I think this tree may just be an exception. My other box has just begun to show buds and unfortunately not where I was hoping, its still early though. It may also be the warm weather we had but this tree is extremely healthy. I'm not sure what I did but whatever it was, it worked .

Good luck with yours.

Tom

[constantstaticx3]

Here's a new pic after reducing and partially jinning the top left branch and using a guy wire to pull down another branch. I reduced the stub as far as possible without removing the bud that I want to keep. I'm still not too happy so I may be removing it completely in the fall. I will create a uro out of this as well. There are a couple cuts in the back that I could do this too as well but I don't want to do too much so it will be a little at a time.
[url=https://img72.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01737vd2.jpg][img]https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/7333/dsc01737vd2.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Tom

[constantstaticx3]

I decided to do some more work on this tree today. Already, sphagnum was placed around the nebari to induce new roots to grow and improve its look in the long run. There's one before pic and then the after pics rotate from front around counter clockwise. I tried my hand at carving for the first time. Its not the greatest job but its a start and as it rots it should look better. I will apply some sort of wood hardener down the road.

I keep giving up on this tree thinking it will never be anything but for some reason I keep going back to it. I'm starting to like it again.

[url=https://img375.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01863ri1.jpg][img]https://img375.imageshack.us/img375/7061/dsc01863ri1.th.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01864vm0.jpg][img]https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/1938/dsc01864vm0.th.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://img509.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01865ia3.jpg][img]https://img509.imageshack.us/img509/9961/dsc01865ia3.th.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://img93.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01866mp9.jpg[URL=https://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01867mr2.jpg][img]https://img165.imageshack.us/img165/636/dsc01867mr2.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01868du9.jpg][img]https://img530.imageshack.us/img530/9728/dsc01868du9.th.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://img393.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01869fp0.jpg][img]https://img393.imageshack.us/img393/3093/dsc01869fp0.th.jpg[/img][/url]


Tom

[Gnome]

Tom,

The uro looks good and as you say it will change over time. WRT to the wood hardener, I recently read somewhere that Walter Pall is opposed to the use of Lime Sulfur and feels that nature should be allowed to take its course. I know the two are not the same but the concept still applies.

Don't give up on it you have a lot of time ahead of you. Every year it seems I give up on something but that is usually because it is not doing well. This one seems healthy so far. Instead be on the look out for urban yamdori, I have decent Box stump that was removed from someones landscape and given to me.

Norm

[constantstaticx3]

I recently read somewhere that Walter Pall is opposed to the use of Lime Sulfur and feels that nature should be allowed to take its course. I know the two are not the same but the concept still applies.

I read the same thing in a thread on BT. My plan is to let it weather and maybe even rot to the point where its color has evolved more naturally. Then I will apply the wood hardener, which doesn't change the color, to seal in the color. Although I may not harden it at all.

Tom

Ps. I just did a little more extensive work today. I realize my guy wiring skills are little to none and I'm hesitant to post a pic but here it is anyway. I think with thinner wire this would be much easier.
[url=https://img177.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01871ch1.jpg][img]https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/8185/dsc01871ch1.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[alisios]

Hey Tom - Thanks for updating us on your box... it's interesting to see!

Keep up the good work!