I like to style my trees to resemble those I have seen in the wild. While I was on holiday in Devon, I saw a row of old oak trees that had been gently shaped by the wind over many generations, this was the image I had in mind.
This tree was grown from one of one my own cuttings taken in 2006. When it was large enough, it was planted in my daughters garden. While it was growing in the ground it was hard pruned once a year to build up the trunk and then the lower main branches. The pruning was done very crudely and stubs left, I find as the tree grows and these heal over the years it gives a good aged effect. Looking at the tree now I wish I had built some deadwood into the design.
Every two years it was dug up and root pruned, I have found that they form very large fleshy roots very quickly. While in the ground it was fed and watered well, I also mulched it well to help retain moisture.
Then it was dug up, all the soil washed off and planted in Akadama. Over the next few years the main branch lines were lightly wired in place being careful not to create any wire marks. The tree was then planted in a smaller pot to to get a slower rate of growth to give shorter internodes and a finer branch structure. Most of the styling is now achieved by directional pruning.
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