AusBonsai

Thanks KC, I think you are the only one that likes my trees

The problem that everyone notices is that the middle half of the tree is thick and straight, and then suddenly tapers off to nothing. I'm just wondering if the tree was quite a lot taller, there wouldn't be the sudden narrowing taper after the relatively straight bit. You'd maybe grow the top free and loooong for maybe two years, and then cut back, and repeat maybe five times, so that the thickness doesn't just suddenly disappear. It would end up being a tall soaring trunk, with relatively short branches. And a number of different bends. I like its beginnings.

Just my 2c.

Gavin

Thanks for your interest Gavin. It has already been through two chops to this top section and I expect it to go through at least a couple more but very soon I will be looking to shy away from a single apex to a more natural deciduous broom top.
Maybe a side by side of where I came from a couple of years ago would be helpful

I love the tree's trunk, but what throws my off every time I look at it is, the branches on the left seem to be coming downwards from the trunk, while the ones on the right appear to be rising from the trunk. they may not be but they do appear to be.

chris

I reckon the base needs more flare so develop a couple or three hornbeam whips to use as thread grafts(possible sacrificial branches) to thicken up the lower area of the trunk and also give more nebari choice.

Hi Chris, If you like the trunk as it is then I reckon you might enjoy the detail carving still to come as there are lots of options to create more movement. Just under the second top branch on the right is a dead section with new callousing just waiting to be revealed. I took the carving a little too far a few years ago and that is another reason I have been letting it go a little wild.

The branches are almost definitely the way you say. I can see why this would catch your eye at the moment and It is something I intend to address but is not a big concern to me at the moment as I am confident I can solve this without much trouble.

My main concern over the last couple of years was to just get some decent movement in close to the trunk. I would be happy to take these branches back to the secondary branch if need be to create the movement in the direction I wanted, but I don't think I will need to go that far.

I know people are all about this deciduous branches must go up but I don't believe in following rules blindly. I think they also fill spaces as long as you don't flatten them out. It is something I am still messing with as it makes more sense from the other front (back) when thinking of a crooked old man.
Hopefully I can get this mostly sought this year taking in the newly grafted branch on the left as well

Hi Guy,
The base has been my biggest concern. I have it tilted to the right at the moment as I am hoping for more roots there. I also need to come up with a plan for the roots on the left. It would be good to chop them way back but grafting onto the thick roots may be a better option. I better organise some saplings because I am sure they will come in handy

There is a nice little bud at the base on the right. It would be nice to grow a wopper sacrafice branch there but we will see

Time for a trim. Again I have trimmed for horticultural reasons, not too concerned about the look at the moment. I will remove some of the bigger leaves left as the season progresses. Time to see over he next few years how well these leaves reduce.

Certainly needed the trim Bretts. I will be interested to see what happens with the defoliation when it begins. Why are you not defoliating now? The tree looks healthy enough.

I don't plan on defoliating my hornbeams Bodi. I am following procedures set out by people I have seen get great ramification on these species and defoliating is not suggested as necessary.
Walter or Harry (can't remember which) states that if you defoliate you must leave the last set of leaves on I think. It seems to me that going back to the first set of leaves as I have here was a less drastic measure that works well for others and suits my plan better.
Ill see how it responds to this for the next couple of years.

The hornbeam is powering on and I don't even have a degree in agriculture
Gave it a trim today but no after shot yet.

What would happen... if you wired that sacrifice branch down.. like way down... like scrape of the bark at certain intervals and bury that mofo. Would it not become a part of the trunks taper eventually?

Can't wait too see it all wired up... If you do! (I think you should!)

Nice topic and I have enjoyed looking and reading the progression of this tree ; what makes it more interesting is that I recently acquired several of these from Alpineart , 2 of these are informal upright style and the other a broom style ...these are in the pre bonsai stage
Currently they have budded up nicely and some new leaves have burst ...I look forward to working on these as I do watching this tree progress

Cheers
Barry