European Beech in progress

AlainK · 01-17-2008, 03:31 PM

I often collect 1/2 yr-seedlings whenever I go on holiday, and bring them back home, usually in a yogurt pot.

This one was taken ca. 1998 in the Massif Central, a mountainous region. I left it in a small pot for a couple of years, then I planted it in a hedge because the summers are a bit too dry for them where I live, especially when they're very young and kept in a small pot.

In 2005, it had grown quite a bit, I uplifted it and planted it in a grow box.

Today, I began to style it, still some wiring to do, and some cultivation too, but I think it's beginning to take shape. I cut a branch at the top that I had left to help a big cut heal, but I left a bit of it: new buds should appear at the base, and next year I can select the best placed one to build the next upper branch on the right.

Vic N · 01-17-2008, 09:19 PM

Alain, I do the same .... take cuttings, seeds, even dig some saplings(with permission). My wife thinks I'm crazy .... now she'll think there's two of us!! Nice Fagus! Vic

centaura · 01-18-2008, 07:25 AM

When I was down visiting my mother over Thanksgiving, we drove by a freshly dug-up boxwood that had been put on the curb roots up for trash collection. I eye balled it immediately, and told my mother that I would be back to collect it that evening when we were done with our errands. She thought I was joking, but later that night I ran off and got it. It barely fit in the back of my car. She still thinks I'm nuts.

I just got my first european beech last spring, and I've been trying to do research on them. I had read an article that said that they can be finicky - they often only grew one growth of leaves in a year? Do you find that to be true with yours? It was true with mine last year - I trimmed each new sprout back to two leaves before the branches set (which was what was reccommended in the article I had read), and that was it. It seemed healthy for the rest of the summer, but added no new growth. I see how leafy yours is, mine has about the same caliber trunk, but not the same amount of leaves.

BTW - nice flare at the base of your trunk.

-Centaura

Selena · 01-18-2008, 09:19 AM

They normally only ever have one flush per year, though it has happened that two will grow if conditions are ideal (but I'm not sure if that's a matter of lucky genetics, or specific techniques). Quick thinking on the boxwood!

AlainK · 01-18-2008, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Selena

They normally only ever have one flush per year, though it has happened that two will grow if conditions are ideal (but I'm not sure if that's a matter of lucky genetics, or specific techniques).

Yes, that seems to be the case, defoliating is not advised, even when there is leaf-scorching because of too much sun or when the atmosphere is too dry.
People here on forums just advise to let the leaves as they are until the new growth the spring after.

so far, I haven't bothered much, but I will try to get more info from the members of my local club since I have a couple of beech that look promising now.

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01-17-2008, 09:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Vic N Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 28	Alain, I do the same .... take cuttings, seeds, even dig some saplings(with permission). My wife thinks I'm crazy .... now she'll think there's two of us!! Nice Fagus! Vic

01-18-2008, 07:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
centaura Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South Bend, IN Posts: 334	When I was down visiting my mother over Thanksgiving, we drove by a freshly dug-up boxwood that had been put on the curb roots up for trash collection. I eye balled it immediately, and told my mother that I would be back to collect it that evening when we were done with our errands. She thought I was joking, but later that night I ran off and got it. It barely fit in the back of my car. She still thinks I'm nuts. I just got my first european beech last spring, and I've been trying to do research on them. I had read an article that said that they can be finicky - they often only grew one growth of leaves in a year? Do you find that to be true with yours? It was true with mine last year - I trimmed each new sprout back to two leaves before the branches set (which was what was reccommended in the article I had read), and that was it. It seemed healthy for the rest of the summer, but added no new growth. I see how leafy yours is, mine has about the same caliber trunk, but not the same amount of leaves. BTW - nice flare at the base of your trunk. -Centaura

01-18-2008, 09:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
Selena Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 5	They normally only ever have one flush per year, though it has happened that two will grow if conditions are ideal (but I'm not sure if that's a matter of lucky genetics, or specific techniques). Quick thinking on the boxwood!

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