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Picture of 2 yr graft Hoopsi from Girards

15 years ago

I'm starting a new thread with a picture of my young Hoopsi from Girards. I had added to an old thread and mentioned that it had an odd branch coming off the side but thought I new thread may be in order.

This is supposed to be a 2 year graft. It looks very healthy with beautiful new growth but it's such an odd shape. Do I create a leader? This is my first young conifer purchase and I didn't know what to expect. The 2 growth areas creat a "V" so neither one of them is perpendicular to the ground. Does that make sense?

Also, any advice on where to plant? Do I put it in a sunny new nursery bed that consists of peat, dehydrated cow manure, and some loam or where it's permanent home that gets slightly less sun and may not get watered as regularly. I put it in the bed for now.

Thanks for any input you could share.

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Comments (7)

dcsteg
15 years ago
Boy those side branch grafts can be tough to retrain into a vertical leader especially on a 2 year old graft that has taken a set.

Cut the small one off it could be under stock growth...it's useless. You will never get the fork out out that plant because of it's 90 degree angle to the under stock.

Never the less you can give it a try. Go to your local nursery..buy two plastic coated stakes,1/2 inch diameter and some stretch tape. Drive the stake close to vertical under stock being careful not to damage roots and secure with tape. Next drive another stake 2-3 inches down the branch and carefully work your new leader into vertical position and tie with tape. You will have to do this in increments over time so as not to stress or break the leader. Keep working back and re-staking till you are satisfied you can get no more out of it. Can be done but there will be a slight off set in trunk. Over time you will never see it as lower limbs will cover up.

To make a long story longer it looks healthy enough to plant in permanent place now. That way you can get the staking process going. No amendments and 2 inches of mulch to retain moisture. You will need to watch water for the first year till it gets acclimated. If soil is dry 2 inches down it needs water.

Go for it.

Dave
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
i might wait to cut the left ....

my 6 year old.. started from about the same size is easily 6 foot tall and 6 at the wide bottom .. GIVE IT A LOT OF ROOM ...

make permanent planting.. perhaps even planting the root ball at an angle ... no way i will ever describe it in words.. but if you can get 20 to 30 to 40 degrees.. just by planting the roots crooked.. you will reduce the amount of training necessary ... all of the root ball needs to be under soil .... but by creating a very slight mound.... you may get 90% of where you need to be without a stake ...

if you do that ... what you are thinking is the second leader ... will be nearly parallel to the ground ... go figure ... we will take care of that in a year or two ... if it continues to have upward ambitions ....

staking is illustrated below .... i tend to size up.. as needed.. rather than pound the 7 foot stake in right away ... hoopsi isnt going to need staking for structure... for you.. it will only be for training ... and NEVER TIE OFF NEW GROWTH .... it will snap like a carrot ... always tie back to at least last years wood.. or even better.. 2 year old wood ... trust me.. i have snapped off more leader than i care to admit ...

get it planted... on an angle... snap a new pic.. and we can advise at that point ... make sure the root/trunk collar is at soil height.. meaning properly planted ...

you might be shocked.. but that is a very healthy.. very normal product .... FOR WHAT YOU PAID FOR IT ...

ken

example of staking.. but not a hoopsi

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storey3
Original Author
15 years ago
Alright, here are some shots of the Hoopsi in the ground. I only had thinish bamboo stakes available at this time but could get more sturdy if you think I should. It seems to be holding okay. The top is floppy because I didn't tie it there, per Ken's suggestion not to tie new growth. The side branch is brushing the gound and once I mulch tomorrow it will touch that. Should I steak that up separately? Any changes I should make? This little guy sure looks healthy and I just love the blue color.
The angle of the pics is a little cockeyed. The stake is much more upright than it appears in some of them.

Other side below
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
first... lol... take out the stake and straighten it .... i have to do it all the time ...

second ... place it about 6 inches away .... one tie ... about one inch higher.. above that little tiny branch in the first pic ...

we dont care about the old wood.. but we want to insure the soft new growth goes straight up .. as it is now.. the new growth is going to curve to upright ...

is it planted at the proper depth???

you dont need the lower rope ... we are guiding it.. training it.. not tieing is motionless .. the extra distance on the stake.. will allow it to move back a forth a bit ... without rubbing on the stake ...

absolutely great first try ...

ken
storey3
Original Author
15 years ago
Okay, here's another try. The stick was not a straight stick. The lower half is in straight then the upper part curves. How did I do? Thanks so much for your help and patience! As for planting depth, I think it's good. I didn't pile dirt up the "trunk". The corner part is low and there is a bit of a hump on the upper part from planting it crooked. I put a dusting of dirt over the top of the root ball as there were some surface roots but otherwise the dirt level is as even with the root ball as I can figure out how to make it.

Chris
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
you are a great student...

thank god for digital pix...

now get some mulch.. and mulch a 2 to 3 foot ring around the plant.. and keep it properly watered ... inserting finger to 2nd knuckle and watering when hot or dry ... let it nearly dry between waterings ..

good luck grasshopper

ken
storey3
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the great lessons! I am so grateful to have found this site and all the knowledgeable gardeners/tree-folk!

Thanks again!
Chris

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