Son of a Beech

[Daluke]

Hi guys -

Before you is a European beech. I was hoping for advice about the best way to proceed with it.

I see a nice broom or informal upright style tree in there but it has some inverse taper just above the base.

My question is about how best to develop nebari - whether I should try layering it above the base - or just over potting it and hoping it fills out?

Does anyone have any experience with this technique / tree or advice on the best way to proceed.

I've found it slow growing.

Luke

[Davidlpf]

Hello.

Are you complety sure that it is a fagus? It looks like a hornbeam to me.

Whatever it is, an airlayer is the best way to obtain a good nebari,and make it smaller,

greetings from spain.

[Daluke]

You would probably be right. This was picked up two year ago with a Zelkova tag on it.

[lenlen]

Daluke, how did you go with this?

[Daluke]

Daluke, how did you go with this?

I never got a chance to layer it, although that was my intention.

It got neglected and went to the bonsai farm.

[longd_au]

Hi

The most reliable way for me to build nebari is to grow in a pot and trim the roots every season, mark the trunk, approach graft a whip until you get a nice radial root system. Then into the ground.
For tridents, this is an easy process. They root regardless of how hard you trim back. Just look at shibui's post to get an idea how hard he trims trident roots.

But for beech, crab apple etc, I find it a longer process. Maybe because I am nervous to cut too hard. (e.g. flat bottoming). Once the basic is established, the ground growing does amazing things to flare and thickening. But if you do the thickening first before working on the roots, you won't get even flares and you might end up spending a lot of time fixing the nebari.

It is also important to put bends to all your lower branches and the main stem as you will be surprised how quickly they thicken to the point where bending is a task in itself.

Just my worth. I have started re-doing a lot of my starters now with this process. Working the nebari first. I ignore the top part except to ensure a few bends here and there.