A forest full of weeds

[Mitchell]

I am sure there is a whole heap to fault here, but it may produce something in a few years time.


These are just Privett, they were growing in the ground and about 2 years old. The larger were several feet tall, down to the smallest being about 30cm. All had their roots chopped and the stems were cut down to the lowest leaf. I wanted them to survive, so I left them that tall so they are had one leaf each. Now that they had back budded I plan on chopping them again back to the first leaf. So the tallest is only about 15cm tall.

They were planted in the over sized pot 3 weeks ago and have started now developing branches as well as a tonne of new growth. Weeds are great!!
The tallest pictured is 30cm tall.

I tried to incorporate some basic forest principals, groups, descending heights, main focus tree, I tried to have every trunkline visible from the front.
I am sure I am still far off and did find several conflicting tutourials on the subject. I tried to correctly arrange groupings, numbers, heights and having all trees leaning away from the main one.




I haven't touched the forest since I chopped and planted it, so I know at the moment it looks like a lot of sticks in a bad pot. I hope with more size reduction this might eventually leed to something.

Will post some more pics after choppin' it back again.


Thanks for looking,

[Mitchell]

Cut them all down a few months ago by a few inches. Now that they are back budding, I intend on chopping them down some more.

[Jamie]

hi mate

I think the height is good for them now, being a forest I would be concerning myself more with other factors. if you chopped down further it will be like a group then a forest, I know they are the same but when I look at forests, they should look like forests, not groups. if that makes sense, when I consider a forest I look at it like a setting that has tall old, majestic trees. so in saying that I reckon keep the height mate

you have done well to get the trees all in a position where they are seen from the front. I have also read in a few books that there should be able to see all trunks from the side too.

Im looking forward to seeing this one when you have built some ramification and the trees get some age

jamie

[Mitchell]

I was only thinking about another few centimeters. Just so I can extend a branchlet upright to achieve taper at the tip, they are a little too flat copped atm.

Just waiting for a bit more growth then, i'll be working on some ramification.

[FlyBri]

Gday Mitchell & Co!

I am concerned at the size of the pot: you seem to be restricting the growth of outward facing roots. Otherwise, I like the idea and the execution, although I do agree with Jamie's suggestion that it is leaning towards a clump/group rather than a forest setting.

Thanks and good luck! Keep us posted.

Fly.

[Mitchell]

To tell you the truth mate, I only added a current pic as the was near the back door. I'm not expecting to turn it into anything, was just a cheap exercise in planting groupings before trying it on any stock. Like the title suggests, just weeds in a pot.... I only call it a weed, as there are 5 massive trees around my house, thousands of these seedlings have grown.

I should try a fused trunk with them..


Edit- Hang on, I did that three weeks ago...

[kcpoole]

I don't know about the small round pot. Its too deep for my liking

I think that forests look much better in a wide flattish Oval or on a slab.

Ken

[Mitchell]

Just a training pot. It actually doesn't have any drainage holes, the privet seems to love the damp soil.

[NaturalSelection]

im no expert but i see a great deal of perspective there!! its almost trippy!
nice start! very nice!

NS

[Mitchell]

Thanks NS!

I wasn't too concerned about the pot or anything else, just trying to creative a bit of perspective. I hope to be able to apply it to other groupings which I actually care about in the future.

This was actually the trial run for a forest setting of radiatas I planted up about 6 months ago. I was stuck on it, so experimented with the privet. The radiata setting is in a 2x 1 1/2 foot oval tray and mimics some of the elements I was trying to achieve here. The radiata project is on a 20 year plan, nothing more than seedlings in a tray atm.