After fully understanding LST on cannabis I let a few volunteer trees live on my property. With the caveat that i can manipulate them how i see fit. I probably spend an average of 3-5 hours a year manipulating these plants 4 - 10 years now depending on specie.
I have have done many things over the years to keep them small -except* cut branches.
99% LST, weights, girdling, guide wires, over crowding, de foliating have all played roles.
Most of the LST is done in the form of braiding - or at least using tension and aiming for braided like patterns. A few branches have snapped here and there but 98% of the branches are still intact. Plants have never been “topped” but the natural “leader” or meristem has usually isnt highest point of the plants.
Unfortunately all the starting pics are lost.- on one of the cell phones in a box somewhere or -e cycled.
Earliest shots start in march of 2020 at that point many of these trees are 2-5 years old.
I will get out there today and get some up to date pictures. Enjoy and feel free to add your own shots if you have any tortured trees yourself ( not bonsia)
Thanks its been a lot of work but i love every second of it. Good ole tourchering biological life forms for my own amusement.
If i move i might attempt to take that maple just because its placement is a death sentence.
I honestly have no real idea what my plan is for the oak. Since they are still babies.
Ultimate goal was to train one so I can traverse up it to my deck. While the other one whips out over the water.
I have a peach tree from seed. Its probably about 10 years old now… I hung cinder blocks in for a couple of winters to make it look weeping. Without constant care it just grows out of control for my yard. I also have a cherry tree that i hang an upside down peach tree in “topsy tervy” style.
(main peach is center behind the bbq) topsy tervy is the black spot in the back left
that you cant make it out 15 feet away lol
tjaks that was good read. I hav indeed seen that happen in nature.
although that article talks about Inosculation between two trees- i definitely see the tension in my branches forming graphs in a similar manor.
