Carl_Bergstrom

Problem trees: everyone's got one - or a dozen. These are the trees that seemed like a good idea at the time you bought them, or the trees that never quite developed in the intended direction, or the trees on which you broke that crucial first branch or terminal leader. These are the trees that hang around your yard like pot-bound albatrosses.

As I see it, there are at least two good approaches when it comes to problem trees. The best, of course, is to give them away. This way, they become somebody else's problem.

The second best way is to do something really creative with the tree, if only you can figure out what that might be. And here it helps a great deal ask for others' ideas and visions, because often - on problem trees especially - one overlooks some of the more radical and promising possibilities.

Here's one of my problem trees, a small to medium (roughly 16") shimpaku juniper. Cool bend at the base of the trunk, and then a long straight stretch that completely breaks any semblence of rhythm that the base might initiate. As a consequence of my efforts to eliminate reverse taper, this one has significant scarring on the back of the lower trunk bend.

So what should I do? I'm perfectly happy to take any sort of gamble with this tree. I'd love your comments, virtuals, whatever. Be honest - if this tree is good only for firewood, let me know that too. And on down the road, I hope others will post their problem trees to challenge our collective creativity.

Thanks in advance,
Old Mister

Attached Images

shimpaku4.jpg (43.0 KB, 420 views)

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In love with trees

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