So here’s an update on one of the Boxelders I’m playing with. It’s got a very nice flush of spring growth. Some styling decisions and work need doing at this point in time. No surprise there. But that got me to thinking. Every tree we work on has to have its own design plan, whether we consciously think about it or not. Here’s a list of tasks that need doing now:

• Trim back overlong branches
• Trim or remove upward and/or downward pointing branches, or use them for directional changes
• Wire and position branches and/or sub-branches as needed
• Shorten new leader in order to build taper at the trunk chop transition point

Here’s a Winged elm, Ulmus alata, that I lifted from a field growing area back in January. While it’s not too well established yet, from a rooting perspective, it does have some shoots that need to be wired and positioned before they get too stiff the bend easily. So here’s the design plan for this specimen:

• Remove unneeded shoots
• Wire and position shoots that will be used in the design
• Set the tree aside and let it grow until the wire needs removal; then,
• Rewire and trim, as needed, developing branches
• Remove trunk chop stub
• Wire up new leader
• Carve lower trunk chop used for directional change