Betula verrucosa_Hollow trunk_Winter image

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 New Year's Day.    Outside temperature: +11 °C, cloudy with possible rain later in the day.   I plan to go out after the lunch to get some wood for my future projects such as bonsai tables etc.   It takes at least 4-5 years to have the timber ready for usage.  There are for sure much faster methods for drying but  first I have more than enough load on my hands right now and in next 2-3 years, second - drying chambers calculates in cubics - well above my projects and lastly - just being happy to let the Nature to do her job.


It was quite sunny on the 31st Dec so I have taken few shots of some of my trees.  Not the best pics but their main purpose was to see the structures through the lens.   Good practice to follow.


Here is the biggest birch in my collection.   +90 cm right now.   It is quite interesting to see how the hollow has been reduced over time.   

2021

2015

 
Well, I should mention a method that has been used to force the callus to grow in specific direction.  The second picture above shows how the trunk looked like two or three years after the day when I discovered that a massive part of the trunk has been eaten by  larvae. ( Rose chafer larvae I believe ). Fair to say that the wood was very likely rotten anyway - I do not think they would be able to feed on solid wood.
Anyway the remains of the trunk was quite flat and the side view looked  quite strange.    To improve that I have used few pieces of wood to direct the growth into the desired direction ie not to grow flat but rather to grow upwards to add the depth to the trunk ( see the pics below )
 
 
 
2015 - The hollow with new callus - light green line just below bark




  

2019 -  wood wedge to direct the callus growth

Side view to see the how much new wood has been added to the originally flat trunk


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