2" boxwood branch can be bent!!! :D

This weekend, I moved a 2" boxwood branch. I tried different techniques; levers, tourniquet, turn buckle...but it won't budge! Finally I did it using my car jack. I managed to lower the branch a few inches until the crotch area (where it connects at the base (multi-trunk) split open (by about 1/4") so I had to stop. Nothing serious but I hope it will heal over. I plan on filling the crack with weldwood, a wood glue/epoxy that hardens well. It is held in place with guy wire now anchored to a root.

I learned that the mechanical car jack...with enough space can be rigged various ways to bend branches easily.

Come on Dario no pics?

Car jacks are very handy bending tools. My first teacher, Mas Imazumi, used a hydraulic jack to bend straight upright atlas cedars into cascades.

Jeremy,

Nothing much to show but if you insist, I will try to snap a pic tomorrow afternoon...it is already dark here. The intent is more to spread awareness that there is this tool (everyone have) that can be utilized to accomplish a seemingly impossible task.

PaulH wrote:Car jacks are very handy bending tools. My first teacher, Mas Imazumi, used a hydraulic jack to bend straight upright atlas cedars into cascades.

That is very cool! I am trying to imagine how he does it. Thanks!

Sorry I just don't understand the process.

Jkd2572 wrote:Sorry I just don't understand the process.

In this case, I just jammed the (scissor type) jack in between 2 big branches and cracked it causing it to open/expand...pushing the branch down. If need be, I could have done the reverse and opened the jack, anchored it on both ends, then pulled the branch down as I close the jack. I can think of other ways to use it like securing the base of the jack on two point of the branch and cranking the head up against the branch causing it to bow.

Note that before the jack, I also secured a wire (on the branch and on a root) with a turnbuckle that I simultaneously tighten as the branch is lowered. I will post an after picture tomorrow.

Have you ever read about the technique of making a V shaped notched cut on the bottom of the branch to allow the bend to happen easier? Seems like it might be easier on the tree... and you.

Thanks for the detail Dario.

JudyB wrote:Have you ever read about the technique of making a V shaped notched cut on the bottom of the branch to allow the bend to happen easier? Seems like it might be easier on the tree... and you.

Yes Judy and I tried that on a smaller branch...maybe I am doing something wrong but it snapped and ended lossing it....boxwood is hard and brittle!

Jeremy,

Here are pics of the branch/trunk after it is lowered. The gap between it and the upper branch is more than doubled.
BTW, The branch where the guy wire is was minimally protected since I plan on cutting it shorter later. Likewise, the root it is anchored on will be removed also so I did not put any bark protection.


The crack at the base that I plan on filling with wood resin.

Thanks for the pic.