Hi everyone,
Today I started re-potting all of my trees.Here is a lilac I got last year. I wasn't sure if it was going to survive because it was uprooted in summer and left on a pile of brush for a few days. My employer offered it to me so I took it.
I got it home and put it in fresh soil and let it go for the rest of the summer. It recovered and put out leaves.
I planned then on separating it this year.
I had forgotten why I took this tree in the first place....until today.This big fat trunk hiding under the soil. I was so excited to rediscover it. haha. You can see how the line of how much was buried, here is the tree before and after the work.
I think if it back buds well I'm going to reduce the height of the trunk...whadda ya think?

Here is another angle showing all kinds of wood that will eventually need to be carved out. I think dead wood on a lilac might look nice.

I thjink I would NOT reduce the height of the main trunk. It looks good in the second pic first post. Nice taper, nice pleasant shape. Try to sort out which of the smal branches from last year you want to keep, and remote the rest. You have then a bit more energy and growth so you could get to secundair and perhaps tertiary branching this year.

Deadwood on deciduous species is nog very often done, as it rots away on normal 'wild' trees. you'll have a hard time preserving it. I also don't think you would improve the tree with it.

Hm.. THinking it oevr while re-readeing your post. You do need to remove a lot of branch stumbs. And yes, removing them and leaving shari would work. I was thinking you suggested to Yin the top.

Wow that tree has great movement at the base of the trunk, carving could work, you might just need to protect it with some lime-sulfate.

Some of this branch stumps are dry, some are damp and punky, one even has a streak of blue in it where something was pounded into it. thay all needs to go this year.As for the top, I think you're right Leatherback,it doesn't need to be reduced.
After the initial carving, I'll just let it grow all year, just taking off the new growth when it pops out where it doesn't need to be.

Do you have a dremmel? what you going to use to carve it?

I have a dremmel. I have never carved anything in my life so it's a little intimidating. After staring at this tree for a few days I have come up with a plan for it..Here it is.
What do you think?

Try and practice on something in the garden first haha. I used a friends dremmel on one of his tree's the other day, was really fun and nice of him to let me have a try. I like the plan, just gota hope and prey with the back budding

oops ment so say pray, kinds has a completely different meaning.