Today I was walking in forrest near by. I was hoping to find some interesting material, to dig out in a year or two. There is a lot of broken trees and they slowly recover from sleet, which took it's tribute two years ago.

I found some interesting material (on my oppinion), but there is problem with it. It is a part of an old Beech tree (attached on old root). After cleaning old leaves, and cutting some brunches, I found out, It does not have its own roots.

As it doesn't cost me anything and I probably didn't damaged 30 meters high "mother tree", I cut half way at the botom, of I hope some day new tree, and then filled gap with moss and dirt.

Can I hope, there will be any new roots in a year or two?
Half of new trunk is stil attached to old tree roots. I was carefull not to damage bark on this side.
If there will grow new roots, I can probably cut off the other half and pot the tree?

I am attaching some photos of my operation.

As total noob, I am trying to be creative I hope, I do not expect miracles.

Since the leaves are already out, I would have waited until early spring for this type of cut. If it had its own roots, you'd still be cutting it close, but you'd have a better chance than this. As is, I wouldn't expect much root growth considering the time of season, and the medium you packed it in. Moss is good, as it retains moisture, but I wouldn't count on the dirt doing much. It would need daily review to make sure it had moisture. There's the option of wrapping it cellophane/nursery tape to hold moisture in, like an air layer, but I don't think you're going to get a good seal on that root.

The only real chance I see for this at this time would be to cut it completely off & make the attempt in good draining soil or coarse sphagnum moss. Cut it, clean the edges of the cut with a sharp knife, and let sit in water & rooting hormone while you prepare for the rest of treatment. If you use moss like an air layer, soak in the rooting hormone/water and wrap around the cut. Cover in cellophane/nursery tape. If you use bonsai soil mixture, screw some fasteners into the base to hold wires for retaining in the pot. For both methods, keep in a protected place from hard sun & wind until established - this will take several months (or a few days) to see how well it works.

I've had success taking a tree with little to no roots, but timing & understanding of plant growth assisted. Look into air-layer methods for pictures & more information. Good luck with it, and check back in - success or failure. We learn from both.

I am familiar with air-layer method. In this case, I can't check every day if the moss is moist. I need at least one hour to get to this tree.

To do in the way I did it, I was hoping, I won't kill it imediately.

So if I cut it entirely and put it in a water with root hormone, I can expect some positive result? For few weeks just in water with hormone or just for a short time, and then put it on soak moss?

Approximate diameter of cut off section is aroun 10 cm. It's a lot of beech wood

If you leave it where it is, I would expect a good amount of the cut portion to die back. The other side would probably maintain growth, but your leftover material may not be usable for your future tree.

If you cut entirely, you may expect better results than if you left it in the woods. Nothing is guaranteed, though.

Once cut, I wouldn't leave it in the water for long - a few hours at most. The area needs to be damp, not wet, during it's growing period. Wrapping it with moss & cellophane will retain the humidity & give roots a medium to grow into. Mist the leaves ~ once a day, late afternoon. If you're going that route, just make sure it's in a safe location. This has the potential to rock around (I'm imagining the bag of moss attached to the bottom of your tree, rocking like a weeble wobble in the wind!). Keep it stable with some rocks, limbs or lumber in a shaded area. Check on it once a week until your roots start to appear, if they do.

brkirkland22 wrote:

Nothing is guaranteed, though.

I am totaly aware of that.

Tomorow I'll go to buy rooting hormone and then cut the material entirelly. I will post some pictures.

You know what, I'll go in on this with you. I've beeches all over my property, some with these suckered growths - it's an experiment in the making! I'll post pictures, too - step by step.
Check your pm's, Mercnik.

You CAN NOT take cuttings of beech like some other trees. DO NOT cut it off completely.

A type of layering, such as you are doing, might work. I would however not have made a deep cut. You should have removed just a strip of bark. What you have done now.. Leave it as is, and check every few weeks, more in summer, to keep it moist (Maybe burry it deeper) and hope for the best.

Now I am confused. Cut - no cut

I already did half way cut today. I thought this is the best, to maybe get roots in half of the surface, and next year cut other half. (Best case scenario)
If I'd only strip bark, I do not know, how I could cut it off when the roots will grow and not to damage the new roots.

I'll probably go back and put some more moss on the cut and add some root hormone. I'll also put plastic bag around, to keep moist.

leatherback wrote:

You CAN NOT take cuttings of beech like some other trees. DO NOT cut it off completely.

A type of layering, such as you are doing, might work. I would however not have made a deep cut. You should have removed just a strip of bark. What you have done now.. Leave it as is, and check every few weeks, more in summer, to keep it moist (Maybe burry it deeper) and hope for the best.

I didn't say it was guaranteed to work, and as I already stated, it's late in the season as it is. I don't expect success.

But, I'm going to give it a shot & show everyone what that outcome could be with experienced practices. Failure is learning, too.

Today I returned to the tree I was asking about jesterday.

I put some root hormone pouder on the cut and wrapped it with moss I collected near by.

After soaking moss with water, I wrapped plastic bag around. Over the plastic bag, I wrapped one more layer of moss, thou I do not like plastic in nature. Now I'll check once a week if moss is moist.