Twisted Trunk Privet

After Isaac helped me bare-root the five privets (grown from volunteer seedlings and transplanted to my garden for 3 years) I began the process of pruning them each down to one trunk and removed lots of branches. 

 I then carefully fitted them together and attached them where necessary with tiny brass screws.  The trunks weren't very flexible but I managed to twist them a little bit at the base.  There is a band of electrical tape about 10" high where I ran out of #2 brass screws.  Here is the bundle of trees with a thick mass of roots before potting.

Here it is in a recent photo showing strong growth in all five trunks.  It is potted in a milk crate lined with a trash bag (with holes in all four corners and the middle of the bottom for drainage)

There are many shoots coming out near the base too, which is fine, as that will help thicken up the trunks and  hopefully they will begin to fuse together with time.  I expect to be able to remove the screws next Spring as the trunks will have set in their new positions and won't risk unwinding.  They could be removed this Fall, but the holes wouldn't heal over until Spring anyway.  Click here for some of my inspiration photos for a twisted trunk bonsai.

In October I removed the plant from its pot and cut off the bottom two inches of the root mass.  I decided to plant it in the ground so the trunks will all thicken up and fuse together.  I planted it on a tile to encourage sideways growth.