What have you collected this season? 2018


Collected in March protected through April and May seems to be happy I never see Pa mountain laural as bonsai so I am giving it a go. Using azalea soils and technique and hoping for the best.

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On a recent trip to Hope, BC I came across a valley that had been destroyed by one of our yearly fires. The flames had jump from tree to tree, killing most but sparing the odd lucky one. There’s was lots of new growth now that it had been 7 or 8 years since this particular spot had been ravaged. Anyway, while exploring I came across a small hemlock(?) that had been set a blaze and nearly killed. I saw one small area that in the last 8 years had regrown. The story this tree tells and the incredible contrast between life and death made it irresistible. Let’s hope my care collecting this tree pays off and it survives the transplant to my home. I see unbelievable potential in this piece and am praying to the bonsai Gods I have the opportunity to work with it.

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Here is a couple 100 year old Olives I collected in February. Unfortunately I had to collect in not the best season but we will see how they do.

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Very nice. What’s the purpose of the “Vee” inside the first planting box? Use less soil? Direct the growth of roots? Would love to see the root ball as it was when you put it into the box. Good job.

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The less soil used the less water is stored in areas away from the roots. Basically by keeping the soil to a minimum and focused only around the roots a proper balance of o2/h2o is both easier to strike, and evenly distributed around the roots. Diminishing the existence of wet pockets of soil.

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I just realized how bad these pictures are. I promise this tree is more interesting than I made it look in these photos! Haha

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Hahaha, that’s how I feel about every picture I take of my trees. I’d like to get a more professional looking photography set up for my trees eventually. Those look awesome though, lots of potential.

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While weeding my garden, I’ve found some seedlings. I think its 2 maples, 1 filbert, and 1 one birch. I dug them up and have saved them in little pots. Fun little side experiments.

JS, looks like a fir of some sort. Aren’t the needles too long for a hemlock. But what does an easterner know about western trees. LOL.

Regardless of its pedigree, it shows great potential. Good luck.

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Could be! The needles are small though…an inch at the most. I’m gonna check today for hemlocks tell tale white stripes. I’ll update later. I’ve got a couple more collected pieces Im going to share as well!

Great response. That applies so much to potting techniques in general. Sometimes I believe we spend more time trying to make the tree fit the pot rather than the pot fitting the tree. Thanks.

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Hey JohnH, you could check out “Repotting Yamadori” Feb. 1/18 in Archive.

I don’t collect yamadori from cool places like mountaintops. Right now I only dig a few trees from peripheral areas, like roadsides, of the little island I live on off the coast of Massachusetts. There aren’t a lot of prime species to choose from either! That said, it is all good practice if I ever do get out West for something special (really want a subalpine spruce at some point).

Here’s what I dug up this winter and spring.

Clump lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) collected on the roadside in April.

Small Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) collected next to train tracks in May.

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) from on top of a rock near my place. Collected in March.

Chopped Norway Pine (Pinus resinosa) collected during January thaw.

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Good lord @ShareefHuddle, those look incredible. Where on earth do you live that you’re pulling such incredible olives out of the ground? I’m VIBRATING WITH ENVY.

There was no root balls on these olives. @CARDOZA taught me that with Olives you can pretty much cut at base of tree straight across. Put in pumice and they will eventually regrow roots. I have successfully used this method the year before at end of summer on some smaller Olives and had 100% success rate. I would have done some reduction in the second pot also but just got lazy :frowning:

I am in Sacramento area.

I’ve got climate envy. If you ever pull a great olive out of the ground and want to get rid of it… :wink:

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Hey Joe, what do you think caused all of that back budding on that pinus resinosa?

My observation is that p. resinosa think they are deciduous trees. Normally we are talking a pine having strength in their roots, but resinosa act like they have vascular energy. This tree had so few feeder roots when I dug it up that I was sure it was a mistake to try. I actually chopped it in half to balance the crown - which I normally wouldn’t do with a pine. Something worked because it sure is pushing growth now. Crazy. As a species, resinosa “self-prune” limbs so I am going to try and treat it like a blueberry with new cane management to keep the branches I want (starting next year).

one of my favorites from this spring’s collections. An Eastern White Cedar from Northern Michigan off of private property owned by one of my landscape clients (a windy lakeshore on Lake MI).

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