Anyone interested in Chicago Yew Yamadori

[Si Nguyen]

They look to be about 4-5' tall and am thinking of chopping them down to 2.5', then excavate from there.

When you chop, before you start to dig, try to leave a long section on the trunk to use as a handle bar to pull the tree out with. Faster this way. Then when the tree is out, saw off the handle bar of the trunk to your final desired height. Your final height should be as low as possible so you won't have to chop it again later. Try to chop it only once. People tend to make the mistake of chopping the tree again too soon, like in a few months or a few years, when they finally see the bonsai in it. Chopping it again too soon can kill the tree.
Good luck!
Si

 

[mcpesq817]

When you chop, before you start to dig, try to leave a long section on the trunk to use as a handle bar to pull the tree out with. Faster this way. Then when the tree is out, saw off the handle bar of the trunk to your final desired height. Your final height should be as low as possible so you won't have to chop it again later. Try to chop it only once. People tend to make the mistake of chopping the tree again too soon, like in a few months or a few years, when they finally see the bonsai in it. Chopping it again too soon can kill the tree.
Good luck!
Si

I tend to leave the trunks and branches a little on the longer side after collection because yews can handle subsequent chops in future years without any problem, and because it can be hard to envision what the final tree will look like after initially digging it - since landscape yews have multiple trunks and branches (they essentially are big bushes), it's very hard to figure out what the final height would be. Plus, you want to leave extra lengths that you can work with for deadwood.

 

[Poink88]

I agree with you both (Si and Mike). If you can see your final design (very difficult) it is best to chop as hard as you can (easier to haul as well). But if in doubt leave more. I also agree that with yew (like pine & juniper), deadwood is a feature that can help it stand out well so need to factor that also.

I usually bring back more than I need and do another chop at home before potting or shortly after just because it is hard to make all the decisions when you are in a hurry on the collection site. Maybe with experience, it (design determination) will come much faster.

Now, I am bringing home less than before though...both root ball mass and top branches.

 

[fore]

Thanks Si, but I'm with mcpesq on this one too. I'll have no idea as to the final design height.Plus I read a thread from Tachagi that's it's better to leave more foliage...granted, that was advice for a summer dig. So I might be able to cut it down more, though may follow Dario's idea and do it once I get it potted up.

I'm off to Home Depot to buy some wood for the sides, and steel screen for the bottom. Do you guys think I should go with 8 or 12" wide boards? I have no idea how small I can make the depth of the root ball.

 

[Poink88]

One thing to consider is to shop for supplies after collection. FYI, I've left lots of collected trees in plastic trash bags for several days w/o any problem.

If you must do it now, I would get the 12" planks...or buy some 2x2 and use those as corner posts to make your box and get mix or 8" and 4" planks. You can them make any depth you want/need.

You can also buy slotted angles like shown here if you wish. http://www.bigsquidrc.com/project-portable-adjustable-ramp/

Good luck!

 

[fore]

Dario, are you saying buy the 12" wide boards as well as 4 and 8" and use the most appropriate width, or just get the 12" and rip it if it needs to be shallower?

I'm off to HD in about 30 mins

 

[Poink88]

It is an "or"...choose which way you want. If you can rip with a table saw or bandsaw, get the 12". If you want to play it safe & simple, go with 12"

It depends on what approach you want to go. The 4" and 8" are for a different approach...with post or corner angle....or without depending on your final depth.

 

[fore]

Thanks Dario, I'm just not sure how much depth I'm going to need, so I'll get the 12", and a couple of 8" and return what I don't use.

 

[ericN]

Hi Eric,

I'm trying at this point to working around the rain. I'd love the help, but my 7dy forecast looks like rain next thurs and fri, which wouldn't be that great for next weekend. I'll shoot you a pm on tues to let you know my plans as I've tentatively sched it for next wed (first day off I can get where it's not raining..gonna suck it's 85F though.)

Hi fore,

Cant help on Wednesday, Still have deadlines on my table, but my offer stands for this weekend.

Eric

 

[Si Nguyen]

Thanks Si, but I'm with mcpesq on this one too. I'll have no idea as to the final design height.Plus I read a thread from Tachagi that's it's better to leave more foliage...granted, that was advice for a summer dig. So I might be able to cut it down more, though may follow Dario's idea and do it once I get it potted up.

I'm off to Home Depot to buy some wood for the sides, and steel screen for the bottom. Do you guys think I should go with 8 or 12" wide boards? I have no idea how small I can make the depth of the root ball.

Hi Fore, good luck to you. But I don't think you and some other people understand me correctly. I guess I was not clear enough. My point is this: Once you have potted the tree up, don't chop it again until at least 2 years or more later. Because if you do everything correctly, the tree will begin to recover from the initial chop and concentrate its sap strength at the cut edges, and then if you go and cut a few more inches off the top too soon, you will have removed most of its strength and it could die back. Only after a few years, when the tree has fully recovered, that's when you can safely chop it down again. In the first year, the tree should be left alone and not move around too much , as to not disturb the root growth.

My initial comment was based on what you said about chopping it from 4-5 feet to about 2 feet BEFORE digging. 2 feet before digging is probably too low. Leave a long stub so you can have something to hold onto when you pull the tree out of the ground. Again, once it is out of the ground, take your time and study it well BEFORE potting it. You got plenty of time to think about (at least a day - or even 2-3 days if it is not too hot and dry). Don't rush putting it into a pot. Chop it well BEFORE wiring it into the pot. Once it is in the pot. Leave it alone for a few years. That's all.
Good luck again.

 

[fore]

Hi fore,

Cant help on Wednesday, Still have deadlines on my table, but my offer stands for this weekend.

Eric

Thank You Very Much Eric! I truly appreciate the offer. If I don't get them all tom, then maybe we could head down there this weekend to finish it off. I'll update the thread and let you know.

 

[fore]

Hi Fore, good luck to you. But I don't think you and some other people understand me correctly. I guess I was not clear enough. My point is this: Once you have potted the tree up, don't chop it again until at least 2 years or more later. Because if you do everything correctly, the tree will begin to recover from the initial chop and concentrate its sap strength at the cut edges, and then if you go and cut a few more inches off the top too soon, you will have removed most of its strength and it could die back. Only after a few years, when the tree has fully recovered, that's when you can safely chop it down again. In the first year, the tree should be left alone and not move around too much , as to not disturb the root growth.

My initial comment was based on what you said about chopping it from 4-5 feet to about 2 feet BEFORE digging. 2 feet before digging is probably too low. Leave a long stub so you can have something to hold onto when you pull the tree out of the ground. Again, once it is out of the ground, take your time and study it well BEFORE potting it. You got plenty of time to think about (at least a day - or even 2-3 days if it is not too hot and dry). Don't rush putting it into a pot. Chop it well BEFORE wiring it into the pot. Once it is in the pot. Leave it alone for a few years. That's all.
Good luck again.

I see Si, now I understand what you were talking about. So leave like 3', along with a long stub, bring it home, pot it up, and then chop to desired ht. And leave alone for 2-3yrs. Thanks for clarifying this up for me. I also saw that Tachigi barerooted the new trees. I'm not so sure about this so late in the spring. So I'm thinking of leaving some orig. soil in place, something like 30%, and the rest inorg bonsai soil. Sound like a good plan?

And Thank god I have a day or two to pot them up as there's no way I'm going to have the energy to do it wed night lol

 

[mcpesq817]

Have the yews started pushing buds in your area? I've collected and barerooted (including washing the rootball) yews in early May here, though I usually prefer to work them earlier. You might be ok with the cold spring and being in a colder environment.

 

[fore]

Just a little right now. Could be right though.

Off to the job site now. ltr

 

[Poink88]

Good luck! I pray the trees come out easy, live, and turn out awesome

 

[tmmason10]

Good luck indeed! Anxious to see the results of your dig.

 

[fore]

Ok guys, I 'barely' survived LOL The first, the largest, took 4hrs to get out and into my truck, both were very hard as it was extr. heavy. The second one still pretty big, took just 2hrs. I cut off more on the second and third tree so I could fit them all in my truck...it was Very tight coming home. The third one was a bugger too, another 3.5 hrs. I could've used a small trowel or something to dig under the root masses to find the larger roots.

Every muscle in my body hurts, quite a lot, esp. my arms, lower back, and thighs. It's going to take me a week to recover lol I have quite a few 'battle scars' on my arms and legs. Oh, fort the weather was very nice, maybe 75? I really lucked out it didn't hit the mid 80's.

I've got some pics, I'll take some more of them wrapped in tarp and the potting up of them. I'll be able to prob. make the box, and get one or two potted this afternoon if I have enough muscle to get them onto a table. The first one was so big I had to winch it into the bed of the truck.

I left a huge root mass on the first one too, making it weigh a lot. Less so with the second and third trees, but all 3 have tons of roots. On the 4th one, 1. I was wasted and didn't have the energy to get it, but 2, it was but ugly. Nothing but a straight trunk for 3', then branching...looked like a harborvitae really. But the owner was ecstatic I got the 3 huge ones.

The first two shots are for size perspective, and the 3rd is the first one loaded.

 

[Poink88]

CONGRATS!!!

I should have told you to take pain meds before the dig (prophylactic).

The hard part is over, now you can slowly work on these babies and enjoy them for decades. I think you took more branches than you should. My first few was like that (luckily not this size) but I learned to take home less over time.

This will be nice and can't wait to see how it will turn out. Good luck!!!

 

[fore]

LOL Dario!! I had to take Norco's (hydrocodone) last night and this am. And I never take pain meds, but I could barely move last night, and only sl. better today. I'd love to get the trees potted up today, the sooner the better I'd think, but just don't think I have it in me lol So I do hope they'll be ok for 2 dys till I get them done.

And I agree, I do think I took too much branching on the one pic, the first tree. But I kept thinking what Si told me to try to get 'more than two feet' of branching. The other two, I took more branches, but still prob. left too many. They are going to be huge in the wood pots, and I need to find space in the yard for them....off the ground is the problem. I have a dog that will eat Turface, grit, lava...you name it. He drives me nuts! lol

But I sure hope all 3 make it Dario, b/c I agree, they will be awesome trees if I can do them justice.

 

[Poink88]

Did you leave one tree behind? I thought there were 4. Too tired to get it?