Collecting trip 2008 part I

[Bonsai Nut]

For the record, I can't stand cactus mix because when it gets too dry, it repels water.

Does the same for me too if I let it get bone dry (like on my cacti). If I mix it with more pumice it helps. I certainly don't use it for any finished bonsai but it seems to work well for the junis that I have pulled from the field. They are in shade for quite a while and I never let the surface of the soil completely dry out at least for the first 6 months or so.

Quick comment on the plastic tent idea: something else that I have done when I need to transplant junipers in the summer (at the WRONG time of year for this in Southern California) is to wrap the entire tree in burlap, including the entire foilage ball. The burlap provides shade and holds moisture (especially if you water the burlap 2x a day for while) without baking the tree or cutting airflow. I have done this with large adult landscape junipers - digging them up and moving them in August in full sun - and have never lost a tree.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Update

For what it's worth, here's the large juniper today after about 10 months out of the ground. I just moved my collected junipers out in the full sun after the summer spent mostly in shade. They'll be in full sun from this point out, and will fill in a lot more with the sun and some diluted fertilizer. I have still not touched this tree - it is easily 50% deadwood and will be reduced substantially when the time comes to start styling it. Right now I just want it to get super strong and develop a fine root structure.

 

[Juniperus Californica]

Collecting with Harry

Harry hasn't been digging much this year because they're putting up windmills in Jawbone canyon and they're using dynamite. We've had to dig in a different area with fewer Junipers.

Hey Mr. Bonsainut, not a bad Juniper. Do you reduce the root ball before you put it in the tub so that it will fit into a bonsai pot? My rule about California Junipers is that you don't have anything until you get it into a bonsai pot and it's thriving.

Love

Juniperus Californica

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Do you reduce the root ball before you put it in the tub so that it will fit into a bonsai pot? My rule about California Junipers is that you don't have anything until you get it into a bonsai pot and it's thriving.

I agree. You have to gradually step it down from being in nature, to being in a "recovery" pot, to being in a bonsai pot. The root ball is small, but I am more concerned right now in getting it really robust. I am going to be eliminating the most extraneous deadwood as well as cleaning up the trunk while I start to think about design. Once I understand the design, I will start thinking about the big pot I will need to buy I don't want to remove any green at this point because I want strong root growth. I've got several other California junipers, including one from Harry himself, and I don't think they are particularly difficult as long as you take your time, and don't drown the roots.

 

[greerhw]

I hate you guys, I really do, I hope you all fall in a cactus bed.

Harry

 

[buddhamonk]

OMG - how can you complain about living in southern california and the lack of local conventions/workshops when you can collect this stuff right out of your backyard...

 

[Bonsai Nut]

OMG - how can you complain about living in southern california and the lack of local conventions/workshops when you can collect this stuff right out of your backyard...

You take the good with the bad... its a harsh environment for white pines, japanese maples, and many deciduous trees. However black pines and junipers love it!!

Last I checked Oregon had lots of mountains too...

 

[buddhamonk]

I've never had a chance to collect here in Oregon. You have to travel way out there to find anything interesting.

For some reason I don't find ponderosas appealing but I really like mountain hemlocks that some of the locals are collecting.

so where's part II of the collecting trip 2008?

Manny

 

[Bonsai Nut]

so where's part II of the collecting trip 2008?

Funny... I just looked for the photos and it seems that I didn't take my camera that day. I was in a hurry and it was snowing in the mountains when I was collecting so the photos wouldn't have been much good anyway.

Next photos will be collecting trip 2009 What I really need is someone with a truck with high clearance. My sad SUV can't go up some of these jeep roads without bottoming out all over the place.