How big is too big for a BC?

Start collecting something 1/2 the size first. Something you do NOT care about as much. Then decide whether you have what it takes to pull this on out.

People here are not negative for being negative, but because we have all been there.
 
Zach Smith said:
The best advice I can give is get a cordless reciprocating saw and a 12" pruning blade. Wait till early January. Sawing around the base is the easy part; getting under the tree enough to saw part-way through the taproot is your challenge. You can cut part-way and lean the tree over till it cracks and you can get better access to finish the job, but you have to be careful not to go too far or you'll crack the tap right up into the trunk.
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Good to know! Thank you! I got a dewalt with a 12” already for when season comes around!
 
leatherback said:
Start collecting something 1/2 the size first. Something you do NOT care about as much. Then decide whether you have what it takes to pull this on out.

People here are not negative for being negative, but because we have all been there.
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I probably should save it a few years. I saved an out of season cypress a couple months ago. It was doomed if I didn’t pull it. L It has a few 8” branches at the base so I know I’m not hopeless. I would like a collection or 20 under my belt before I try this beast unless someone with experience wants to help. Lol
 
Trenthany said:
I probably should save it a few years. I saved an out of season cypress a couple months ago. It was doomed if I didn’t pull it. L It has a few 8” branches at the base so I know I’m not hopeless. I would like a collection or 20 under my belt before I try this beast unless someone with experience wants to help. Lol
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Longer you leave it the bigger and harder it’s going to be to dig. You could always trunk chop it now and collect later.

Just fyi.... after care for this crazy large and difficult tree to collect, ahhhhhh lots of water lol, let me tell you it’s not real complicated :)
 
Daniel son STL said:
Longer you leave it the bigger and harder it’s going to be to dig. You could always trunk chop it now and collect later.

Just fyi.... after care for this crazy large and difficult tree to collect, ahhhhhh lots of water lol, let me tell you it’s not real complicated :)
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I’d rather not trunk it because it’s visible from a trail and while I have permission to collect it I’d rather not leave a stub for customers to see. I’m thinking of root cutting to let new feeders develop. This spring in prep for a full collect in a few years. But maybe I should just chop it. Then it can start leader growth early so when I collect it in a few years I can chop the leader. I remember reading somewhere for BC to chop the leader it’s thickness up from the last cut to get a good taper for BC. I’ll have to find that thread. I think it was Zach or Bill in a different forum though. Maybe one of them will chime in! Or chime in again! Maybe I can start development in the ground then collect when I’ve got more experience.
 
Trenthany said:
I’d rather not trunk it because it’s visible from a trail and while I have permission to collect it I’d rather not leave a stub for customers to see. I’m thinking of root cutting to let new feeders develop. This spring in prep for a full collect in a few years. But maybe I should just chop it. Then it can start leader growth early so when I collect it in a few years I can chop the leader. I remember reading somewhere for BC to chop the leader it’s thickness up from the last cut to get a good taper for BC. I’ll have to find that thread. I think it was Zach or Bill in a different forum though. Maybe one of them will chime in! Or chime in again! Maybe I can start development in the ground then collect when I’ve got more experience.
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Trunk chop if you must, you can correct issues this produces down the road most likely, but for God's sake don't cut roots now to develop new feeders. I don't know of anyone who has done this and said it was the way to go (I never have).

You've expended a huge amount of emotional capital on this tree, as the lengthy list of posts suggests. I see confusion setting in. It looks like you have free access to this tree, so go about your business and come back next January and give lifting it your best shot. Saw it out of the ground, trunk chop it where it makes sense, then pot it up and see if it lives. It's a reasonably nice tree, probably too big for you at this stage of your bonsai journey but worth the try. A 10-year project for sure.

PM me with your email address and I'll send you my big BC development guide. You may find it useful.
 
Mikecheck123 said:
Have you watched Bills Bayou?


This tree is about as big as I'd ever want to go, and it's way smaller than yours.
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Him and Zach and a couple of other collectors. I’m going to be studying like mad this winter to hopefully get the best results when I do go collecting for smaller ones.
Zach Smith said:
Trunk chop if you must, you can correct issues this produces down the road most likely, but for God's sake don't cut roots now to develop new feeders. I don't know of anyone who has done this and said it was the way to go (I never have).

You've expended a huge amount of emotional capital on this tree, as the lengthy list of posts suggests. I see confusion setting in. It looks like you have free access to this tree, so go about your business and come back next January and give lifting it your best shot. Saw it out of the ground, trunk chop it where it makes sense, then pot it up and see if it lives. It's a reasonably nice tree, probably too big for you at this stage of your bonsai journey but worth the try. A 10-year project for sure.

PM me with your email address and I'll send you my big BC development guide. You may find it useful.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I’m not invested yet but if I could have it it could be an amazing tree. I have several smaller maybe 4-6” base ones I want to get as well as a variety of other trees I’m hoping to collect. I watch your videos and read your posts everywhere I can find them lol. I loooove Bald cypress in the wild and now that I’ve finally started bonsai instead of buying them as landscape trees I’m hoping to collect some. I think it’s too big and expected an immediate shut down with the size. I was surprised when I wasn’t Just told it’s way to big. Actually gives me hope to have that amazing BC bonsai of my dreams one day lol. I’ll PM you in a moment. Thank you again!
 
Crawforde said:
I had to lay down with a sore back just thinking about digging and hauling that tree out.
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It’s only about 15 feet from a dirt road and I can actually get closer than that! I think I’m going to wait because it is a beautiful tree in a beautiful spot I’ll find some more hidden ones. You still game to come collecting?
 
What you'll find about BC once you get them cleaned up is the wood is much lighter than you think. So a very large specimen (6" trunk base with say 12" root spread and chopped 24-28") probably only comes in at 15-20 pounds. Now, you'll pull up a lot of muck with the tree when you finish wrestling it out of the ground, and that will make it weigh upwards of 50 pounds. I wash mine off completely, which takes quite some time as the muck comes with lots of marsh grass and other roots.
 
ya know, if you have legal access and permission to collect on land, you have currency to get expert help with collecting trees on it. Might be worth asking bonsai clubs in the region if they'd be interested in coming to help you, in exchange for allowing them to dig trees on the property...
 
Zach Smith said:
What you'll find about BC once you get them cleaned up is the wood is much lighter than you think. So a very large specimen (6" trunk base with say 12" root spread and chopped 24-28") probably only comes in at 15-20 pounds. Now, you'll pull up a lot of muck with the tree when you finish wrestling it out of the ground, and that will make it weigh upwards of 50 pounds. I wash mine off completely, which takes quite some time as the muck comes with lots of marsh grass and other roots.
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Good to know! So far the only collections I’ve done have been rescues of plants doomed without me. I’m thinking of asking local landscapers and the county road crews to let me know when they’re clearing areas so I can come get trees there too lol.
rockm said:
ya know, if you have legal access and permission to collect on land, you have currency to get expert help with collecting trees on it. Might be worth asking bonsai clubs in the region if they'd be interested in coming to help you, in exchange for allowing them to dig trees on the property...
Click to expand...
I probably will do that because having experienced help would go a loooong way to making sure legit collections that I want will be successful.
 
rockm said:
ya know, if you have legal access and permission to collect on land, you have currency to get expert help with collecting trees on it. Might be worth asking bonsai clubs in the region if they'd be interested in coming to help you, in exchange for allowing them to dig trees on the property...
Click to expand...
Very good tip
 
Trenthany said:
It’s only about 15 feet from a dirt road and I can actually get closer than that! I think I’m going to wait because it is a beautiful tree in a beautiful spot I’ll find some more hidden ones. You still game to come collecting?
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Yep.
Once my back recovers.
Us old grey haired guys heal slowly, but I’ll be ready by BC season!
February is when I’ve had the best luck around Okeechobee.
 
Crawforde said:
Yep.
Once my back recovers.
Us old grey haired guys heal slowly, but I’ll be ready by BC season!
February is when I’ve had the best luck around Okeechobee.
Click to expand...
I’ll be Manuel labor and you can stuporvise! Lmao
 
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