PiñonJ
Omono
Any opinions on the likelihood of maintaining a viable root ball if this ponderosa were collected? It is on a roadside slope. The surface is all broken-up shale-type rock with some road gravel.
Ponderosa yamadori
- Thread starter PiñonJ
- Start date
Jason_mazzy
Chumono
Looks very collectible. Is it worth it?
Looks like the foliage is very far away from the trunk.
The bark and trunk are nice.
What do you think?
Looks like the foliage is very far away from the trunk.
The bark and trunk are nice.
What do you think?
PiñonJ
Omono
I've been watching it for a couple of years, and the foliage has grown a little further from the trunk. It has a very interesting form in a relatively compact tree. I think with some branch bending it could be styled well. Of course, back-budding would be nice. Does anyone here know how well ponderosa's back-bud?
evmibo
Shohin
I like the tree.
Here's a quote from Capital Bonsai, regarding work with Ryan Neil: "in order to get back budding never bud/candle prune Ponderosa. Also do not remove any needles except those on the bottom of branches. The reason for this is that the more photosynthetic surface area the tree has the more energy it can invest in creating more buds. If Ponderosa are treated like Japanese Black Pine they will eventually weaken and die."
I'm sure more will chime in with individual experiences.
Here's a quote from Capital Bonsai, regarding work with Ryan Neil: "in order to get back budding never bud/candle prune Ponderosa. Also do not remove any needles except those on the bottom of branches. The reason for this is that the more photosynthetic surface area the tree has the more energy it can invest in creating more buds. If Ponderosa are treated like Japanese Black Pine they will eventually weaken and die."
I'm sure more will chime in with individual experiences.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
I have has no success collecting pondys and virginianas from this type of soil...through no lack of trying. Pines are best collected when found growing in a pocket or depression in a rock, so you can get most/all of the root system.
Pondys will backbud on old wood, most predictably in spring after a hard pruning and wiring in the previous fall.
Pondys will backbud on old wood, most predictably in spring after a hard pruning and wiring in the previous fall.
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
I've tried a few as well. I think my success rate was about 25%, and those were the youngest of the trees. This might be one of those best admired where it is.
Brian
Brian
fourteener
Omono
The key to successful tree gathering is for every 100 trees you'd like to gather, one of them is gatherable. Put on a lot of miles, see a lot of trees.
Have you investigated the root system at all? All of my best gathers were just as Brian said. A root ball in a rock pocket with a decent ball of roots living in it own duff compiled over the years.
If you try to wiggle the base of the tree and it doesn't move at all... You have no chance at all. If you find some feeder roots close to the base and there is some movement you might have a chance. If it is near where you live you could take a three year approach to root pruning and getting it free. Is it worth that type of effort is the bigger question.
Have you investigated the root system at all? All of my best gathers were just as Brian said. A root ball in a rock pocket with a decent ball of roots living in it own duff compiled over the years.
If you try to wiggle the base of the tree and it doesn't move at all... You have no chance at all. If you find some feeder roots close to the base and there is some movement you might have a chance. If it is near where you live you could take a three year approach to root pruning and getting it free. Is it worth that type of effort is the bigger question.
PiñonJ
Omono
Thanks for the feedback, it reinforces my concerns. If this tree is anything like the piñons around here, it will have a very long tap root and nothing in the way of shallow feeder roots, though it is in a higher, wetter zone. I'll explore the roots a little, and if it doesn't have any shallow feeders, I'll leave it alone and keep looking.
Jason_mazzy
Chumono
I have collected Virginia's from soil like that. All mine made it. What I did do is take large and deep matrix. Each rootball probably weighed over 100 lbs.
I find pines do best collected late winter right when the trees are all stored up with energy.
These trees were slated for demolition do it was worth the chance and they all survived.
Your tree looks very collectible but everyone's concerns here are valid. If there are no feeder roots it won't survive.
Do some digging and let us know what you find for roots.
I find pines do best collected late winter right when the trees are all stored up with energy.
These trees were slated for demolition do it was worth the chance and they all survived.
Your tree looks very collectible but everyone's concerns here are valid. If there are no feeder roots it won't survive.
Do some digging and let us know what you find for roots.
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