The 2023 Yamadori/Collecting Thread

[Cajunrider]

Last year collection thread was fantastic. We learned a lot from one another on how to plan for and how to collect trees. Let's do it again. List your plan for collection and show the trees you collected. If the trees become good bonsai, you can link your progression thread to the particular post for the collection of that tree. That way we can have a complete history of the tree.

Last year thread was in the New To Bonsai forum. I think the Collecting & Importing is the more appropriate one so I create this thread here. My plan for 2023 will be similar to 2022. I am planning to collect some live oaks, bald cypress, and Mayhaw. I am hoping to get a good collection of these species that I decide to take to PA with me.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Contemplating about taking this oak, about 30 years old. But it's straight as an arrow. It would take a looong time for it to be anything nice.

Grabbed a bunch of scots pines today because I want to make a literati like clump of forest. Since we're in coatless warm weather already, I figured to grab the bull by the horns and be in time before the roots start pushing.

 

[Cajunrider]

View attachment 467300
Contemplating about taking this oak, about 30 years old. But it's straight as an arrow. It would take a looong time for it to be anything nice.

Grabbed a bunch of scots pines today because I want to make a literati like clump of forest. Since we're in coatless warm weather already, I figured to grab the bull by the horns and be in time before the roots start pushing.

That oak is next to a big tree and has no chance to grow to anything worthwhile. If I were you I would take it. If it grows like my live oak, I don't think it will take that long to be something nice under your experience hands.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

That oak is next to a big tree and has no chance to grow to anything worthwhile. If I were you I would take it. If it grows like my live oak, I don't think it will take that long to be something nice under your experience hands.

I have experience with conifers. Deciduous.. Man, I keep killing those. I do have a couple oaks but I find them rather difficult.

The big fallen tree is going to be sawn and chopped tomorrow. I think tomorrow I'll just chop and dig the smaller trunk and see where it goes.

 

[19Mateo83]

So far I have two for sure trees on my collecting list. One is a hack berry aka sugar berry. Mother Nature has done all the work on this one, just needs to be dug and topped. This one’s is going to be a real pain to dig. Anyone know if these guys ground layer easily?

The second is a twin trunk American hornbeam. There’s several seedlings in the area that will get collected also when I get this one.

 

[Cajunrider]

So far I have two for sure trees on my collecting list. One is a hack berry aka sugar berry. Mother Nature has done all the work on this one, just needs to be dug and topped. This one’s is going to be a real pain to dig. Anyone know if these guys ground layer easily?
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The second is a twin trunk American hornbeam. There’s several seedlings in the area that will get collected also when I get this one.
View attachment 467304

Very nice.

 

[Cajunrider]

I am planning to go tomorrow afternoon to help my friend thin out the bald cypress in his shallow crawfish pond. Instead of getting really big specimen, I am thinking smaller about 10 ft tall and 2.5-3" trunk. I also have a Mayhaw or two to collect.

 

[Gabler]

I’m most excited about this beech growing at the base of this hillside. It’s not easy to find thick beech trees with any movement, though it’ll probably take twenty years to develop and refine it, so I’ll have something to look forward to in my mid to late forties. For this year, I’ll just focus on digging up lots of feeder roots and providing impeccable aftercare.

 

[Cajunrider]

I’m most excited about this beech growing at the base of this hillside. It’s not easy to find thick beech trees with any movement, though it’ll probably take twenty years to develop and refine it, so I’ll have something to look forward to in my mid to late forties. For this year, I’ll just focus on digging up lots of feeder roots and providing impeccable aftercare.

View attachment 467310

That looks like a heck of a tree. I would be excited too if I were you.

 

[jacobcamp]

I’m most excited about this beech growing at the base of this hillside. It’s not easy to find thick beech trees with any movement, though it’ll probably take twenty years to develop and refine it, so I’ll have something to look forward to in my mid to late forties. For this year, I’ll just focus on digging up lots of feeder roots and providing impeccable aftercare.

That is a killer beech!

 

[jacobcamp]

I have a lot of yamadori planned and will post pics when I have them. Most looking forward to this Wisteria

 

[19Mateo83]

I’m most excited about this beech growing at the base of this hillside. It’s not easy to find thick beech trees with any movement, though it’ll probably take twenty years to develop and refine it, so I’ll have something to look forward to in my mid to late forties. For this year, I’ll just focus on digging up lots of feeder roots and providing impeccable aftercare.

View attachment 467310

That is a fantastic beech!

 

[chicago1980]

Tracking this thread

 

[PonderingSage:]

I’m mostly looking at maps & not be too lazy so I’m ready come spring. I just bought a house with English ivy vines as thick as my arm … it’s invasive so…

 

[BrianBay9]

I'm sad that I won't be collecting oaks this year. Due to the drought and a massive oak moth infestation locally, I don't think they have the energy left to survive collection. We'll see if they're doing better after this wet winter.

So instead I grabbed a few Monterey pine starters. They typically grow ramrod straight here so the only way to get bonsai stock from them is to start with seedlings and wire the interest into the trunks. Never tried collecting these so I'm just waiting to see if they survive. Not yamadori, but it's what I've got this year.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Couple more hours of chopsticking and it should be good. Cramps!

 

[Cajunrider]

View attachment 467353
Couple more hours of chopsticking and it should be good. Cramps!

Awesome work. The tree has good low movement.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Awesome work. The tree has good low movement.

Thanks! I hope it lives but I'm not expecting anything. I had to saw off a lower part of the trunk because there was a double nebari. Closed it up with candle wax, same with the top.
Got some kelp and now we wait. And chopstick some more over the next days.

 

[Kanorin]

I got 3 so far this winter...
American Hornbeam

Maple clump


Flowering dogwood clump with hollow

 

[Cajunrider]

I got 3 so far this winter...
American Hornbeam
View attachment 467372
Maple clump
View attachment 467373

Flowering dogwood clump with hollow
View attachment 467374

Fantastic collection. Great nebari on them.