rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I'd pass on both of those--one looks kinda sick, the other that runs on the ground is just weird. However, in the last pic with the trunk on the ground the tree IN THE BACKGROUND looks like the most promising of the bunch.
The 2023 Yamadori/Collecting Thread
- Thread starter Cajunrider
- Start date
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
You're thinking way too small. You don't need ANY foliage on BC. (Also now isn't really a great time to be digging them) Again, the trees in the BACKGROUND of the photos are better than the ones featured. The fluting on that BC behind the double trunk in the second photo is pretty freakin nice --and collectable come early spring.
Where are you in E. Texas? I used to have land near Tyler.
Alaskanrocket
Yamadori
White Spruce, easy diggings. Abnormally dense foliage, for this location anyways.
This is near Marshall, oh there were a ton of fluting BC, this twin trunk really caught my eye but not sure if it’s too big. Also here are some other ones that caught my eye. And here’s an ancient one, with huge knees! Quite beautiful…
Attachments
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Those twin trunks with fluting are really nice. Can't tell the exact scale, they look BIG, but not too big to get--if you want to pay for a very very large bonsai pot down the road. In any case, those are the kinds of tree you should be looking for. Don't get caught up in mistaking weird looking as preferable. Bonsai should look natural not odd. Those twin trunks have fluting and pretty nice dramatic taper from the roots up. keep that in mind.
The fluted trunk with the knees is nice, but the knees are mostly useless for a "final" bonsai image as they're waaay out of scale. The trunk, however, can be collected without the knees.
BTW, you should be looking for cedar elm as well. They are everywhere in that area. They are EXCELLENT bonsai material and if dug in the right season (early spring just before bud break--like late Feb. early March), they are extremely easy to collect with a cordless handheld sawzall reciprocating saw -- you don't need much, if any feeder roots with them.
Sounds good, thanks for the advice! I’ll definitely keep an eye out for cedar elms, do you have any?
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I have several. I dug some of them off of the Tyler place. Excellent bonsai material. The stump below came out of there. It's the smallest one I have. This was taken immediately after collection six or seven years ago. Don't have a recent pic handy unfortunately, but I've regrown an apex and branching. I've had the large one for going on 30 years now. It was dug near Austin. Still needs work but it's getting there. All he branching and apex from the second bend have been regrown.
Attachments
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
7141 and twin trunk 7143 look really good to me.
BTW in most cases, the knees next to small trees are really not from the small trees. I dug up many trees and find those knees belong to the big trees 10 to 30 ft away.
PonderingSage:
Shohin
Really excited about this tree…especially when the whole pocket lifted up with the initial pry of the breaker bar. I got 95% of the root mass. It was probably a 60 lb carry out.
I just hope it pulls through February! Sometimes a tree will look like it will make it all winter just to tank at the end.
I just hope it pulls through February! Sometimes a tree will look like it will make it all winter just to tank at the end.
Attachments
PonderingSage:
Shohin
PonderingSage:
Shohin
PonderingSage:
Shohin
Wow what beauties… Any tips on identifying cedar elms for bonsai? Those forests have so many different kinds of trees.
Good to know, for 7141 would you dig around the outer part of the knees first and then deal with them after?
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Yes. There is always that possibility that one of them may belong to the tree.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Cedar elm is the most common elm in Texas. It is literally all over the place in East Texas and the Piney Woods. If you have a yard, you likely are cussing the seedlings that pop up every where in the spring.
This video ID's the species and shows typical habitat. It also shows a pretty nice candidate for a large cedar elm bonsai--if you trunk chop and strip off the branching and regrow it. In late Feb--or when the weather is reliably above freezing and buds on the trees are showing a bit of green, You can dig trunks up to around 8 inches in diameter if you want to deal with hefting such a large tree for the next 30 years. Anything smaller is game. Collecting trunks up to about 4 inches typically involves using a cordless reciprocating saw and a prybar. Saw around the tree six inches out, lift one edge, saw more roots, lift again. saw tap roots. Saw until you can lift the tree. Take that home (keeping the roots moist on the trip) Flush out the field soil with water from a hose. Plant in a shallowish container with regular bonsai soil. Wait three weeks or so for new growth. Larger trees require heavier saws and prybars (and probably another person wouldn't hurt to hold the tree over to the side while sawing).
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
If it were me, I would wait until spring to dig up these beauties. I collected BC in the fall only a few times before and those trees struggled. Their growth was nowhere near the same as that of those collected later in the spring.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Now that we have had some rain, I am planning a trip to the swamp just to check on the trees I planted. Last time I was there, some of them were struggling due to the lack of rain. Hopefully enough of them survive to re-establish bald cypress in those spots. As for the tree I collected on that day, it is flourishing. It's going to be a fantastic bonsai. I have not decided how it will be styled yet but the tree is extremely healthy but up top and below.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Let the fall collection begins!!!
I am interested in seeing how others collect in the fall. For me, the BC collection is pretty much closed. I learned my lesson about collecting them in the fall. Every BC that I collected in late October through November struggle to grow in the following year. I will wait until late December to January when BCs are fully dormant before even thinking about it. Truth be told, I am not planning to collect many trees in 2024. 2023 has been a banner year for me.
I am interested in seeing how others collect in the fall. For me, the BC collection is pretty much closed. I learned my lesson about collecting them in the fall. Every BC that I collected in late October through November struggle to grow in the following year. I will wait until late December to January when BCs are fully dormant before even thinking about it. Truth be told, I am not planning to collect many trees in 2024. 2023 has been a banner year for me.
Joe Dupre'
Omono
CR, I'm about at that stage with my collecting, too. I don't want just another BC. If it is not significantly better than what I have (a tall order) I just can't see digging it up. I do miss "the hunt", though.
The Barber
Chumono
Still new to bonsai but here's the stuff I have collected this year
Not sure what this tree is, thought it was a beech at first but now I'm not sure. The trunk isnt too big but has a lot of character.
little Mountain laurel, hadnt tried one out, was an easy collect so grabbed it, there are thousands of large ones behind my house, most have crazy trunk formations. (Attaching a photo of one from behind the house)
little common juniper also frim behind my house.
Not sure what this tree is, thought it was a beech at first but now I'm not sure. The trunk isnt too big but has a lot of character.
little Mountain laurel, hadnt tried one out, was an easy collect so grabbed it, there are thousands of large ones behind my house, most have crazy trunk formations. (Attaching a photo of one from behind the house)
little common juniper also frim behind my house.
