Unexpected Ponderosa Seedling on my Property

[COclimber89]

My neighbors have some mature, tall Ponderosa Pines that would appear to have propagated on the edge of my property (yay!) However, it's growing in a very unideal spot behind a big aspen where it doesn't get much direct sun. It also gets completely buried in snow every winter. But it looks to be maybe 4 years old or so?

My question is, if I want to collect this tree, should I wait until the normal early spring season to do so, or does anyone think it's not likely to survive another winter and maybe I should try collecting in late summer after new growth is hardened and temps start going down? What would you do?

Note: tree is in the sun in the photos but I believe it's probably getting no more than 1-2 hours direct sun per day.

 

[0soyoung]

Just wait until the new growth has 'hardened'. That is new needles extended and dark green. Probably August maybe early September.

 

[Colorado]

Agreed, no need to wait until next spring. Young Ponderosas like this one are pretty tough and resilient.

 

[COclimber89]

Sweet, thanks for the replies, that's what I was hoping to hear! I'll be watching closely through summer and digging it up after hardening off.

@Colorado Where are you? Littleton here, would love to chat with someone with local climate knowledge.

 

[Colorado]

Sweet, thanks for the replies, that's what I was hoping to hear! I'll be watching closely through summer and digging it up after hardening off.

@Colorado Where are you? Littleton here, would love to chat with someone with local climate knowledge.

I am near City Park up in Denver. We moved here from Littleton 3 years ago! We were previously down near Chatfield Reservoir.

 

[Shibui]

Small world! We had a daughter and husband living in Littleton for a few years so that's the only part of US I've visited.

 

[sorce]

Had friends there.

Welcome to Crazy!

IMO, Ponderosa seedlings are a waste of time for folks who DON'T climb CO, extra waste for you I reckon.

Sorce

 

[COclimber89]

Had friends there.

Welcome to Crazy!

IMO, Ponderosa seedlings are a waste of time for folks who DON'T climb CO, extra waste for you I reckon.

Sorce

Hey Sorce, I've read a lot of your posts as a long time lurker, you've changed how I think about the lunar cycle!

Why do you say they are a waste of time, just slow growing? Won't thicken in a pot? My thoughts here are that this seedling is otherwise doomed, not only because it picked a bad spot to germinate but also because it's at the base of a DEAD aspen tree that we're going to need to remove... the seedling would be collateral damage almost certainly. So, I may as well collect it.

I suppose I could put it back in the ground in a better location and give it several years of growth before trying anything, but if I do that I'll need to be committed to digging it up again eventually as our back yard is not big enough for a giant pine (our neighbors isn't really, either, but oh well I guess.)

 

[sorce]

I reckon there's some value in collecting for that knowledge sake.

More value leaving it where it is, or replanting close, to use as scion material to a dope trunk brought to it.

But when you can climb where only the goats go, to retrieve bitchin shit ASAP.......

Growing out a seedling .....meh.

For me, so far, I find growing out Bald Cypress and Ponderosa a fools errand, we will never grow them better than nature.

Sorce

 

[COclimber89]

I reckon there's some value in collecting for that knowledge sake.

More value leaving it where it is, or replanting close, to use as scion material to a dope trunk brought to it.

But when you can climb where only the goats go, to retrieve bitchin shit ASAP.......

Growing out a seedling .....meh.

For me, so far, I find growing out Bald Cypress and Ponderosa a fools errand, we will never grow them better than nature.

Sorce

Fair enough. Sadly I'm not frolicking with the goats this summer as I'm recovering from a broken femur, so collecting bitchin shit will have to wait. But the way I see it... why not do both? I can always get rid of the seedling later by giving/selling it to someone.

 

[sorce]

broken femur

Sounds like storytime!

Sorce

 

[COclimber89]

Sounds like storytime!

Sorce

Oh boy...

Skiing accident, not actually all that exciting, the snow was melting out above treeline and my left ski caught a patch of grass, essentially hitting the brakes on just my left side, causing me to fall hard sideways on bare, frozen ground. Broke my left femur into five pieces, had to be hauled off by ski patrol, took an ambulance to the hospital, and had emergency surgery to put my leg back together and place a titanium rod the length of the bone. Hospital and rehab lasted two weeks before I could get around well enough with crutches to go home.

That was March 26. Now doing well enough to walk almost normally, though not without pain and not for very long, but it's still improving every day thanks to ongoing physical therapy. Thankfully I have had bonsai to keep me busy since I can't work (electrician.)

Most off topic post by thread author goes to......

 

[sorce]

Damn!

Nice.

Meditation over Opiates!

At least being an electrician, you can sell your sweat, the rarest substance on earth, and buy more trees, pay for rehab etcetc!

Mend Well!

Sorce

 

[penumbra]

I know you feel your little tree is endangered, but I rather doubt that. In the pictures it appears to be very healthy. I can't speak with authority about this species because we don't have it here, but pine trees in general often get their start under the shade of hardwoods. Then they often go on to become the dominating species as the hardwoods die.
If you want the plant then collect it. But don't do it thinking you are doing the plant a favor. I think it will do fine where it is for many decades.

 

[COclimber89]

I know you feel your little tree is endangered, but I rather doubt that. In the pictures it appears to be very healthy. I can't speak with authority about this species because we don't have it here, but pine trees in general often get their start under the shade of hardwoods. Then they often go on to become the dominating species as the hardwoods die.
If you want the plant then collect it. But don't do it thinking you are doing the plant a favor. I think it will do fine where it is for many decades.

Thank you for the advice and that makes sense. Regardless, though, that aspen is already dead and it's in my front yard, so it's coming out, and that pine is too close to the aspen to not come with it. More of a question of when, not if.

But I hadn't thought about the conditions that these trees naturally start in, so I think you're right about its health.

 

[penumbra]

Thank you for the advice and that makes sense. Regardless, though, that aspen is already dead and it's in my front yard, so it's coming out, and that pine is too close to the aspen to not come with it. More of a question of when, not if.

But I hadn't thought about the conditions that these trees naturally start in, so I think you're right about its health.

It is a perpetual juggling act where pines prepare the way for hardwoods which create nurseries for pines and the cycle repeats.

 

[Colorado]

You may as well dig it up and put it in a pot so that when a more developed ponderosa finds its way to your garden, you have some experience caring for the species. Just my 2 cents!

Sorry about your leg, holy smokes!

 

[penumbra]

Since this thread was resurrected after a year and a half, I am just wondering if there is an update.