Urban Yamadori "Mission Fig"

[nathanbs]

Im sure my girlfriend will appreciate it I dont go digging all that often for time and space constraints but i'll keep you posted. I often fantasized about running ads on craigslist to remove trees and shrubs for little to no money as a "college experiment" but that would have to be in another life

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I stop reading the thread for a few days and come back to this?!

 

[bonsaibp]

Excellent! Thanks again!



LOL! Maybe I can choose my outfit strategically too?

Now when the cops do show up, are they generally pretty nice about it initially if you feign ignorance in a situation like that or is it unusual that they didn't threaten you with arrest or something more serious like that?

Note, of course I'm not suggesting wanton disregard for rules and ownership rights while pleading ignorance, but wondering for more the kind of situation you describe where the trees will probably be destroyed anyway.

Only once out of the dozens of times I've asked was a road crew willing to let me have or dig a tree. The most common reason given was liability- don't forget we're in L.A. the land of the lawsuit.
I once paid a 450.00 fine for digging a manzanita on the side of angeles Crest highway.
No more collecting without permission for me. It's pretty easy to get permission from private property owners- you just have to ask. I've offered to take out those "raggedy" old junipers and replace with roses more than once and got great material. The most they can do is say no. I don't initially mention bonsai though- maybe trying to match older plants in the garden or something. Sometimes attach the word bonsai and some people think what before was trash is now valuable.
Give it some time you'll get the opportunity to dig soon enough. You'll want to be sure you have the capabilities to take care of whatever you dig as well.
You're in a great place though-there are at least three or four clubs within 45 minutes of you. Several teachers- Roy at Fuji previously mentioned,ted Matson -probably the best around- me at my nursery, I think there are still classes at House of Bonsai in Lakewood and I think several others not connected with a nursery. Most clubs organize a digging trip every once in awhile, we've had CA Juniper dig workshops from the nursery before and there's always tons of construction which is a good source of material. You'll be able to immerse yourself into bonsai if you want.

 

[siggie]

Only once out of the dozens of times I've asked was a road crew willing to let me have or dig a tree. The most common reason given was liability- don't forget we're in L.A. the land of the lawsuit.
I once paid a 450.00 fine for digging a manzanita on the side of angeles Crest highway.
No more collecting without permission for me. It's pretty easy to get permission from private property owners- you just have to ask. I've offered to take out those "raggedy" old junipers and replace with roses more than once and got great material. The most they can do is say no. I don't initially mention bonsai though- maybe trying to match older plants in the garden or something. Sometimes attach the word bonsai and some people think what before was trash is now valuable.
Give it some time you'll get the opportunity to dig soon enough. You'll want to be sure you have the capabilities to take care of whatever you dig as well.
You're in a great place though-there are at least three or four clubs within 45 minutes of you. Several teachers- Roy at Fuji previously mentioned,ted Matson -probably the best around- me at my nursery, I think there are still classes at House of Bonsai in Lakewood and I think several others not connected with a nursery. Most clubs organize a digging trip every once in awhile, we've had CA Juniper dig workshops from the nursery before and there's always tons of construction which is a good source of material. You'll be able to immerse yourself into bonsai if you want.

Thank you for this! Yeah, I don't expect I'll be successful most times, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Funny, I hike and trail run in the Angeles and Verdugo mountains a lot and I almost never see a ranger, but I bet the second I broke ground, they'd be there.

Fortunately I have legal access to some juniper and manzanita that I can try to collect (if worth doing), but just as you advised, I don't want to touch anything yet. I think I'll want to keep the stuff I have alive a bit longer before I collect anything. I know how bad I've felt killing the supermarket orchids people give as gifts, so I'd rather not collect something only to kill it.

Great advice about avoiding the word bonsai too. I'd read that elsewhere too that all of a sudden a nuisance becomes $$$ in the eyes of the landowner when you say that. I didn't know what explanation to give instead though -- matching other landscaping is a good one. Ty!

I have only visited Yamaguchi so far and I think I didn't go at a good time or talk to the right people maybe because they weren't terribly helpful. When I asked about soil, the mix they showed me looked like it was too fine and "dirt-like" to me and they looked at me like I was insane when I asked for pumice, bark, decomp granite, etc. to make my own. I'll stop by Fuji or your place next time!

 

[siggie]

Im sure my girlfriend will appreciate it I dont go digging all that often for time and space constraints but i'll keep you posted. I often fantasized about running ads on craigslist to remove trees and shrubs for little to no money as a "college experiment" but that would have to be in another life

Your girlfriend and my fiance both.

You should run that experiment! That would be great, you'd get the specimen AND get paid? What?! Hah.

I stop reading the thread for a few days and come back to this?!

Haha, yes! I joined in the interim!

 

[coppice]

Wow, Nathan! This is awesome. I can't wait to learn more about collecting.
In the last few days I've been trying to keep an eye out for shrubs/trees as I drive around and I think I've seen a few things at least worth inspecting up close.

My best hits were off of freecycle, and asking landscapers directly when they are doing a remodel.

You won't score every time you ask, but you'll never get any if you don't ask.

 

[mat]

On Craigslist, I usually just go to the "free section". If I search I use; hedge, hedges, shrub, shrubs, bushes, trees. (Craigslist search function is not smart enough to factor "s")...

Based on Dario's post I typed "bushes" into the free section of Craigslist. Since this was from almost 2 months ago, these bushes are probably dead or gone by now. Still, shows what's out there. It even looks like a lot of the work was already done...

http://orlando.craigslist.org/zip/3416470481.html

 

[Poink88]

Based on Dario's post I typed "bushes" into the free section of Craigslist. Since this was from almost 2 months ago, these bushes are probably dead or gone by now. Still, shows what's out there. It even looks like a lot of the work was already done...

http://orlando.craigslist.org/zip/3416470481.html

Here is one for you http://orlando.craigslist.org/zip/3536634149.html

 

[mat]

Here is one for you http://orlando.craigslist.org/zip/3536634149.html

yep. Sounds promising. Unfortunately I don't have the time or energy for such an endeavor in the near term. This weekend is booked, then next weekend is Kawa's Joy of Bonsai show/workshop. After that, I'll definitely keep my eye on Craigslist.

 

[BigDave]

Now when the cops do show up, are they generally pretty nice about it

Well it was Christmas, thought maybe we sneak in under the radar. the Officer said well we had a complaint, so you gotta vamoose.

I said yeah I think it was Mrs Sourpuss up there with her hands on her hips,, he said yeah

move along


--big D

We may laugh about it someday. O wait we already are

 

[gergwebber]

Freeways are very tempting, but also high profile. I have a few other ideas:

Volunteer at any large estate garden or arboretum in the area. (they usually have a regular crew of volunteers and there is nothing like large old gardens for throwing up volunteers)

Master Gardener Plant sales: Basically you are getting the same as above, but usually pre-potted and hopefully over the shock. This is a UC program, but i bet you guys out east have similar stuff right?

College campuses are usually stuffed full of great trees like elms, oaks, pears, pines, cedars, etc... In my experience, all you need is a few quick emails to the right people in A) the hort department and B) the maintenance department and you have a life's worth of bonsai starts to dig. Trick is finding the right people.

Tree Planting groups. Most major cities have them: Arborists, tree folk, elderly volunteers(with huge yards at home) planning people. All together, a lot of potential trees.


Oh nathan, cool fig. But I think it still need some chainsaw work!