tinajasaltas
Seedling
My mother’s remodeling her cabin in the mountains of central Arizona along the Mogollon Rim; I was told at the last minute a small tree would need to be removed. Its an Oak, perhaps an Emory Oak, about 10 feet tall originally with a 5 inch trunk base. It tree was destroyed being pulled from the ground…I chopped it to one third its original height, wasn’t able to get ANY root-ball, damaged all of the few roots close to the surface while moving buried rocks digging it out. I placed the big bare knob into mixture of bonsai soil and pumice. It dried out pretty good in the pickup-bed on the two-hour drive into the heat of Phoenix. I got this Oak home six weeks ago, watered it good every couple days and tried to spray the trunk and the soil with H2O as often as possible (for me 2-4 times a day). Did I mention I live in Phoenix? Hot, Hot, Hot. I felt had no choice but to put this cool climate Oak tree in full shade under the porch where it’s Warm, Warm, Warm (probably Hot though). I covered the chopped-top and the big chain scar with modeling clay.
Five weeks from collection it sprouted up out the pumice a few tiny green shoots, about 2-3 inches growth now. A few shoots sprouted at the potted soil line from the Oak’s trunk, one in the middle and one barely at the very top.
I’ve read Oaks are iffy after collection, read Oaks that keep their leaves during collection are likely to fail, ones that go leafless may do better. This Oak is shooting out about 5-6 weeks after collection. Tree’s very warm in full shade, gets some reflected\filtered sunlight for couple hours each day. I wonder if roots are forming. It was collected late April. I don’t know if at this point this Oak needs full sun, I’m afraid to move it because the plastic container will sag, the pumice will shift… seems like it will grind the few new roots away.
Five weeks from collection it sprouted up out the pumice a few tiny green shoots, about 2-3 inches growth now. A few shoots sprouted at the potted soil line from the Oak’s trunk, one in the middle and one barely at the very top.
I’ve read Oaks are iffy after collection, read Oaks that keep their leaves during collection are likely to fail, ones that go leafless may do better. This Oak is shooting out about 5-6 weeks after collection. Tree’s very warm in full shade, gets some reflected\filtered sunlight for couple hours each day. I wonder if roots are forming. It was collected late April. I don’t know if at this point this Oak needs full sun, I’m afraid to move it because the plastic container will sag, the pumice will shift… seems like it will grind the few new roots away.
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