My first Yamadori trip - Prunus

[barrosinc]

My first Yamadori trip!
We went picking cherry and plums

So speech time:

Trip up the river

Doing some scouting

And a couple of victims

Picked my first one

Me picking it out, the soil was very soft, but the reciprocating saw is the best tool ever to cut tap roots:

And back home, planted in mix of organic soil, pumice, sand, volcanic rock, and a bunch of good stuff it drains fast.

1st: Behemoth! It is huge. No idea if I shoudl shorten trunks now or not. It was cascading on the side of a hill, so it barely has nebari to the back, cascading might be a good option.

The part that goes to the right is all dead, pefect carving material.

We had a two tree limit, so I got this a bonus

Honest comments and tips are very welcome.

 

[crust]

My experience is to go ahead and cut it hard back so that the new sprouting will be usable. Be brave.

 

[barrosinc]

My experience is to go ahead and cut it hard back so that the new sprouting will be usable. Be brave.

I have been doing bonsai for less than two years... It is tough to know where to cut without screwing up. I might cut it this weekend.

 

[CWTurner]

Very interesting landscape there Max. A couple nice trees too. I like the bark.

Coca Cola Light? Do you drink that stuff, or just keep a can on hand to lend perspective?

CW

 

[barrosinc]

Very interesting landscape there Max. A couple nice trees too. I like the bark.

Coca Cola Light? Do you drink that stuff, or just keep a can on hand to lend perspective?

CW

Whats wrong with coca cola light?

I love that place, a mile away is a hawthorn forrest, might go next week.

 

[Vin]

Looked like a fun trip and some nice choices there Max. Of course I really like the first one.

 

[JoeR]

Seems to have good potential.

I want to see the tree next to it in the first pic back home.

 

[barrosinc]

Seems to have good potential.

I want to see the tree next to it in the first pic back home.

The maple?

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Seems to have good potential.

I want to see the tree next to it in the first pic back home.

Wow good eye
Now I wanna see it also

 

[JoeR]

The maple?

Yes, I assumed it was a japanese maple?

 

[The Bonsai Herald]

I like the first tree you have pictured that you collected and potted up!

 

[sorce]

Either I was right all along, you are an old feller, but that Coca cola light keeps you young. Or its just that Avatar that makes you seem old! Yup.
I thought you were like 100!

Anyway. Wicked landscape.
Wicked trees!

Thanks for sharing.

Sorce

 

[barrosinc]

Haha, sorce. I am 32.

 

[rockm]

First one is excellent. Second two are pretty good. Congratulations on your first trip. You did well.

 

[zachkent29]

First one will be amazing!

 

[barrosinc]

First one is excellent. Second two are pretty good. Congratulations on your first trip. You did well.

First one will be amazing!

Thanks guys!

I agree, the first one is by far better than the other two... I got those because:
#2 The really, really old bark and a bit of movement.
#3 As a gift for my mom, she likes smaller trees, and it curves and has taper.

Getting two the size of tree #1 would have been madness. It uses a lot of space.


I would really like to hear where you guys would cut the first one.

 

[rockm]

I wouldn't make any plans for any of these for at least a year. I wouldn't actually DO anything to them for two years. They need time to settle in and recover. That can take a number of years of just letting them grow. There is no point to planning cuts/chops etc. on newly-collected trees. What you plan could blow up as the tree decides which pieces it will keep and which it may abandon.

 

[barrosinc]

Yeah I hear you, I was thinking at least two years, but maybe I left it too long from the start and it is not needed. I am not even thinking of styling yet.

 

[M. Frary]

Nice Max! Collecting trees can become as addicting as collecting pots. Be careful or your yard will start to look like mine.

 

[barrosinc]

Nice Max! Collecting trees can become as addicting as collecting pots. Be careful or your yard will start to look like mine.

Now I oficially know how many trees and what size tree is a potencial divorce cause. hahahaha The only way my back yard could look like yours is if I am single again.

My face when I got home and potted the trees up:
My wifes face when she got home:

First thing I learned, trees look waaaaaaaay smaller in the field than at home.

Mike, we didn't end up looking for Elms at the end... but I am happy with these, they apparently are cherry no idea if prunus serrulata or not.