Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
@M. Frary's comment on another thread:
" How do you know it is something that will turn out to be a decent bonsai?
How do you know how it will react to collection?
How do you know where to chop it?
How do you know sun placement?
How do you know it's water needs?
All of those questions depend on species identification.
Then, is it even worth the effort to dig it up?
Looks like the feeder roots are going to be fairly far from the trunk judging from those roots that look like legs.
The trunk is straight so unless you have a broom in mind you'll need to chop it low,grow it out,chop it again and so on and so forth.
Which all depends on identification.
I'm not against collecting trees.
All for it but why dig something up just for diggings sake."
The comment helped me put my thoughts on collecting in order.
" How do you know it is something that will turn out to be a decent bonsai?
How do you know how it will react to collection?
How do you know where to chop it?
How do you know sun placement?
How do you know it's water needs?
All of those questions depend on species identification.
Then, is it even worth the effort to dig it up?
Looks like the feeder roots are going to be fairly far from the trunk judging from those roots that look like legs.
The trunk is straight so unless you have a broom in mind you'll need to chop it low,grow it out,chop it again and so on and so forth.
Which all depends on identification.
I'm not against collecting trees.
All for it but why dig something up just for diggings sake."
The comment helped me put my thoughts on collecting in order.
- If the tree is a rescue then I count it as already dead. If there is any part of the tree that stands out and make it interesting and worth my time or if it is a species I want to practice on, I will collect it.
- Is the species some thing I want in my collection? If not, I will pass.
- Does the particular tree have the right root formation, trunk, etc. that make it a potential bonsai? If not, can the deficiency be fixed and do I have the time, patience, and skills to fix it. If not I will pass.
- Last but not least, is the tree better off being where it is or in my possession? This is the one I spend the most time contemplating whether to collect. Sometimes it depends on other things in my life such as my schedule, space to care for the tree etc..