A little something I collected today.

M. Frary

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I was out looking for a couple jack pines to collect today.
Driving along the trails and spotted this about 50 yards off the side of a snowmobile trail.
It looked good at a distance. Short,lots of foliage. Couldn't see the trunk. It was sitting in a depression in the ground.
As I got closer my heart started beating faster and faster.
My god,what did I find?
Something very close to a bonsai ready tree growing in the wild.
Probably the closest thing I'll ever find probably.
Hell I'll use the term yamadori for this tree,not just a collected wild tree.
Being so large in diameter and being so old I didn't hold out much hope for getting it out. It probably had a couple big roots coming out of the side and a tap as big as my wrist
I still had to try.
I got the shovel,saw and the largest bucket I have. Its 5 gallons.
As I started going around the trunk with the shovel my heart really started beating hard.
No resistance but the shovel cutting through small diameter roots.
I only had to go around only one time and it was out.
No tap root,no large roots radiating out of the sides.
I've dug up much smaller trees that were way worse.
And they usually don't survive.
I filled the bottom of the bucket with sand from the hole and dropped the tree in.
Jack's love their sand,yes they do.
Now,I'm no shrinking violet but this thing is heavy!
I'm so glad I only had to carry it 50 or so yards.
Any further and I would have needed to take a smoke break to get my breath back.
I really hope it makes and I have confidence it will come through with flying colors.
Time will tell.
I'll know in about a month or less if it survives.
Yeah I used a brick for scale.
Didn't think a beer can conveyed the size well enough.20190504_134834.jpg20190504_134801.jpg20190504_134815.jpg20190504_134924.jpg20190504_134936.jpg
 

Tieball

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Sweet find. And...your short novel explaining the find was fascinating. I could follow along well.....voyeur collecting I guess. Well written. The tree looks fabulous. Incredible that the roots were so contained. I can totally understand your excitement....that...get the shovel quick before someone else finds this feeling. Mighty fine!
 

M. Frary

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Sweet find. And...your short novel explaining the find was fascinating. I could follow along well.....voyeur collecting I guess. Well written. The tree looks fabulous. Incredible that the roots were so contained. I can totally understand your excitement....that...get the shovel quick before someone else finds this feeling. Mighty fine!
I find that the ones growing in depressions have shallow roots.
I collected this 4 years ago.
Same area.
It had one big side root that called for the saw.
It gets its first wiring this year.20180707_144954.jpg
 

coh

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Something's wrong but I just can't put my finger on it...

Oh, I see it now. No snow on the ground!

Nice find.
 

M. Frary

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Something's wrong but I just can't put my finger on it...

Oh, I see it now. No snow on the ground!

Nice find.
It just all melted last week.
But we did get a flurry 2 days ago.
Thanks.
 

Tycoss

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Very nice. Very powerful lower trunk on that one. Hopefully it does well. Makes me want to get out to the mountains for a look.
 

M. Frary

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Very Nice, Mike! I'd start building the new and improved winter enclosure for it tomorrow...;).
I know, right?
I'll be getting that problem solved before the snow flies.
I have about 5 1/2 to 6 months.
 

moke

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Great find!!! Got me excited reading it, I was ready to grab my shovel and head out the door to go give you a hand. Then I remembered I’m in Utah and you already dug it.
It’s like finding a hidden treasure, best of luck with that beauty.
 

JudyB

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Very nice movement, and age on that sucker. About time you had a stroke of... luck!
 

M. Frary

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I do have a question though.
Should I reduce the foliage?
There is a ton of it and I dont know if the roots can sustain it.
@Walter Pall
Your opinion would be most appreciated.
 

my nellie

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Such a great find for you Mike! I feel happy for you.
... ...I dont know if the roots can sustain it.
Excuse my haste to present my ignorant opinion before that of Mr. W. Pall's but I have come to the conclusion that the roots will sustain what they can and the rest will die. So I do not remove any foliage from collected trees (except that which is removed along the necessarily cut branches) but I let the tree decide which portion will survive and which not.
 

Vance Wood

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Beautiful tree Mike, the best Yamadori I have seen coming out of Michigan ever.
 
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