2023 Bald Cypress Dig

BillsBayou

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New location for digging bald cypress. Two things make this a great area; No clay in the roots; Odd genetics causing early deep flutes and rapid taper; Good trees are close to the road; Area is far enough out there to limit competition for material; Cops only care about speeders and don't care about us parking on the side of the highway. Five things, I guess.

I pulled seven trees today. The pics are all thumbnails.

1/7 This one is growing on a half buried log.
IMG_20230218_103333581_HDR.jpg
This is a panel of deadwood. The roots grew out, around, and back again.
IMG_20230218_103626599_HDR.jpg
This was the largest tree I ever pulled without any tools or saws.
Cleaned up nice. When you pull a big tree without cutting anything, you get a lot of roots.
IMG_20230218_143247029_HDR.jpg
Here's the odd root ball showing how the tree grew in the fallen trunk. Before I pot it, I'll cut most of this off.
IMG_20230218_143321918_HDR.jpg

2/7 This one needs a better photo. Much of the flutes are flat.
IMG_20230218_150621340_HDR.jpg

3/7 A large knee growing on the side of the trunk.
IMG_20230218_151921046_HDR.jpg

4/7 A smaller knee growing on this trunk.
IMG_20230218_153619868.jpg

Close up if the knee.
IMG_20230218_153623930.jpg

5/7 Here's one with a misshapen trunk and an even smaller knee on the trunk. The tree will take a while to develop the roots. I want to pot this as high as the flare. Can't do that until I get more fibrous roots higher up.
IMG_20230218_152807617_HDR.jpg
Close up of the little knee.
IMG_20230218_152807617_HDR.jpg

6/7 Another tree that needs a better photo. The cut scar is where I removed an ugly crossing root. I'm going to wait and see what happens to the scar before I figure out what to do with it. A little cut paste will be applied there.
IMG_20230218_154349094.jpg

7/7 Maybe my favorite. Root ball was much thicker. Because of the very fibrous roots, I could cut this one very shallow. I also trimmed excess roots that were between the flutes. Taper is also great.
IMG_20230218_160206705_HDR.jpg
You can see the other trees in tubs and cans in the background. They'll be there until I pot them in the next few days. You can also see a security cam on the house. Don't get any funny ideas. 😄

This is the distribution of roots around the base. Just about as good as it gets.
IMG_20230218_160221087_HDR.jpg
I just noticed how square the root ball looks. This was dug last or near last. I got lazy with my usually circular cut pattern and just made straight cuts.

Along with great rootage, I found what might be the start of a knee. It looked more like the start of a knee before cleaning the roots. Somehow I managed to clean the roots without removing or damaging the root. I'll do what I can to develop the knee first.
IMG_20230218_160257596_HDR.jpg

BONUS PHOTO:
This tree appears to have broken in the past. Then a lead branch developed into the new trunk. I didn't dig this one, but it's damned weird. A natural development that resulted in an unnatural looking form.
IMG_20230218_102821919_HDR.jpg
 
Last edited:

19Mateo83

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I’m jealous bill, those are fantastic trunks. You found yourself quite a nice little honey hole. I look forward to seeing videos on these in the future.
 

BillsBayou

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I’m jealous bill, those are fantastic trunks. You found yourself quite a nice little honey hole. I look forward to seeing videos on these in the future.
I see three out of the seven deadly sins in your comment: Envy (on your part), Pride (on mine), and Sloth (if I ever get around to more videos). However, your Kindness and Patience are two of the heavenly virtues. You're going to be fine.

Looking at the seven trees and thinking about how proud I am of them, I've decided to name the trees after the "Seven Deadly Sins." Their sins are my sins as well.

1/7 Gluttony - Just look at that fat sumbitch. I pulled this tree by hand with the same gusto I use when facing a meatball po-boy. Just as satisfying having a full bag to carry it home.
2/7 Envy - The previous week, someone I know collected a fantastical tree. The flutes were more like fins. My little green monster woke up. This entire trip was done to find a similar tree. I out-did that tree.
3/7 Lust - Because ... well ... look at it. Don't over think it.
4/7 Avarice - While the tree looks nice, the knee is underdeveloped. I collected this tree so no one else could have it. Mine!
5/7 Wrath - This tree looks like its getting ready to stand up, walk off, and eat Tokyo or Baton Rouge. If anyone doesn't like it, well, screw them.
6/7 Sloth - Great looking tree in any other swamp. But given the high performance of other trees in the area, this one is a slacker. I probably won't dedicate too much effort on this tree.
7/7 Pride - The sin that shows up most in my confessions. The tree stands tall and proud. When I write about this tree or describe it, I'm being far too boastful.

(Side note: Years ago I jokingly made my New Years Resolution to "Commit all seven deadly sins". My resolution was resolved by the third of January. I could have done it sooner, but I was lazy and procrastinated on Sloth.)

Can use these trees to counteract the Seven Deadly Sins with the Seven Heavenly Virtues? Probably not.

1/7 Temperance - Seven very nice trees were collected in one day, plus 2 from the previous week. Restraint is not my strong suit.
2/7 Kindness - If I ever get to compare this tree to the one collected by someone else, I'll be nice, but it'll be a facade. I'll try.
3/7 Chastity - Nope. I can't unsee what I see on the side of that trunk. Now you won't either. I'm not just a sinner, I'm a carrier.
4/7 Charity - I'll donate this tree to the local club, but only when I'm dead.
5/7 Patience - Bonsai doesn't take patience, it teaches it. I still have a lot to learn. I can't wait to show off these trees.
6/7 Diligence - This tree will most likely be sold to someone who'll make it look better than I could make it and faster than I ever will.
7/7 Humility - Yeah, right. I already have the pot picked out for this one. The most expensive pot I ever purchased. The tree is going to look great in that pot.
 

W3rk

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New location for digging bald cypress. Two things make this a great area; No clay in the roots; Odd genetics causing early deep flutes and rapid taper; Good trees are close to the road; Area is far enough out there to limit competition for material; Cops only care about speeders and don't care about us parking on the side of the highway. Five things, I guess.

I pulled seven trees today. The pics are all thumbnails.

1/7 This one is growing on a half buried log.
View attachment 473211
This is a panel of deadwood. The roots grew out, around, and back again.
View attachment 473212
This was the largest tree I ever pulled without any tools or saws.
Cleaned up nice. When you pull a big tree without cutting anything, you get a lot of roots.
View attachment 473210
Here's the odd root ball showing how the tree grew in the fallen trunk. Before I pot it, I'll cut most of this off.
View attachment 473209

2/7 This one needs a better photo. Much of the flutes are flat.
View attachment 473208

3/7 A large knee growing on the side of the trunk.
View attachment 473207

4/7 A smaller knee growing on this trunk.
View attachment 473200

Close up if the knee.
View attachment 473204

5/7 Here's one with a misshapen trunk and an even smaller knee on the trunk. The tree will take a while to develop the roots. I want to pot this as high as the flare. Can't do that until I get more fibrous roots higher up.
View attachment 473222
Close up of the little knee.
View attachment 473205

6/7 Another tree that needs a better photo. The cut scar is where I removed an ugly crossing root. I'm going to wait and see what happens to the scar before I figure out what to do with it. A little cut paste will be applied there.
View attachment 473203

7/7 Maybe my favorite. Root ball was much thicker. Because of the very fibrous roots, I could cut this one very shallow. I also trimmed excess roots that were between the flutes. Taper is also great.
View attachment 473224
You can see the other trees in tubs and cans in the background. They'll be there until I pot them in the next few days. You can also see a security cam on the house. Don't get any funny ideas. 😄

This is the distribution of roots around the base. Just about as good as it gets.
View attachment 473201
I just noticed how square the root ball looks. This was dug last or near last. I got lazy with my usually circular cut pattern and just made straight cuts.

Along with great rootage, I found what might be the start of a knee. It looked more like the start of a knee before cleaning the roots. Somehow I managed to clean the roots without removing or damaging the root. I'll do what I can to develop the knee first.
View attachment 473206

BONUS PHOTO:
This tree appears to have broken in the past. Then a lead branch developed into the new trunk. I didn't dig this one, but it's damned weird. A natural development that resulted in an unnatural looking form.
View attachment 473213
What an amazing haul, congratulations on all those great new bases and trunks.
 

Shogun610

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You are def a master of Bald Cypress , it’s just as hard to find truly exceptional specimens as it is to develop them.. It makes me want to get a bald cypress.
 
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