Another Collecting Trip In the Books

[Josh88]

I have fallen in love with collecting trees. I have tried to be smart and patient about the process of learning to do this well, and yesterday marks my fifth trip out over the past three years. Each year the type of material I feel comfortable with improves, and I try to allow myself one tree that will push my limits and push my growth. Just spending a day out in such a wild and untamed area is inspiring in so many ways. I was joined by a friend I often hike with who has become fascinated with hunting good trees to collect even though he has no interest in taking care of them. It’s great to have a second set of eyes and a second pack to carry out with, and someone to cheers after lugging these trees back to van, not to mention the safely concerns. Here are a few pictures of the area we were in.

I came home with three mountain hemlocks (one of which is awesome!), two subalpine fir (one of which is my “push yourself” tree), a lodgepole pine, and a vine maple. The big fir has a decent amount of roots, although I wish I was able to get more. It was growing in a rock pocket with a few long roots escaping beyond reach, but keeping my fingers crossed that I have enough to sustain. I really hope this tree makes it, as it will be a beauty. The picture doesn’t give a great angle, but once it’s potted I will take a better shot.

Here is the best of the hemlocks. I got a great rootball with this one and feel confident that it will do well. Again, better pics to come once potted.

The other trees are all smaller with nice movement and bark. At this point in my life, between work and family commitments, and the work it takes to pot up and care for these collected trees, I can only justify two days a year at this point to these adventures, but they have become like Christmas when I was a child to me. I get so excited I can’t sleep the night before. I hope in time I find the bandwidth to do more and more of this, and I hope my skills continue to improve and I feel comfortable and confident with better and better material. I’ll end with this gorgeous waterfall we hiked to on our way to the collecting grounds. Until next time...

 

[penumbra]

I'm green with envy. I sooo want a mtn hemlock.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Now thats yamadori. When you collect something that has already been shaped by nature.
That would be worth a fortune in Asia as 'true yamadori'.

 

[just.wing.it]

Wooooooow! Such gorgeous scenery!

 

[Josh88]

Wooooooow! Such gorgeous scenery!

It’s become one of my favorite places to spend a day. A quiet like I’ve heard nowhere else in the world.

 

[Woocash]

Truly wild coniferous forest. Something we can only dream of in the UK. Looks like heaven.

 

[Josh88]

Last night after getting the kiddos to bed I did some late night potting and got the hemlock into its home for the next few years. The first pic is likely the approximate front I expect to use, and the second pic is rotated counter-clockwise 90 degrees so you can get a sense of the depth in the movement. Sorry for the all green background, but the bright foliage of the hemlock is still easy enough to make out.

 

[Warpig]

Vary nice find. I love the slant into the curve into the apex. May i ask what you are useing as a soil mix and if its just to help it recover, then you'll switch to your standard. Or do you go straight into a bonsai mix?

 

[Josh88]

Vary nice find. I love the slant into the curve into the apex. May i ask what you are useing as a soil mix and if its just to help it recover, then you'll switch to your standard. Or do you go straight into a bonsai mix?

Most of what's occupying the Anderson flat is the collected root ball in the native soil. That has been filled in around it with pumice sifted to remove fines. It will stay here for likely two years before I begin removing native soil to replace with standard bonsai mix.

 

[Josh88]

I'm green with envy. I sooo want a mtn hemlock.

Do you know if hemlock will survive in your area? Although I have no plans to sell anything at the moment I assume as this habit continues I will eventually begin parting ways with some of these collected trees. The next phase of learning with these trees will come next spring when I start to transition the native soil to bonsai mix on the trees I first collected in Spring of 2017, but two of the hemlock I collected this year are quite small and would be easy enough to ship after they have recovered.

 

[Josh88]

So the “push yourself” tree did that and a lot more this time around. When I opened up the bag I was very pleased with the amount of roots present. Sub alpine fir are supposedly slow to build a new root system after collection, so I wanted this one safe and secure. I prepped a nursery can and a mica training pot that fit the bagged root ball well, and a plastic nursery can that would hold it well with a few wood boards to narrow the space. As soon as I picked up the tree it was clear that the mica pot didn’t stand a chance of holding this thing upright and I had my first foolish feeling. Of course this isnt going straight into a bonsai pot. Although the root ball could fit, it was nowhere near stable and securing into a pot that small right off the bat wasn’t happening. On to the nursery can... Once I began tightening the wire down that would secure this beast in its new home the bottom of the can began to flex with the weight of the tree and was folding in half. Neither of my two good options were actually good options. Now I was thinking about building a box. I’ve done it before with great success but had no materials on hand and didn’t really want to add on an hours long project to get going on my hours long project. I remembered a few square nursery tree containers with very hard plastic sides and began prepping its new hopeful home. I used wood boards inside to narrow the box to fit the collected root mass tightly and got the root mass and the trunk itself wired into place, and chopsticked in securely with sifted pumice. I gently dragged it to its new spot in the yard and wiped the sweat off my filthy face. Now it’s on to watching carefully and watering welll and hoping for good things from this big beautiful tree. Sorry about the background noise in the photos, but I’m done moving around big plants for the moment.

 

[parhamr]

and didn’t really want to add on an hours long project to get going on my hours long project

damlol that’s a familiar problem

I’ve usually made the foolhardy choice and suffered for it

 

[plant_dr]

All these photos of the pnw are making me homesick!

 

[River's Edge]

I have fallen in love with collecting trees. I have tried to be smart and patient about the process of learning to do this well, and yesterday marks my fifth trip out over the past three years. Each year the type of material I feel comfortable with improves, and I try to allow myself one tree that will push my limits and push my growth. Just spending a day out in such a wild and untamed area is inspiring in so many ways. I was joined by a friend I often hike with who has become fascinated with hunting good trees to collect even though he has no interest in taking care of them. It’s great to have a second set of eyes and a second pack to carry out with, and someone to cheers after lugging these trees back to van, not to mention the safely concerns. Here are a few pictures of the area we were in.
View attachment 262888View attachment 262889View attachment 262890View attachment 262891
I came home with three mountain hemlocks (one of which is awesome!), two subalpine fir (one of which is my “push yourself” tree), a lodgepole pine, and a vine maple. The big fir has a decent amount of roots, although I wish I was able to get more. It was growing in a rock pocket with a few long roots escaping beyond reach, but keeping my fingers crossed that I have enough to sustain. I really hope this tree makes it, as it will be a beauty. The picture doesn’t give a great angle, but once it’s potted I will take a better shot.
View attachment 262892
Here is the best of the hemlocks. I got a great rootball with this one and feel confident that it will do well. Again, better pics to come once potted.
View attachment 262893
The other trees are all smaller with nice movement and bark. At this point in my life, between work and family commitments, and the work it takes to pot up and care for these collected trees, I can only justify two days a year at this point to these adventures, but they have become like Christmas when I was a child to me. I get so excited I can’t sleep the night before. I hope in time I find the bandwidth to do more and more of this, and I hope my skills continue to improve and I feel comfortable and confident with better and better material. I’ll end with this gorgeous waterfall we hiked to on our way to the collecting grounds. Until next time...
View attachment 262895

Thanks for the post, i missed collecting this year! Waiting for back surgery. Thought i would share a couple of insights if that is ok.

I have found the Sub Alpine fir to be quick to form new roots after collection, particularily if collected in the spring prior to bud break. Slower if collected in the fall.
Not sure how you do the changeout of native soil, but i have found with hemlock it is best to change out the bottom and central core first, then in subsequent repotting change segments ( pie shaped wedges) of the upper sections. This is based on dealing with the weakest areas first and allowing them to gain strength before changing out the strongest root area. In Hemlocks this is the upper area of fibrous roots.
For Fir i have had the best success with bare root process immediately after collection and place in pure pumice! i know many prefer the method you are using and have had success.
Just sharing some other ideas.
I also check the firs for borers immediately and use a systemic insecticide as a routine process. They are almost always affected by borers particularily if they have damage and apparent deadwood. Never trusted the old stuff a wire in the hole trick.
Nice potential on that fir by the way. Love the deadwood.
Best of luck with the aftercare.

 

[Josh88]

Thanks for the post, i missed collecting this year! Waiting for back surgery. Thought i would share a couple of insights if that is ok.

I have found the Sub Alpine fir to be quick to form new roots after collection, particularily if collected in the spring prior to bud break. Slower if collected in the fall.
Not sure how you do the changeout of native soil, but i have found with hemlock it is best to change out the bottom and central core first, then in subsequent repotting change segments ( pie shaped wedges) of the upper sections. This is based on dealing with the weakest areas first and allowing them to gain strength before changing out the strongest root area. In Hemlocks this is the upper area of fibrous roots.
For Fir i have had the best success with bare root process immediately after collection and place in pure pumice! i know many prefer the method you are using and have had success.
Just sharing some other ideas.
I also check the firs for borers immediately and use a systemic insecticide as a routine process. They are almost always affected by borers particularily if they have damage and apparent deadwood. Never trusted the old stuff a wire in the hole trick.
Nice potential on that fir by the way. Love the deadwood.
Best of luck with the aftercare.

Thank you for the tips Frank!

 

[cishepard]

I also check the firs for borers immediately and use a systemic insecticide as a routine process. They are almost always affected by borers particularily if they have damage and apparent deadwood. Never trusted the old stuff a wire in the hole trick.

Frank, can you tell me what brand systemic you use and where I can get it on Vancouver Island, please? I have a newly collected sub-alpine fir and a mt. hemlock, should I treat them both? Thanks for all your knowledgeable advice!

 

[River's Edge]

Frank, can you tell me what brand systemic you use and where I can get it on Vancouver Island, please? I have a newly collected sub-alpine fir and a mt. hemlock, should I treat them both? Thanks for all your knowledgeable advice!

Sent you a PM with the information.

 

[LanceMac10]

Great pictures and a nice little write-up, thanks for sharing!
Love to be out there with you, but you would have to keep an eye on me, I'd be naked and feral within an hour!
It's why I always leave a sixer on ice back in the truck, I'll always come back and always with keys!

Packs look like they could tote a thirty-pack for the hike in and cans are a cinch to pack out.

Here's to good health for your collections!!

 

[Josh88]

Great pictures and a nice little write-up, thanks for sharing!
Love to be out there with you, but you would have to keep an eye on me, I'd be naked and feral within an hour!
It's why I always leave a sixer on ice back in the truck, I'll always come back and always with keys!

Packs look like they could tote a thirty-pack for the hike in and cans are a cinch to pack out.

Here's to good health for your collections!!

This trip called for something special of course, and with the plethora of toys required for these adventures a sixer of Hopworks Urban Brewery’s Gear Up IPA was needed to keep us safe. You’d feel right at home I’d reckon : )

 

[Josh88]

Finally had a minute to take some pictures of the rest of the haul. There are two small mountain hemlock with lovely movement and nice beginnings of bark build up.

A lodgepole pine that will make a nice bunjin in time.

And another subalpine fir that I got fewer roots than expected, but still hopeful.