Another dougy

[wireme]

This one was dug from a raised bed this spring and into a pot for the first time. 4 years regaining health in the raised bed. I've found a well aerated woody soil raised bed to be very reliable in survival rates for Doug fir transplants, maybe more so than substrate and box. Junipers have done well also. The downside, although survival rate is great and vigour improves the rootballs sometimes come out almost unchanged from the day of collection, kind of strange. The trees have good vigour and usually have tremendous root growth the first year in substrate but are not in a state to remove the mountain soil so I still have to wait another year or two and be more cautious watering in the meantime. Doug fir roots do not like to be waterlogged.

Anyway, happy to have the tree in a pot, I hope it does well.

 

[wireme]

Bark detail.

I would like to post sharper pics from a real camera, but no working computer now so phone pics is all I can do.

 

[wireme]

My current favourite plan for the future hinted at in this photo.

 

[wireme]

New leader guy wired upwards, may take it a little further. A portion of the other side has been removed, I've debated taking it all off but decided to leave it and work with it for a while.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Surprised you don't have any comments on this tree. Doug Fir are under used and under appreciated. Two of the pluses for these is naturally short needles compared to most pines and pretty good bud back. I've seen some fantastic subjects at Randy Knights and Ryan Neils places and this is a good tree to begin with. Congrats. Both of your main top branches have great natural movement in them and it would be a shame to lose either of them as they along with the great bark give you something beautiful and unique. When I have more room I hope to get a good one from Randy. For now I'm pretty well overloaded as all of my trees are on an apartment deck. Creative shelving only goes so far. Best of fortune with this little one.

 

[wireme]

Thanks for the comments, I agree Doug fir are more under the radar still than they should be but I'm confident that will soon change. I'm lucky to have access to excellent Doug fir material around here, I really like them.

Lack of comment? Dunno, I don't look at threads of species I don't grow or have no great interest in as often as those that I do. Thread drops off the page and is not seen or maybe judgment is withheld until some actual work is done. In any case I am very pleased with my firs and their progress, hopefully I'll be out collecting again this week and find some more good ones.
Must be tough trying to fit it all into an apartment balcony!

 

[Cypress187]

What is happeing on the second last picture, i can't see it clear (is that tree growing out of some plank/wood?) It's picture "/img_20150504_102930039-jpg.73470".

 

[wireme]

What is happeing on the second last picture, i can't see it clear (is that tree growing out of some plank/wood?) It's picture "/img_20150504_102930039-jpg.73470".

Its a funky custom slanted box for an awkward rootball, the tree was just collected last spring. The box has a hole cut for the trunk and soil raises a bit above the base.

 

[wireme]

She ain't styled yet but all the mountain soil is removed now. I shortened the taproot but didn't cut the danglers, that was all stuffed in, tight squeeze too.

 

[Wilson]

Douglas fir are one of so many great trees BC has to offer. I am glad to see you take advantage of your beautiful trees!

 

[wireme]

Douglas fir are one of so many great trees BC has to offer. I am glad to see you take advantage of your beautiful trees!

Yeah, why not eh?
Here's some better pics.

 

[Wilson]

Awesome bark! I am hoping to get up to the northern parts of this province, southern tundra environment. Seems to be comparable to the trees out in the rockies/kootenays areas, I do miss those parts.

 

[wireme]

Awesome bark! I am hoping to get up to the northern parts of this province, southern tundra environment. Seems to be comparable to the trees out in the rockies/kootenays areas, I do miss those parts.

I'll bet it could be fantastic collecting up there!
The hills in the saguenay region, looked promising. This is not my pic, screenshot, but I was there ski racing once.

I'd like to see some of your native maples too, you must be able to find some right where you are?

 

[Wilson]

There are a ton of sugar maple around me, it is just a matter of taking the time to train them or be lucky enough to find an old beater! One of my old bosses in Lake Louise was big into downhill racing too, awesome sport! I am mostly pleasure skiing, and xcountry style.

 

[armetisius]

Thanks for the comments, . . . Lack of comment? Dunno, I don't look at threads of species I don't grow or have no great interest in as often as those that I do. Thread drops off the page and is not seen or maybe judgment is withheld until some actual work is done. In any case I am very pleased with my firs and their progress, hopefully I'll be out collecting again . .

Nearly cruised by this one; I admit it you are correct.
Nothing X fir grows here so why bother. BUT I did.
All the hell I need, one more species I wish I could
grow here. Guess I will have to settle for my azaleas,
camellias, & crape myrtles.

 

[Waltron]

that's a badass tree! one of my new favorites... and those others you collected are real nice as well. some good inspiration.

 

[wireme]

Been a little while since an update here, you can see why, not much change.
Just leaving it be to gain strength. 2016 was not a great year, this year it's happy, next year will really grow again. Probably some light terminal pruning next spring then see what it offers. Probably some kind of age will come together in another 3yrs or so. It's already 7yrs in from collection. Here in my garden it's starting to look like around 7-15yrs from collection to kinda full style is what I should be expecting from old conifers.

 

[jriddell88]

Man you've got some great material to work with ,beautiful trees !

 

[wireme]

Man you've got some great material to work with ,beautiful trees !

Thanks, yep there are a few hanging about here by now.
At least a couple bits of great material at your place too I think I have seen.

 

[Quince]

Been a little while since an update here, you can see why, not much change.
Just leaving it be to gain strength. 2016 was not a great year, this year it's happy, next year will really grow again. Probably some light terminal pruning next spring then see what it offers. Probably some kind of age will come together in another 3yrs or so. It's already 7yrs in from collection. Here in my garden it's starting to look like around 7-15yrs from collection to kinda full style is what I should be expecting from old conifers.View attachment 160138View attachment 160139View attachment 160140View attachment 160141

Really beautiful material!
I wish I could find a good Doug-fir here in Wisconsin. Only one I know of lives in the the park down the street.