Bare Root Ponderosa

mrchips1952

Yamadori
Messages
82
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado
The final tree I collected this spring was a little more difficult than the other eight I found and removed. This one came out bare root with no root pad whatsoever. Instead of just leaving it I did bring it home and at once potted the tree. What are the chances of this one surviving and is there any extra care I need to take?
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
If by no root pad you mean the soil/duff you get from rock pockets, maybe. If you mean not fiberous root only thick root maybe cut off within a few feet of the tree, maybe not so much. When did you do the digging?
 

BrianBay9

Masterpiece
Messages
2,752
Reaction score
5,368
Location
Fresno, CA
USDA Zone
9
I have collected Ponderosa off rock with great root pads, and had 85 - 90% survival. I've tried a few collected from essentially gravel with no root pads, chasing the roots as far as feasible. I expected these to do poorly - just an experiment - but got 50% survival. I wouldn't recommend collecting from gravel, but it's not hopeless.

Aftercare is pretty much what you'd expect - keep out of full sun, moist but not sloppy wet, mist often, and hope for the best. I've had some sit and do nothing for over two years before they started pushing new candles, so if they don't go brown, don't give up hope.

Brian
 

mrchips1952

Yamadori
Messages
82
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado
If by no root pad you mean the soil/duff you get from rock pockets, maybe. If you mean not fiberous root only thick root maybe cut off within a few feet of the tree, maybe not so much. When did you do the digging?
Dug May 30th, elevation 9,300 feet.
 

mrchips1952

Yamadori
Messages
82
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado
I have collected Ponderosa off rock with great root pads, and had 85 - 90% survival. I've tried a few collected from essentially gravel with no root pads, chasing the roots as far as feasible. I expected these to do poorly - just an experiment - but got 50% survival. I wouldn't recommend collecting from gravel, but it's not hopeless.

Aftercare is pretty much what you'd expect - keep out of full sun, moist but not sloppy wet, mist often, and hope for the best. I've had some sit and do nothing for over two years before they started pushing new candles, so if they don't go brown, don't give up hope.

Brian
Thanks Brian for the info and percentages.
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
Guessing it's still fairly cold there then, so what Brian said about aftercare is your best shot.
 

treebeard55

Chumono
Messages
762
Reaction score
88
Location
north-central Indiana, USA
USDA Zone
5A
... elevation 9,300 feet.

You were working! I remember high school basketball practices in Quito, Ecuador, which is at exactly that altitude in the Inter-Andean Valley. To quote a movie line, "I-thought-I-was-gonna-die!"

Then I came back to the USA for college, and had endurance to burn in the low altitude of Indiana!
 

mrchips1952

Yamadori
Messages
82
Reaction score
0
Location
Colorado
You were working! I remember high school basketball practices in Quito, Ecuador, which is at exactly that altitude in the Inter-Andean Valley. To quote a movie line, "I-thought-I-was-gonna-die!"

Then I came back to the USA for college, and had endurance to burn in the low altitude of Indiana!
Steve.....I am almost 59 years old and do little exercising. A hike at 9,500 feet carrying a backpack of tools and three Ponderosa's almost killed me.:eek:
 

treebeard55

Chumono
Messages
762
Reaction score
88
Location
north-central Indiana, USA
USDA Zone
5A
Chips, I figured 1952 was your birth year. Same as mine, but I turned 59 in April.

I haven't been back to Ecuador since '75. A hike at that altitude, carrying 3 ponderosas, probably would kill me! :D
 
Top Bottom