Beech yamadori harvesting

[ThePecha7]

When is the best time and way to harvest a European beech? I live in the Scottish Borders and recently spotted 2 lovely beech that would make great trees some day.

I’ve read that September to December is best? But also that spring when the tree is about to leaf?

And should the tap root be removed straight away?

I’ve harvested 3 beech in the past and only 1 is still going. Really want the best chance of success with these that I have found as they are quite nice even now. I’ll add a pic of the smaller windswept looking one, doesn’t do it justice though.

Bonus question: Best time of year to air layer a ash?

Thanks

 

[BobbyLane]

Most will say spring. I will say depends how much root you get. its pretty choppy in Scotland this time of year, you would need to get a good amount of feeder roots and provide good aftercare if it was dug over this period. even if you dug it in spring, with beech you need a good amount of feeder roots or they struggle. Harry harrington/bonsai4me has good experience with these, regularly posts photos of collected beech on his instagram and facebook pages.

 

[leatherback]

I have succesfully dug beech in October, november and january. In all cases these have been completely moved into substrate directly and then kept frost-free for the rest of winter.

 

[ThePecha7]

Thanks for the replies. I will probably aim for spring then. Any advice about the taproot? Take it straight away? I have a little green house so keeping it out of frost won’t be a problem.

Also, what kind of aftercare do you think it will need? The beech that I dug a couple years ago I dug it and pruned it within a week and it’s still going today, never really gave it any aftercare as I didn’t know any better, still don’t!

 

[leatherback]

Any advice about the taproot?

Which taproot?

Also, what kind of aftercare do you think it will need? The beech that I dug a couple years ago I dug it and pruned it within a week and it’s still going today, never really gave it any aftercare as I didn’t know any better, still don’t!

same here. I did not do anything special. Dug. Shook the muck off. Pruned to fit the pot and backfilled with an open substrate. put in a shelter. Wait for spring. Worked so far.

 

[BobbyLane]

Thanks for the replies. I will probably aim for spring then. Any advice about the taproot? Take it straight away? I have a little green house so keeping it out of frost won’t be a problem.

Also, what kind of aftercare do you think it will need? The beech that I dug a couple years ago I dug it and pruned it within a week and it’s still going today, never really gave it any aftercare as I didn’t know any better, still don’t!

Do what works for you in your climate.

 

[ThePecha7]

Which taproot?


same here. I did not do anything special. Dug. Shook the muck off. Pruned to fit the pot and backfilled with an open substrate. put in a shelter. Wait for spring. Worked so far.

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The taproot of the beech I will be digging? I guess I will just cut them right back straight away as that’s what you have done in your photo.

Any one have an opinion on air layering the ash? Sorry for the questions, I’m just still a beginner at all this.

 

[Igor. T. Ljubek]

For such a small and young tree i wouldn't worry much. You can safely dig it up in April, when buds starts to open. November/December is also a good time, if you can keep the tree in a greenhouse/garage over winter. I have successfully dug up young beech (up to 10 -12 years old) in april but completely failed on 3 much thicker beeches (with trunk diameter over 10 cm/25 inches) older than 20 - 30 years. I am gonna use Mauro Stemberger black plastic back method for older beech next winter: you dig up a tree in december, cover it over a big black plastic bag, place it in a greenhause or a garage over winter and then slowly move it out in spring. It worked very well for one of my thick field elm with almost no roots, i hope it will work for beech as well.

I have no clue about ash, sorry