Collected beech tree -worth??

[boschetaru]

Hello guys,
First post here, so be gentle
Location is Romania, Gorj county.
So i have this beech tree, european, potted in peat moss+sand+some grit .
I plan to let it grow for a year or so and then work on it.
Does it have it as a bonsai?Doni need to change the soil composition?
Tnx.

 

[augustine]

Mr. b,

I think this is a good tree to train as bonsai. Is the peat moss coarse chunks or fine material?

 

[boschetaru]

Coarse chunks not fine.

 

[boschetaru]

Also, if you have any suggestions fot the future of this tree they are more than welcome.

 

[boschetaru]

Hello guys,
First post here, so be gentle
Location is Romania, Gorj county.
So i have this beech tree, european, potted in peat moss+sand+some grit .
I plan to let it grow for a year or so and then work on it.
Does it have it as a bonsai?Doni need to change the soil composition?
Tnx.

I added some pictures with the root system , i made a small pruning just to get it on the pot , only on the lower roots.

 

[sorce]

Nice .

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I think this tree has a nice informal trunk line and a surprisingly natural taper given its size. I think it is an excellent find!

 

[BigBen]

VERY nice find, indeed.

Welcome aboard, enjoy your stay.

 

[M. Frary]

need to change the soil composition

Probably too late for that. Also is it being kept inside?
Another thing. It should have been collected in spring as it shows signs of waking up. Now it has to sit there for months with open cuts on roots in poor soil.
If it lives. Let it grow some then try to change out the dirt next year in late summer.
If it doesnt you learned a couple valuable lessons. Proper collecting times and using the right soil to begin with.
Good luck.

 

[boschetaru]

Well, it sits on my balcony but i always have a window open so it is almost as outside temperature(maybe with 2-5 degrees warmer).
It was collected 1 week ago and it had only 2 leafs on it.How do i check if it is waking up?I kept it on that spot all the time,no time inside.

About the soil, i checked the drainage and is not that bad as the water goes down the holes quite fast,even though i know that peat retains water.I sifted the peat and grit before i put it and at the bottom of the pot is a bigger grit layer.I will do the chopstick test before i water it again.
I hope it will survive, will keep you guys updated with the result.

 

[JudyB]

I don't know your climate, but this tree will need a dormancy period in the winter, so hopefully your balcony situation will not be above 40 for a few months. You'll want to keep it out of the sun, and also wind. If you're climate is very cold you may want to put it on the ground and mulch it in, again, no sun or wind on it. Good luck it's a nice tree to start.

 

[boschetaru]

My country have a temperate-continental climate, most winters have an average of -10 to +12 celsius . It gets guite cold on my balcony, but i dont know if it goes below 0(zero) grade celsius, as to freeze water.The wind (strong) and sun i belive is not an issue on that spot, neither full sun as it is on the north side.
I attached a tables with avg. temp in my city .
If i were to convert in hardy zones i am in 7b to 8a or smth.
Hope for the best and my tree wont cross over:
Thank you for your advices.
P.S i checked the temp on my balcony and it is around 10 degrees celsius, and outside is 8.

 

[augustine]

Soil is very important and I don't know about yours. Intuitively I don't like the mix because of unfamiliarity of using peat and proportions of the different components. Best thing would be to get advice of a local practitioner.

The challenges are the soil mix, collection time, not keeping it fully outside. The future is to make sure it has a future. One thing you can do is to water very carefully, the tree should be kept lightly moist at this time of the year. Don't overwater.

(There's also a chance it will be fine. I hope so.) Talk to a local, is there a club in the area?

Best,

 

[boschetaru]

About the soil, i searched the web and this forum, and i found out that for training trees i could use peat and grit and some big granulation sand, as long the composition have a good drainage.
I’m more concerned about the location, not fully outside. I guess i can try and take it to my countryside where it can stay all winter outside.
But will this be OK after it has about 1 week since i potted it?

I know peat retains water quite well so i will not water it frequently, and never before i test for moist.I have a big, thin stick, and i insert it on the side of the pot and check if it is moist and have soil particles on it.If it has, no watering and vice-versa.

The collection time,i asked a horti guy and he said that this is the best time to take it.

No bonsai club near me or in Romania((

A few additional questions:
-will it get out of dormancy now? how can i see if it is out?and if it gets out, what should i do?
-in spring, hopping it will survive, is it best to let it grow right?
Thnx all for helping me

 

[M. Frary]

The collection time,i asked a horti guy and he said that this is the best time to take it.

At a nursery standpoint for transplanting trees from one location to another it's 1 of 2 best times. Spring being the best.
It gives the tree a whole season to recover.

 

[boschetaru]

You are right, i think he was talking about nursery trees not from the wild.
I’ve learned my lesson now

 

[M. Frary]

You are right, i think he was talking about nursery trees not from the wild.
I’ve learned my lesson now

Its all ok. If at first you dont succeed try again.
Its how we learn.
I learned through trial and error. Up until 6 years ago I didn't even know other people did bonsai here. That's when I got my first smartphone and one of the first things I ever googled was bonsai.
Where I live there isn't another bonsai within a 90 mile radius.
I learned everything all on my own all by myself and one old book from the local library.

 

[boschetaru]

I guess now, winter time, is the best time to study as there is not much work to do on the trees.
I started to watch Nigel Saunders videos and read HHarington website.

Beside this beech tree i have a Chinese elm, a mallsai..he is doing great now, and i know it is a good starter tree if i fail with the beech.

Will study till spring the web and hopefully i will have the basic knowledge about bonsai.
I think he will make a good shonin -broom style.
P.S i keep it o the balcony also, just brought it inside for a photo.

 

[boschetaru]

One question : next spring, 2019, is the best time to cut the tap root?I did not done it when i potted it.
Tnx
PS : the tree is doing good on my balcony, no signs of waking up yet.

 

[boschetaru]

Update:
The tree managed to pass the.winter and now is growing fast.
Any tips ? for further developing?
Thanks