Collected Spruce and Larch, my first attempt at group plantings
- Thread starter Waltron
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Waltron
Chumono
nay, yay? anyone? sorce?
haha I have no teacher or friends who care about bonsai so I rely on feedback from the internet to guide me
haha I have no teacher or friends who care about bonsai so I rely on feedback from the internet to guide me
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LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
Post here........?
Waltron
Chumono
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Nice Bass!
Lol!
They look decent...the trees are nice..
Is that them all finished in the first pic,
Or do you intend to combine them all?
Sorce
Lol!
They look decent...the trees are nice..
Is that them all finished in the first pic,
Or do you intend to combine them all?
Sorce
Waltron
Chumono
haha, thanks. they are finished as far as what I plan to do with this this year.. hoping they take good root and have a productive growing season next year, but overall nothing is set in stone combining them all is not a bad idea. just hoping they live.. they have been somewhat arranged but nothing has been styled.. basically planted them similar to how I found them. It was a scouting mission for next spring but took some young stuff to play with, next spring ill go back and get some better material.
Wilson
Masterpiece
I like the material, the spruce pair are cool. I do enjoy when forests have a full appearance, lots of depth/perspective. These trees can easily be added together as you mentioned, and I would go for that! Great series of photos! It really has been an awesome summer!
10-brink
Mame
looks good! you might have to show me where you found those larch 
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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our group's farm is in Van Buren County, don't recall seeing Larch that far south in MI:
Nice young trees, great first effort. When you go back in spring for the 'older ones' thes will make great additions to a forest.
Because they were just collected, they will need a year or 2 tostabilize and get growing again. Then some ''bonsai work'', then they will be ready to re-arrange in a serious forest. You need at least, better 2 or 3 or 5 older, larger diameter trunk trees to be ''focal points''. You have 2 sizes now, just need to add a coulple fat trunks to represent the ''ancient ones''. Really a nice start.
Nice young trees, great first effort. When you go back in spring for the 'older ones' thes will make great additions to a forest.
Because they were just collected, they will need a year or 2 tostabilize and get growing again. Then some ''bonsai work'', then they will be ready to re-arrange in a serious forest. You need at least, better 2 or 3 or 5 older, larger diameter trunk trees to be ''focal points''. You have 2 sizes now, just need to add a coulple fat trunks to represent the ''ancient ones''. Really a nice start.
Leo in N E Illinois
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I should have said, what county did you find larches in?
By 2 sizes I meant a group under an inch in diameter, and a group significantly larger diameter, maybe up to about 2 inches.
You could make a 'complete' forest with just these trees. None seem to have a trunk that says ''look at me'', in which case the whole profile and foliage mass becomes the focal point. Or what ever features you add, such as rocks, etc. will be the focal point.
Or you can add an older tree or group of older laeger diameter trees.
Again, nice effort, I am glad you are trying this. I say all this as encouragement.
If you have a local small leaf elm, or locally collected hornbeam, you could even work them in. Key is all plants in the mix need to be the same winter hardiness.
By 2 sizes I meant a group under an inch in diameter, and a group significantly larger diameter, maybe up to about 2 inches.
You could make a 'complete' forest with just these trees. None seem to have a trunk that says ''look at me'', in which case the whole profile and foliage mass becomes the focal point. Or what ever features you add, such as rocks, etc. will be the focal point.
Or you can add an older tree or group of older laeger diameter trees.
Again, nice effort, I am glad you are trying this. I say all this as encouragement.
If you have a local small leaf elm, or locally collected hornbeam, you could even work them in. Key is all plants in the mix need to be the same winter hardiness.
Leo in N E Illinois
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while you are getting these trees ready to be assembled, you can begin the search for a big shallow pot, or the right slab,. It may take a couple years of searching. Or make a concrete pot or slab. To get the whole bunch together will take a big pot, they are hard to find, and can be spendy. If you don't find one, remember Mike Hagedorn (Crategus blog) made a plexiglass plastic slab for one of his big hemlock forests. .
Waltron
Chumono
Leo,
Thanks for the response! and tips and ideas. I know Van Buren county! I am a WMU grad. I traveled up to the north woods for these, Oscoda county. I agree, older trees need to be addded to the mix and I have no doubt I will find some as I know some great areas now. I have another balsam fir that fits sizing wise, and I do have elms and hornbeam as well, though I think I would keep it conifer, but who knows. Ill probably stick a jack or 2 in the mix, maybe a red pine, keep it up north themed, If i do end up combining all as one. The search for the right container will likely be a long one I imagine. I think some mini ferns will work their way into the final composition because there is so much of it up there, and personally, I just like ferns.
Thanks for the response! and tips and ideas. I know Van Buren county! I am a WMU grad. I traveled up to the north woods for these, Oscoda county. I agree, older trees need to be addded to the mix and I have no doubt I will find some as I know some great areas now. I have another balsam fir that fits sizing wise, and I do have elms and hornbeam as well, though I think I would keep it conifer, but who knows. Ill probably stick a jack or 2 in the mix, maybe a red pine, keep it up north themed, If i do end up combining all as one. The search for the right container will likely be a long one I imagine. I think some mini ferns will work their way into the final composition because there is so much of it up there, and personally, I just like ferns.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
I think I could find the place.looks good! you might have to show me where you found those larch
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
Maybe Oscoda County?
Waltron
Chumono
there is significant evidence now, county, logging trail, photo of the spot. haha ill tell YOU where it is, in a PM ;0
Leo in N E Illinois
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Don't forget wild blueberry. The species you find up north of Muskegon stay nice and small. But if you do add blueberry, make sure you use a more acidic soil and don't use a fertilizer with high calcium content.
Had a flat of 500 blueberry cuttings (highbush commercial types) and hit them with my favorite MSU complete fertilizer, with as much calcium as nitrogen - essentially a Cal-Mag fertilizer formula. Killed 'em dead. No $$ loss as they were cuttings from bushes already on the farm, but it did set rehab of an old blueberry field back another year. Live & learn.
Most trees appreciate fertilizers with calcium, magnesium, and the long list of micronutrients. Blueberry does not. It needs a little calcium, but not a lot. They probably already had their quota from the calcium in the tap water I used to water them.
Had a flat of 500 blueberry cuttings (highbush commercial types) and hit them with my favorite MSU complete fertilizer, with as much calcium as nitrogen - essentially a Cal-Mag fertilizer formula. Killed 'em dead. No $$ loss as they were cuttings from bushes already on the farm, but it did set rehab of an old blueberry field back another year. Live & learn.
Most trees appreciate fertilizers with calcium, magnesium, and the long list of micronutrients. Blueberry does not. It needs a little calcium, but not a lot. They probably already had their quota from the calcium in the tap water I used to water them.
Waltron
Chumono
haven't tried blueberry but good to know, what I do plan to try which is all over the area where I dug these is alder and witch hazel. Ive seen you mention your MSU ferts before, naturally I want some. I use dynagrow, which has all the micro nutes and is quite potent, and cheap, but is salt based. I just gave all these trees their first diluted dose today actually, might be a little soon but im not worried about it. they have all been planted in morning sun and have all shown no signs of death. The largest tamarck did have about half the needles turn gold, but all the buds are still clearly alive and even it has many green needles still.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
In my experience they grow like vines here.
Tag alder. I just kill them out of hand. Nasty swamp tag alder. Grow fast,die young.
Waltron
Chumono
it seems to grow in clumps.. found a few tapered, curvy, single trunk specimens I'll go back in spring to experiment with the bare trunk chop method.
how about ground juniper Mike? I see it on the hill sides all over driving between rose city and Mio, but I never notice it when im out scouting. Nick Lentz has some neat ones in his book.
still lookin for the scott pine spot..
how about ground juniper Mike? I see it on the hill sides all over driving between rose city and Mio, but I never notice it when im out scouting. Nick Lentz has some neat ones in his book.
still lookin for the scott pine spot..
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
I have one. It's hard to find single trunked ones. It's fairly tough. I cut it back hard this year. Back to the closest foliage on it. It's still alive but barely moving. I don't have a picture of it so I can't post one.
As for Scots pine you have to look on private property. I've yet to find many on state or federal land. The best places are near old Christmas tree farms where they've escaped captivity. A place you can check,I haven't stopped and asked yet,is on the north side of M72 past Mapes rd. as you're heading from Luzerne to Mio. There's some growing there but I haven't gotten out and looked at them yet.
