Collecting 2013

[travislivid]

With the underbrush thinning out now, out I have been putting together all of my prospects for collecting late winter/ early spring. I thought I would share and use this post to keep a chronicle of the 2013 collecting season. With some good advise from last year on what to collect and what to walk away from, I think I have some good candidates for digging. All in all there are 15 or 20 trees that have caught my attention. I think half of them are really worth the effort. Here are the first few. I will be adding in the next few days. Thanks for looking and all comments and advise is really appreciated.

Tree 1-2013 Cedar Elm
This one is growing in rock but has a long trench out to the side packed with loose soil and many fine roots fairly close to the tree. It is about 6" base and only a couple feet tall. Near the top of my list.


Tree 2-2013 Cedar Elm
3 1/2" with really long exposed roots. Would be easy to collect because it is loosely anchored but a challenge to train the roots. I might be up for a challenge!


Tree 3-2013 Cedar Elm
2 3/4" trunk this one has some great natural deadwood features. They will need to be worked on but could be a fun project.


Tree 4-2013 Cedar Elm
3-3 1/2" trunk. Would have to do a trunk chop and the ranches need taming.

 

[art-rodriguez]

yamadori cedar elms

that first tree looks like a future nice one !

 

[travislivid]

I agree, A few more.

Tree 5-2013 Cedar Elm
3" trunk The lower branches are a bit too large and throw it out of proportion so those would have to be dealt with. This one is low on my list.


Tree 6-2013 Cedar Elm
3 1/2" to 4" trunk Like tree 5 the middle branch seems really large and would have to be removed. Maybe some carving and an oro?

Tree 7-2013 Cedar Elm
Don't know what to think about this one. I am inclined to pass this year unless I get an idea of a use for this one. It is a raft that was broken over a long time ago judging by the healing and bark formed. It broke about 2" above the ground, lays sideways and has several rather large trunks growing on down. The main broken over trunk is 4-5" and that one big trunk shooting up from the raft further down is 2" or so.

Tree 8-2013 Cedar Elm
2" trunk and 2' tall, the smallest of the bunch but I think it might make a nice smaller bonsai. It has some good taper and in person it has alot of character not showing up in the pic.

 

[travislivid]

A few more good ones

Tree 11-2013 Cedar Elm
3" base twisty twin trunk

Tree 14 - 2013 Cedar Elm
6" base don't let the finger fool you it is in the foreground.

Tree 17-2013 Cedar Elm
2 1/2 - 3" base. This one has some good deadwood that could maybe be turned into a hollow trunk.

Tree 18-2013 Cedar Elm
3" base. Alot of low limbs to deal with.

 

[Poink88]

Nice prospects you have there.

Plan your chops properly and do them at collection. No need to waste energy growing branches then cutting them again later.

When do you plan on taking these?

Good luck!

 

[travislivid]

Exactly my thoughts Poink88. Last year I either hauled way too much tree and had to just chop at home or hastily made a decision on site and had to live with the chops I made. That's why I took pictures this time to get an idea of what needs to go on site.

These trees are from 3 sites. 2 of which I can collect. The other site I have not tracked down to get permission. So that will determine my trips and when to start before bud break.
I was thinking of getting started just after xmas or new years.

 

[jkd2572]

Number one best trunk. Number 4 best branches I would collect both.

 

[plant_dr]

Did I miss a post somewhere that told us what kind of trees these are?

 

[Poink88]

Did I miss a post somewhere that told us what kind of trees these are?

Elm...most likely Cedar elm.

 

[rockm]

Definitely cedar elm.

 

[travislivid]

Apologies. Yes they are all Cedar Elm. Missed key piece of information there!

 

[travislivid]

I collected my first 2 trees this year. Both are Cedar Elms.

Prospect Tree 3
The first one is a tree that I trenched around last year. It came out fairly easy and the work last year gave the tree a good bit of extra fine roots near the trunk. I had trimmed alot of it's branches further out last year and it put out alot of new growth all over the place. It is quite a mess right now. I will go in an thin it out a bit but then let it sit and stew to figure out the structure.


Prospect Tree 6
The second tree is a stout shorter trunk. I cut of a very large lower branch before digging. I sealed it and will let it sit until next year and then I plan on carving a uro. This tree has a bit of a problem with the lower 2 branches both at the same height. Maybe needing to cut one of them off if I can get something growing at another level.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Gnice and Gnarly! Hope they work out.

 

[Dav4]

Gnice and Gnarly! Hope they work out.

x2...great material!

 

[Poink88]

Nice. Hope they make it.

I haven't started yet. The past few days have been cold and rainy so I didn't even scout my usual collection spot yet. I do know there are several promising pieces left so I might hit it next weekend.

Last year, the cedar elms started sprouting around this time...this year it looks like it will be a bit later (thankfully) buys me more time to collect even just a few.

 

[NewWorldBonsai]

I really like the bark on those. Anyone would be really happy to play with yamadori like those

 

[Sekibonsai]

Nice material.... We've just FINALLY gotten enough cold that everything dropped leaves... Guess it'll be a month or two before buds start moving again...

 

[Dan W.]

Great material! I'm looking forward to following these

 

[travislivid]

Original Cedar Elm Tree #1 Collected!

This one had a puzzling collection in rock. I posted pics of it on a previous thread to conclude the collecting efforts. You can read if you want.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?8904-Suggestions-on-prospect-collection-this-winter

I LOVE THIS TREE! Here it is in a training box I built for it's long roots. I shortened them a bit as Poink88 suggested.

I still have some thinning to do. The branches are a mess.

 

[travislivid]

Original Cedar Elm Tree #2 Collected

This is the one that I have been studying that had the super long roots growing out over rock. Once I was able to excavate around the base in the wall of the ravine it was growing on I found some good roots growing near the base so I went ahead and cut those long roots back a good deal. I have it planted in a custom grow box at an angle because alot of those roots are coming out of the back of the trunk. I kinda like the tilt. This one has alot of character for me and was really fun to dig out of that wall.