Collecting Backyard Material

[Tidal Bonsai]

A club member has a backyard wonderland of Maples, Elms, Ginkos, etc. growing wild in his backyard. They are all very tall (5 feet or more), so here is my game plan...
1. Dig the ones I want out during full dormancy (Late Nov. to early December in NJ 7a).
2. Pot with some type of soil (not sure if I should use 100% dirt, 100% pumice, 100% "bonsai" soil, or 50/50 dirt and "bonsai soil." )
3. Leave until early summer to regain roots and vigor.
4. Prune heavily to lower branches in order to put the growth where I want it.

Let me know what you think of this plan of attack. This may seem aggressive to some, but I had a Mormon apricot tree sent to me bare root that I gave the same treatment just under a year ago. Right now it's 3x the size I got it at with a ton of new branching where I made the cuts.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

A club member has a backyard wonderland of Maples, Elms, Ginkos, etc. growing wild in his backyard. They are all very tall (5 feet or more), so here is my game plan...
1. Dig the ones I want out during full dormancy (Late Nov. to early December in NJ 7a).
2. Pot with some type of soil (not sure if I should use 100% dirt, 100% pumice, 100% "bonsai" soil, or 50/50 dirt and "bonsai soil." )
3. Leave until early summer to regain roots and vigor.
4. Prune heavily to lower branches in order to put the growth where I want it.

Let me know what you think of this plan of attack. This may seem aggressive to some, but I had a Mormon apricot tree sent to me bare root that I gave the same treatment just under a year ago. Right now it's 3x the size I got it at with a ton of new branching where I made the cuts.

Hi,
Just my 2 cents worth but I would try and avoid “dirt” as this normally has no structure and can get very heavy and lack aeration.
If you can get hold on potting compost ( bark based) and mix that with pumice - say 50/50 or 75 bark/ 25% pumice then you will have a nicely aerated and good water holding mix.
Being nursery based for my work I can see the benefits in using pumice/scoria/cat litter as an additive to the normal bark mixes that breakdown fast and lack air etc.
Sounds like great fun digging up yard trees and chopping them.
Charles

 

[Potawatomi13]

Most transplanting best done end of Winter just before start of growth not in full dormancy. Roots not having time to heal/grow/recover before freezing is bad. Also energy stored for Spring will be removed with roots and impede or prevent recovery.

 

[M. Frary]

Most transplanting best done end of Winter just before start of growth not in full dormancy. Roots not having time to heal/grow/recover before freezing is bad. Also energy stored for Spring will be removed with roots and impede or prevent recovery.

What he said.

 

[sorce]

This order.

4. Prune heavily to lower branches in order to put the growth where I want it, during full dormancy (Late Nov. to early December in NJ 7a

Leave until early summer

Dig the ones I want out

. Pot with 100% pumice

Sorce

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

Sorce,

Wouldn't making heavy chops during dormancy be a bad thing since they won't callus over?

So what your all saying is a better plan of attack is to:

1. Make the cuts once the tree is completely dormant.
2. Transplant in late winter
3. Pot with a draining soil

 

[ghues]

Or....leave them where they are and do the pruning, wiring, shaping then dig up in late winter 2018?

 

[M. Frary]

Wouldn't making heavy chops during dormancy be a bad thing since they won't callus over

Yes.
The best plan of attack is to collect in early spring as the buds start to move.
Chop before collecting. Like a minute from the first bite of the shovel.
Pot with a draining soil.
Leave them be for a year.
If you chop in the middle of winter you will get die back. It's an open path for freezing temps to get inside of the tree via the moisture in the calmbium layer.