COLLECTING DECIDIOUS IN FALL

August44

Omono
Messages
1,879
Reaction score
1,339
Location
NE Oregon
USDA Zone
5-6
It is cold here but the ground is not frozen. Is it ok to collect deciduous this time of year with winter protection above freezing or should I wait till spring? Help appreciated.
 

Cajunrider

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,539
Reaction score
12,883
Location
Louisiana
USDA Zone
9A
It is cold here but the ground is not frozen. Is it ok to collect deciduous this time of year with winter protection above freezing or should I wait till spring? Help appreciated.
Unless you are in zone 9B or warmer. I would wait. You can collect but essentially the collected trees will be in stasis until spring. Until the temperature is warm enough to facilitate growth, the cut sites both up top and at the roots won't heal and and the chance of further damage is high.
 

August44

Omono
Messages
1,879
Reaction score
1,339
Location
NE Oregon
USDA Zone
5-6
Unless you are in zone 9B or warmer. I would wait. You can collect but essentially the collected trees will be in stasis until spring. Until the temperature is warm enough to facilitate growth, the cut sites both up top and at the roots won't heal and and the chance of further damage is high.
I ain't in no zone 9B for sure.
 

Underdog

Masterpiece
Messages
2,677
Reaction score
6,873
Location
Ohio
USDA Zone
6
I dug a large dogwood a couple years ago October 29 2019 (only because I had to) and plunked into a deepish hole in the garden for the winter. Survived just fine. Lucky? maybe but, it was going to be firewood otherwise. Bare rooted and potted in March.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,254
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
Autumn is "second best" season for collecting. If you keep them slightly above freezing until spring, success can get close to success rate of spring collecting. But, it can go wrong, and it can turn out that autumn could end up a "distant second best" season for collecting.

A very few species are better collected in autumn, persimmon and certain oaks. Blueberries can be transplanted in autumn. It is very species dependent.

Just give it a try. Your success will be better than zero, probably better than 50%, but it won't be 100%.
 

Cajunrider

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,539
Reaction score
12,883
Location
Louisiana
USDA Zone
9A
I dug a large dogwood a couple years ago October 29 2019 (only because I had to) and plunked into a deepish hole in the garden for the winter. Survived just fine. Lucky? maybe but, it was going to be firewood otherwise. Bare rooted and potted in March.
Nice work. In your case, your chance would have been zero had you waited.
 

BobbyLane

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,058
Reaction score
17,659
Location
London, England
Autumn is "second best" season for collecting. If you keep them slightly above freezing until spring, success can get close to success rate of spring collecting. But, it can go wrong, and it can turn out that autumn could end up a "distant second best" season for collecting.

A very few species are better collected in autumn, persimmon and certain oaks. Blueberries can be transplanted in autumn. It is very species dependent.

Just give it a try. Your success will be better than zero, probably better than 50%, but it won't be 100%.
Different climate, but Harry harrington successfully collects oak, hawthorn and beech this time of year. He also uses a polytunnel to store them in. with so much folk here putting heavy emphasis on winter storage, I would imagine fall collected trees would be pretty fine.
 

August44

Omono
Messages
1,879
Reaction score
1,339
Location
NE Oregon
USDA Zone
5-6
Different climate, but Harry harrington successfully collects oak, hawthorn and beech this time of year. He also uses a polytunnel to store them in. with so much folk here putting heavy emphasis on winter storage, I would imagine fall collected trees would be pretty fine.
I think you be correct here Bobby...has a lot to do with protection of roots after collection. Roots on heat matt while foliage area exposed would work I think.
 

BobbyLane

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,058
Reaction score
17,659
Location
London, England
I think you be correct here Bobby...has a lot to do with protection of roots after collection. Roots on heat matt while foliage area exposed would work I think.
I dont know of anyone who uses a heat mat for anything. im talking winter storage after collection so the roots dont freeze, but most of you guys are doing that anyway. I mean, its only 3.5 months until they start to wake up again. if you collect with a decent amount of roots, its not a major issue if a few tips die off here n there.
 

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
Messages
12,420
Reaction score
27,856
Location
Charlotte area, North Carolina
USDA Zone
8a
It is cold here but the ground is not frozen. Is it ok to collect deciduous this time of year with winter protection above freezing or should I wait till spring? Help appreciated.
This dates me, but I used to collect deciduous in the Midwest in the Fall after leaf drop but before a hard ground freeze - not for bonsai but for landscape on my parent's property. We would simply lift the tree and plant it in a new location, making sure the hole was nice and deep and the root ball was buried below the soil line and mulched. This was well after frosts, but before the hard lasting freeze. As far as I can recall, we never lost a tree doing this. Some of those trees are now big trees! I can see them on Google street view when I look at where I grew up :)
 

BobbyLane

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,058
Reaction score
17,659
Location
London, England
See back when I had these questions, I wouldnt ask on the forum I'd just research what collectors and gardeners are doing, this is an article from gardeners world. they have absolutely no problems digging up trees at this time of year, however, usually they dig and replant in the ground. they also dig trees up with very good rootballs, thats the key really. good rootballs. then i just began doing my own thing and applying this to my potted plants, repotting pretty much anytime I liked without much issues

November to March is the ideal time to plant bare-root plants. These are plants that have been been grown in open ground, then dug up for despatch and planting during the dormant season. They are called ‘bare-root’ plants as they are supplied with no soil around their roots. They are usually bought online, or by mail order.

Bare-root plants are generally cheaper than plants grown in containers, and you’ll often find a wider selection of varieties this way. Planting them in the dormant season means that they should establish well – while the top growth may be brown and twiggy, the roots are busy establishing beneath.
All kinds of plants can be supplied bare-root, from trees to perennials. Find out more below.

Winter is the ideal time to plant a bare-root tree - you'll find a wide selection at tree nurseries or online. Be sure to mulch and stake afterwards.

Planting a hedge is much more economical if you buy bare-root plants and while not 'instant', they will knit together quickly. It's a great way to plant beech, hornbeam or an 'edible hedge' made up of a mix of edible plants such as blackthorn, cherry plum and Rosa rugosa.

wholesale tree nurseries have made an industry doing this.

 
Last edited:

Jcmmaple

Chumono
Messages
553
Reaction score
617
Location
Western north carolina
USDA Zone
7
I was just thinking about this today, starting to feel the itch to collect Hornbeam. I’m still on the fence about it, I may just go scouting.
 

August44

Omono
Messages
1,879
Reaction score
1,339
Location
NE Oregon
USDA Zone
5-6
I was just thinking about this today, starting to feel the itch to collect Hornbeam. I’m still on the fence about it, I may just go scouting.
Do you collect for trees or stumps?
 

Jcmmaple

Chumono
Messages
553
Reaction score
617
Location
Western north carolina
USDA Zone
7
Trees, I have had fair success collecting now. I usually put them in the basement until the first frost is over, I found some last year but haven’t been back to make sure they are worth it. My best friend let’s me collect on his land and has a lot of hornbeam.
 

August44

Omono
Messages
1,879
Reaction score
1,339
Location
NE Oregon
USDA Zone
5-6
Trees, I have had fair success collecting now. I usually put them in the basement until the first frost is over, I found some last year but haven’t been back to make sure they are worth it. My best friend let’s me collect on his land and has a lot of hornbeam.
Lucky you! Always wanted a Hornbeam stump. None around here but they are zoned to be ok here
 
Top Bottom