Collecting yamadori for beginners

[Mimstrel]

What' are your favorite resources for learning about how to successfully collect wild trees? Once the heat and bugs die down, I'm planning to go out into the ravine on my property and see if I have anything that would be good to dig up. I know I've seen recommendations that collecting be done over two years, but I'm not totally clear on all the details.

I watch a lot of YouTube videos, but that format tends to leave some gaps.

Thanks!

 

[sorce]

Walter has a 3 part series on collecting that is a must watch.

Sorce

 

[atlarsenal]

Collecting 2019

First collecting trip of 2019. It’s a little early but a beautiful day and no freezing temps in the 10 day forcast. I know we will still have some cold weather but I can bring them the in the garage. Two American Hornbeams and two American Beech. I’m loving the new Root Slayer!

www.bonsainut.com

Collecting 2020

This is a thread for anyone who wants to post their trees they are collecting this year. So post em up! What y’all diggin? I’ll start it out with my first for this year. I believe it is probably a sugar maples. It was marked about this same time last year so I did not see it in leaf. I dug...

www.bonsainut.com

Most folks will tell you not to over two years. I have field chopped and dug the next spring on one tree and it worked out ok.

 

[Mimstrel]

Thank you both!

A lot of the trees on my property are box elder, walnut, and one or two ash that haven't succumbed to EAB yet. Not suitable for bonsai. I know I also have American hackberry, which I see posts on here advising can make good bonsai, but all of the pictures seem to be of other varieties of Celtis. And I'm hoping that I'll find some elm (yes, I'm aware of DED).