Digging Down under 2021

[Shibui]

Mid winter is here and that's my cue to get on with digging the field grown trees. The trees probably don't care about the time but if I don't start now I won't get through them all before spring.

I usually start with the root over rock tridents because the best bit is buried so opening these is like Christmas presents. You never know what you'll find.


The ROR plantings. I have scraped back the mulch and loosened them with the shovel.



Closer look at the trunks.



The first few out of the ground.


After a rough trim of tops and roots to make them easier to handle.


Escaped root!. Lucky it has not grown too big. The closer to the surface the faster trident roots grow so an escape like this soon gets thick and can ruin the root arrangement on the rock.




A larger one. Good roots holding the rock tight and a trunk with potential.


Smaller but good trunk shape.


Same tree after final trim. This one is ready to go back in a pot to develop some branches.


Another nice root/rock/trunk arrangement.

 

[Beanwagon]

Nice! Im about to start digging up my maples & elms.

 

[Shibui]

On to the other tridents...


A row of trident maples already loosened with the shovel.


A couple of trunks.


I lift the whole tree and shake off as much dirt as will easily fall off.


A rough trim to remove long roots and long tops makes it easier to handle the trees for a final appraisal.




Only a couple of hundred to go.

 

[MrWunderful]

My goal is to have a field like that one day. Keep up the good work, I love seeing high quality pre-bonsai material ground grown and dug up.

 

[HoneyHornet]

Can't wait to see how these progress and hope to see updates
very cool documentation