Digging up a Horse Chestnut?

[Mark2020]

About 15 horse chestnuts have self seeded on the edge of a bit of wasteland near my home, all within about 2sq m. I'd say they range in age from 1-5 years, perhaps more for some, there are quite a few! They range in height from 30cm (12in) to roughly 300cm (9/10 feet) with trunks all less than about 2.5cm, (an inch or so). I can't imagine all or many will survive with so many competing in this small space, so am tempted to try digging one up and turning it into a bonsai. I've a couple of questions I was hoping someone might be able to answer.
-Would the roots on these make it impractical to try getting one out of the ground?
-When would be the best time of year to do this? Now or in the Autumn?

Thanks!

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Better to wait until the full moon to pop a few now,. And wait till fall to grab the rest!

@0soyoung keeps them horse chestnut I reckon.

Sorce

 

[Forsoothe!]

The leaves won't reduce much. They are only suitable if you want a big bonsai. Big bonsai means a concurrently big trunk to be in scale with big leaves.

 

[Mark2020]

Thanks for the responses!

Ok, sounds like it might not be worthwhile as I'm only looking for a tree that could be kept in a 20-25cm (8/9inch) pot.

Is it possible to grow one from a regular chestnut, or will it be the same problem?

Thanks!

 

[Oleg]

I think it's the same, I have one and they are fine in a pot but they are big. However they look pretty cool on the patio even with big leaves. Harry Harrington has a care guide page on them and does state that leaves will reduce dramatically when root bound, I see a difference with ramification. Check out bonsai4me.com

 

[Mark2020]

Thanks, I'll take a look!

 

[0soyoung]

The leaves won't reduce much. They are only suitable if you want a big bonsai. Big bonsai means a concurrently big trunk to be in scale with big leaves.

These didn't get the memo.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

If you grow them from seed, keep them in small pots and full sun. They only bud from nodes, and mine stretched 17cm to get that first node. Now I will never be able to reduce it below that 17cm.

 

[0soyoung]

You are right about nodes, but I really think older/bigger ones can be cut down @Wires_Guy_wires. Here is what happens when a 20 foot tall tree is cut down. It looks to me like nodes are forever.

 

[Mark2020]

Wow, they look great! So keeping them in a small pot is the secret?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

And in the blazing sun if possible.
Sunlight keeps them short because it suppresses auxin.

I'm hoping you're right @0soyoung because I'll cut back mine at the end of summer. It's only a year and a bit old, but I want to keep it compact. If it doesn't work, it's no issue to start over. Those things grow like wildfire over here. If it wasn't for that damn drought.

 

[Mark2020]

Ah, I'm in the UK - we don't get a whole lot of blazing sunshine here! After reading the above, I'm still tempted to extract one of those trees from the wasteland, cut it at about 8-10cm, and see if it buds new branches...

 

[Oleg]

@Osoyoung You have leaf blotch!
I get this every year and it seems that it does not affect the health of the tree because it is so late in the year but it does look like hell! The treatment is to spray as the leaves emerge before they are mature!
Nozzle Head said earlier

Propiconazole has some growth regulatory properties and can cause a reduction in leaf size, and distortion of some species, I see it in hazelnut orchards quite regularly and it occurs if the leaves are treated when they are expanding most rapidly. It does not harm the health of the tree.

I used Fungi Fighter, the active ingredient is Propiconazole, this is the first year I have tried this so I cannot confirm that it works with Propiconazole. It is not the first choice in most articles but I found it listed in this one along with others, I have it so I used it. It may not be too late, the stuff lasts for a month. I was a little late in spraying due to other issues but I saw no deformation of the leaves, anyway check this out.
://wiki.bugwood.org/Guignardia_aesculi_(guignardia_leaf_spot_on_buckeye)#Chemical_Management
I have chopped the trunk and it did bud from the cut

 

[0soyoung]

My observation, @Oleg, is that they won't release buds after the summer solstice.
Thanks for the tip on leaf blotch!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Try cutting biggest one back to maybe 6" now while still in ground and see if new branching grows. After digging will not be as strong. Be aware may have some length of root below ground before any side roots so low low branches a big plus.

 

[Mark2020]

Try cutting biggest one back to maybe 6" now while still in ground and see if new branching grows. After digging will not be as strong. Be aware may have some length of root below ground before any side roots so low low branches a big plus.

Thanks! I expect the guy with the weed whacker will mince any of the smaller ones out front pretty soon once lockdown is fully over, so need to make my move soon!

So does lower branches indicate a different type of root structure (possibly easier to dig out?)? One of my concerns is that any of the bigger ones will be too well rooted in for me to get out. I checked again yesterday and there are also about a half dozen the size and thickness of a drinking straw. So many to choose from, but I don't want to have to dig a huge hole to get one out!

 

[Potawatomi13]

So does lower branches indicate a different type of root structure (possibly easier to dig out?)?

No. Much simpler. Likely will have tap root and lower branches better for future structure.

 

[Mark2020]

I had another look at them today, and most have their first leaves pretty high - about the 1m mark, although there are a few saplings (the drinking straw ones) from last year I think, that have leaves at around 6 inches or so. I might be over ambitious hoping to get one of the more mature trees with the thicker trunks. Perhaps sticking with one of the saplings is a better move?

 

[Mark2020]

I spotted this one when taking a look again today. It looks like it got chopped on one of the occasions they cut back the undergrowth, and it's shot new branches. The thick trunk is about 3-4 inches above ground, and is about 2 inches in diameter.

To my very inexperienced eye, this looks lie a pretty ideal bonsai candidate.

Is it realistic to expect to be able to get this guy out of the ground without a lot of hassle?

 

[Potawatomi13]

Is it realistic to expect to be able to get this guy out of the ground without a lot of hassle?

As usual answer is maybe. Get enough roots for survival and half the battle is won(including keeping it alive). Dampen soil several days before digging.