Douglas Fir Yamadori

[Rose Mary]

Hi group,
I have a number of Doug Fir (and Hemlock and white fir) that I collected here in SW Oregon when I was on an equipment watch job about 8-9 years ago. Boss told me to go for it. I mostly dug trees that had been shortened already by the elk, snow, logging operations and road work.
I put them in some beds for a few years, then to a garden when I wanted my flower beds back. Some went into big pots and others in wooden boxes and drawers. The ones I planted into the garden have thrived and I kept running a spade around the trees to keep roots from spreading.
Some I planted over tiles, some not, tho tap roots cut.
They have all thrived and have been getting some more dug out of the garden before I am unable to.
I am going to be adding some pics over the next week or so.The ones I dug yesterday have some nice fine roots and the trunks are huge. The ones I have already had dug from garden and put in wood boxes or drawers are doing well as well (4-5 yrs) now.
There has been no styling, just cutting branches and tops to encourage backbudding closer to the trunk.
My problem is they are too large for me to handle by myself (repotting etc.) or move once they are into containers. duh what was I thinking?!
I am offering many of these for sale, and they would need picked up. I am off the I-5 corridor about 10 miles between Winston and Roseburg Oregon.
Couldn't get more up on this post. I know, 3 sets of roots sorry. The bases are large and the trees are about 2 1/2 -3 ft tall. These are 3 of 5 I dug yesterday.
The ones I have in wood boxes are ready for some serious styling work. I have some hemlock in large pond baskets and colanders also ready for another transition.
Rose Mary

 

[Vance Wood]

Just my observation from what could be an inacurate photo but it seems to me that the growing tips are a bit stressed and there are not a lot of roots.

 

[Rose Mary]

there were 2 that ended up too close together. One dug the day before the other. was trying to show the new finer roots that have grown since collection. There were very few fine roots at first collection, only large ones. I am not good at getting pics. These are all healthy trees in spite of my poor photos. Tried to take pics this evening of the ones in pots and wood boxes but the lighting was too dark. The tree in the wheel barrel got pulled around day before when I was trying to get the other one out of the ground, then again yesterday when I was getting it out, side to side etc to find larger roots that were holding it in the ground. Guess I shouldnt have bothered to post

 

[RKatzin]

Hi Rose, thanks for posting, I love dougies! If you recall I'm about forty or so miles south of you. I have lots of Doug Fir to be collected, but I may be able to help you with yours. Can you give some better pics?
Funny that you posted now because just yesterday you came up in a conversation with my wife about other bonsai folks in the S Oregon area. I said there's a lady up near Roseburg, but I haven't heard anything for awhile. Thanks, it's good to know you're still there!

 

[Bavarian Raven]

That is def. not a lot of roots for the size of the tree... :/ best of luck.

 

[sorce]

. Guess I shouldnt have bothered to post

Bother!

You ARE the same Rose Mary with them few Dwarf Alberta Spruce yes?

The blip on my radar says you know what you are doing!

I just hope this...

more dug out of the garden before I am unable to

Is due to current weather, and not Health!

Let Rick dig em!

Surely Post! I appreciate the thorough background stories!

Sorce

 

[Rose Mary]

Hey Rick, yes I remember talking with you before. Glad to know you are still around. Come on down! Seriously!
Sorce thank you. I have learned a lot over the years and can keep trees alive. Not having regular cremations in the fire pit anymore.
Wiring and styling not so much. I admit much clip and grow. And now I have too many trees that are too large for me to handle or move around...and now to repot.
The weather has nothing to do with it, it is sheer weight and size. Lol! Yes I am getting older and less physically able. No one around to hold the trees while I settle it into its new pot or box. I really didn't plan to leave them in my garden this long! In fact, a cedar which was put in the garden the same time, in spite of my chopping has escaped and will now be a permanent there or cut down for a burn pile. A ponderosa pine is nearing the same status, drat.
For you that are worried about roots...the trees are thriving. the pics were of the roots?, showing that there are a lot of fine, shallow roots. Not a massive one or two deep main roots.
Covered in buds and growing so fast I cant keep them chopped back. They havent missed a lick since I collected them years ago.
I did lose a nice one I dug out of the garden in the fall, which was my own fault, no fault of the root system. I didnt handle it well due to the size of the trunk and of course the timing was bad.
So, I am not ANY type of bonsai expert and have never claimed to be. I usually just lurk and read and have learned to keep them alive and dwarfing.
Working on needle and root reduction and working toward colander and pond basket placement has kept me happy. Someone else needs to take the big trunked ones to another level if the trees have any qualities to do so. Or maybe to a contest or clinic? lol. Now I am trying to get them up before they get any larger, even if I just put them in grow bags (which I am considering).
Dont worry folks I am not going out to collect anymore, as obviously I have too many. I didnt expect so many to survive collection (little rootage due to rock, damage from logging, roadwork, etc, let alone grow so fast.
This last summer was a hard one on my colander and basket trees. Days of extreme smoke and heat with me staying inside because the air quality from our raging forest fires didn't help. No real outright losses but some needle stress indicators of perhaps not enough water and feeding. The in ground ones are not showing any stress.
So again folks, the roots are there. Not sure why you think they arent enough to sustain them? I am in Oregon not in a deep frozen state.
I thought one of the goals was root reduction toward eventual placement in appropriate containers. The trees will receive further branch reduction and chops when they have settled into their new pots. All aimed at needle reduction, backbudding, dwarfing, and of course survival.

I also have shallow trays and pots of smaller trees planted together about 8-10 years ago for future forest or group plantings that need attention.
So what to do?, so many trees, so little help.
This hobby is like having a dairy...you can never go on vacation. The cows have to be milked and fed twice a day, every day.
And finding someone to step in and milk or water is tough, the cows end up with mastitis and trees end up dead.

Arizona winter dreaming.....

 

[Potawatomi13]

I thought one of the goals was root reduction toward eventual placement in appropriate containers

It is indeed. Many masters trees seem not to have enough roots because of pot size. Same root systems can be developed in ground.

 

[sorce]

Sorce thank you

You're welcome!

Unfortunately you had to..
But thanks for explaining yourself for the Assumptionizers!

Worst case scenario....people believe these assumptions and them no one continues the work you have so excellently started.

I hope you and Rick can work together to see these things thru!

How the hell can we let a yard full of what seems to be, very well grown pre bonsai just go to waste?

Sounds like a bunch of dream material with mad crazy options to me!

Wish I was a PNWer.!

Sorce

 

[Wilson]

@RKatzin get up there and scoop up this material! From this thread, and the one where @Rose Mary shared photos of the Alberta spruce, she knows how to grow trees! I am with Sorce in the dreaming of being in the PNW!

 

[RKatzin]

Well quit dreaming and hitch up your ponies, head due west, turn right when you get to the big water. You can't miss it!
I will have to make the effort to come see you Rose. Of course, I do have a few projects of my own. No cows to milk, but wow this winter has been exceptionally kind and I can't stay out of the woods lol.
I am trying to establish a bonsai club for our region. We've doubled our membership so far, it was just me, but I had to add a friend when I created the Facebook group. It is the Southern Oregon Regional Bonsai Club. We could stay in touch if you join the group.