colley614
Shohin
When is the best time to dig up?
Field maple yamadori
- Thread starter colley614
- Start date
BonsaiDTLA
Shohin
In my area, you can dig now
colley614
Shohin
What zone are you in? I'm 8
BonsaiDTLA
Shohin
10b I think. Is it winter for you?
colley614
Shohin
It is
colley614
Shohin
OK, I've noticed the buds starting to swell on a couple of my trees. My hawthorn has already pushed some leaves
jeremy_norbury
Omono
That's early!
leatherback
The Treedeemer
SE UK should have mild winters; I would not be thinking about it and just collecting it when I had the time. For me, field maple is bullet-proof.
AJL
Chumono
The Wirral isnt SE UK!! Best wait a while till the floods subside, the snow melts and the ground dries and warms up a little!
colley614
Shohin
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
I've just checked some climate data for Liverpool. It can get cold but that appears to be rare. Your winter temps are just a fraction cooler than my area. I have no problem with digging and transplanting from mid winter right through to bud burst. I would expect your trees to be fine if you collect them now but they certainly won't start to grow any earlier because of early collection. You will just have longer to wait and worry after digging early.
colley614
Shohin
I wouldn't expect them to grow sooner.
AJL
Chumono
Current weather here in UK midlands is freaky- severe floods, waterlogged ground followed by heavy snow Yuck - not good for digging or transplanting- I would wait a bit!!
colley614
Shohin
treepirate
Sapling
2 options in the UK I've always found.
1 - Dig when the buds are starting to really swell and you will get away with a bigger root reduction...often I will cutback to primary roots on a deciduous.
2- Dig a bit earlyer but leave a good number of secondary roots and a few feeders.
Problem with option 2 is you often find you end up with a large root ball, often deep too depending on field soil.... You will be looking to hard prune them again to get them in a smaller pot in 4 years time....that means really not pruning foilage much for 3/4 years to gain enough energy for that kind of work.
If I go with option 2...often I will take a huge root ball and plan to air layer year 4 so I can work the foilage a bit harder year 3.
Few things to think about.
Good luck
1 - Dig when the buds are starting to really swell and you will get away with a bigger root reduction...often I will cutback to primary roots on a deciduous.
2- Dig a bit earlyer but leave a good number of secondary roots and a few feeders.
Problem with option 2 is you often find you end up with a large root ball, often deep too depending on field soil.... You will be looking to hard prune them again to get them in a smaller pot in 4 years time....that means really not pruning foilage much for 3/4 years to gain enough energy for that kind of work.
If I go with option 2...often I will take a huge root ball and plan to air layer year 4 so I can work the foilage a bit harder year 3.
Few things to think about.
Good luck
colley614
Shohin
I was thinking of taking a big root ball and reducing it. The trees already got decent tapering
Njyamadori
Chumono
Can you used peat moss and perlite for collecting?
BonsaiDTLA
Shohin
You can do full pumice, but make sure to sift it
