First time collecting

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Omono
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Last fall I scouted four trees in my backyard that I wanted to collect. Last week I was wandering around back there and found another one that I really like. Today I went to get two of them. One ended up being too close against another much larger tree so I gave up and focused on two others.

I don't know what this one is but suspect it is a cottonwood, sycamore, or poplar. Probably no good for bonsai but I needed practice and I really like the trunk. It was growing next to a creek and has very soft wood that snapped underground as I was digging. It only had a few roots in one area so I suspect it was a branch that rooted and then broke off. The trunk part was bent underground and extended about ten inches before it broke. I cut off the part after the roots so we'll see what happens.

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Then I grabbed this little hemlock.

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AZbonsai

Masterpiece
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Nice trees! How big is your back yard? ??
 

Underdog

Masterpiece
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Then I grabbed this little hemlock.
I so want another Hemlock. Waiting on flood water to subside to get one, They are scarce this far south.
I killed an amazing one last year shamefully and need to make amends.
 

Cable

Omono
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Ok, so, I'm pretty sure the mystery stump is an Ohio Buckeye. The buds are opening and that's what it looks like to me. We should know for sure in a few days. Make sure you check back often for updates.
 

Cable

Omono
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Second year and it is looking healthy. Still a little loose in the pot, though, so I'm going to just let it grow this year and hope to continue the root development.

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Cable

Omono
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I need to plan what to do with my buckeye next year. I wired the branches that were sticking up to be more splayed but this big decision is whether to keep it with the existing lean or try to change the planting angle...

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Or change it to something like this:

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I had planned to make it more upright all along but I'm kind of digging the drastic lean. One problem, though, is that my intended front is the base where it leans back. So, I'd have to change to make something else the front if I kept the lean.

Another issue is that I have no idea what the roots are looking like so I don't know what will happen if I try to change the planting angle. I'll find that out in spring!

Any thoughts?
 

Forrestford

Shohin
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Cool tree ya got there. its hard to tell the angle from this picture but I would make the top branch the new apex and lean the tree significantly toward the camera and maybe spin it a little more clock wise in the picture. You could also cut back to the first branch, I just cant really tell from the photos. I personally like that left to right movement more then the lean. But since you want to keep the lean you could always bend the branches down and make a cascade? Just some ideas. Ive never seen an Ohio Buckeye Bonsai, the leaves almost look like one of those money trees.
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Cable

Omono
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Three years in and this guy got a new pot! This is a custom made April Grigsby pot and I planted in akadama. I decide to keep the lean and it needs a prop until it roots.

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Not a whole lot of development in three years. It is slow to grow and tends to go dormant very early.

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I was happy to see a root ball, though! When I dug it there was only a small amount of roots.

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It put out quite a bit and they're nice and fine.

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It still has this one big "arm" that I think was a part of a branch.

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April made two pots for this tree. I chose the larger of the two because I felt the size of the trunk and the lean warranted a heavy pot.


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No nebari to speak of but I still think it is pretty nice! Unusual if nothing else. lol.

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