Atrox
Mame
Just returned from 3 weeks at the cabin in NM. Loads of happy bonsai in training, in the ground and in the deer pen in boxes. This Oak I have been working on for 3 years. First year "styled" the top removing branches that had grown way out of proportion to what I imaged for the finished top. Second year cut all major roots. It is growing in about 18" of decomposing granite on top of a sloping nearly solid rock. All looked good, most main roots went up or down slope on the rock. This spring trenched all around, put my metal adjustable stove pipe around the root ball, tightened up the strings,drove the flat shovel underneath and was ready to bring her out. Upon confidentially lifting --a 3/8" root that I had missed stopped me short and dislodged a lot of soil out of the bottom of the stove pipe. All stop! eased her back down into the hole cut the root, opened the stove pipe some and backfilled all around. Mulched and watered. Sounds excessive, 'spose, but this "soil" is mostly 1/4" decomposing granite and trees can completely bare root on ya in a flash. I have been collecting 4 years now up there and have lost my share of pinion, juniper and oak. Success has come from keeping the extremely loose soil in tact. The tree in my avatar was an early loss due to missing a root and disrupting the rootball, went ahead and boxed her up but lost her that winter.
So, "happy oak" here is the tree yesterday! acorns all over, looks happy to me. Collect next spring
So, "happy oak" here is the tree yesterday! acorns all over, looks happy to me. Collect next spring