Has anyone tried to preserve a tree that didn't make it?

[Mike123]

Ok what I was thinking of is trying to preserve a boxwood That unfortunately did not make it. And I can't bring myself to throw it away. It reminds me of the things I did wrong. What I shouldn't have done and the things I could have done. I'm getting better but slowly. I was thinking of a spray lacquer or something of the like.
I watched a video with Jim Doyle and Walter Pall doing a work shop and Jim asked "does anyone still have there first bonsai. He said he does, it's dead but I still have it". I thought that was funny. It got me thinking maybe I can preserve the wood and kinda make a representation of what it would look like if it were still alive. Kinda crazy . But I couldn't kill it again it don't have any leaves so that might be a problem since boxwood don't loose there leaves. But what do you think ?

 

[Dav4]

If you keep the wood from staying wet, it will last indefinitely, so I'm not sure you have to treat it with anything. I suppose treating it with a lacquer or polyurethane would seal it up nicely...wait until the wood has thoroughly dried out prior to doing this.

 

[0soyoung]

While I am not at all certain that I have any bonsai yet, I've had many trees die.

Personally I don't see any point in making a monument to failure. I would rather try to learn something if at all possible. I have and continue to perform a necropsy on every tree that dies in my hands to see what goes/went on (inside) before tossing the bits and pieces into the compost bin.

But, it is a personal thing.

 

[M. Frary]

Never tried to preserve a dead one. They do make a merry fire though.

 

[Anthony]

Not just a merry fire, the ash can go towards the glaze of a Bonsai pot.
There is also I believe - freeze drying.
Sorry for the loss.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Eric Group]

I preserve them... By composting every little bit and using it in dirt for more plants!

 

[Mike123]

Hey guys it was just an idea, believe me I'm not lighting candles around it or anything . I guess it does sound a little crazy. Oh well, just winter boredom I guess .

 

[sorce]

It ain't that crazy.
I keep some for model railroads !

A monument of failure, is a reminder to correct.

Sorce

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Take a picture, then toss it. If you aren't killing a tree now and then, you aren't pushing yourself to learn how to keep a tree alive. It sounds counter-intuitive, but when I first started out with bonsai my #1 mistake was to abuse my trees by doing too much, too fast. Then my #2 mistake was to abuse my trees by not doing ENOUGH and waiting too long to repot, or to take dramatic styling action. The only way you know is to develop a feel for when your trees are stressed, or weak, or just aren't "right". I have a folder of photos of trees that I have killed. Each tree is a lesson. I miss some of those trees, but I value them for what I learned.

 

[Eric Group]

Take a picture, then toss it. If you aren't killing a tree now and then, you aren't pushing yourself to learn how to keep a tree alive. It sounds counter-intuitive, but when I first started out with bonsai my #1 mistake was to abuse my trees by doing too much, too fast. Then my #2 mistake was to abuse my trees by not doing ENOUGH and waiting too long to repot, or to take dramatic styling action. The only way you know is to develop a feel for when your trees are stressed, or weak, or just aren't "right". I have a folder of photos of trees that I have killed. Each tree is a lesson. I miss some of those trees, but I value them for what I learned.

Solid advice! One of my favorite ways to say it is: you don't truly know a tree until you have killed it at least three times!

 

[Paradox]

I kept one around for a few months because I was really disappointed that it had died and that it was my fault it died. I finally got rid of it when I felt I needed to.
After a while you just have to just consider it something learned and move on.

 

[jeanluc83]

I guess it would depend on the tree. I have seen the corpses of trees in the wild that are extremely beautiful. Perhaps if it were an ancient collected tree it would be worth keeping but for most trees it's the compost pile.

 

[justinw]

Phoenix graft with it?

 

[wireme]

I guess it would depend on the tree. I have seen the corpses of trees in the wild that are extremely beautiful. Perhaps if it were an ancient collected tree it would be worth keeping but for most trees it's the compost pile.

Yup, I agree, I keep all sorts of tree corpses around. Nothing that I've killed but stuff picked up dead.

If its nice enough, make a lamp out of it, hang it on a wall for plants to climb on etc..

 

[sikadelic]

One of my 3 collected BC did not make it unfortunately. I decided that I wanted to make a lamp out of it. It looks pretty rough, but it was fun and I couldn't bring myself to just toss it out.

 

[Mike123]

One of my 3 collected BC did not make it unfortunately. I decided that I wanted to make a lamp out of it. It looks pretty rough, but it was fun and I couldn't bring myself to just toss it out.

Sorry to hear that. Don't know if I can make a lamp our of this but thought maybe a piece of art or some thing.

 

[Mike123]

Sorry, here's a pic

 

[wireme]

Bummer, damn nice tree to lose. Still an attractive piece of wood I think. An ideal thing to keep around and wonder what to do with for a bunch of years until the dog eats it or something.
I hope you find something to do with it.

 

[sikadelic]

I used shellac to seal it. I went with the spray version and put several coats on it to preserve it. With a tree like that, I would probably fill a tub with it and dunk it a few times.

That tree would have been a heartbreaker to lose. Sorry.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

I did something interesting, cheap and useful with some dead trees:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/norbury/sets/72157638157345596