How do I collect these crepe myrtles?

mmp77

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My wife and I bought this lot and will be building a new home on it. There are 3 crepe myrtles at the front of the property and we are going to lose the two on the right.

This is a Google Street View screenshot cleaned up a bit but they are bare right now and spring is fast approaching here in Houston (Zone 9).

They're both huge old trees and I hate that we're going to lose them (our driveway will be in their place) but I thought I could give them a new life as bonsai.

Any suggestions on how to go about collecting them? Chopping the trunks down isn't the issue, getting them out of the ground is as I've never tackled something like this.myrtles.png
 

BunjaeKorea

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You need to make a wooden crate for trees that size and if the construction people come......getting it out with a digger will be much easier........those roots are probably longer than the tree......so a machine would make you work a million times easier.
 

Shibui

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Cut the trunks to a reasonable height (remember to allow for a new apex and branch growth so cut way below the final height of your bonsai) then dig the trees, shorten roots (with crepe myrtle I would cut roots very short to force more root ramification and thus better nebari. Crepes are very resilient trees) then plant in a suitable sized container with good potting mix. Maintain just damp mix until new roots establish.
End of winter, before buds emerge is a great time to transplant CM.
 

markyscott

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My wife and I bought this lot and will be building a new home on it. There are 3 crepe myrtles at the front of the property and we are going to lose the two on the right.

This is a Google Street View screenshot cleaned up a bit but they are bare right now and spring is fast approaching here in Houston (Zone 9).

They're both huge old trees and I hate that we're going to lose them (our driveway will be in their place) but I thought I could give them a new life as bonsai.

Any suggestions on how to go about collecting them? Chopping the trunks down isn't the issue, getting them out of the ground is as I've never tackled something like this.View attachment 227337

Get ready for some work. This isn’t an easy job. A battery operated sawsall with a pruning blade will help as will a good shovel with a sharp tip and a good hand pruning saw with a long blade.

First cut the trunks about 4’ off the ground. Then, start about 2 feet from the trunk and dig a trench surrounding the tree angled in towards the trunk. Cut anything that’s too big for the shovel with the saws. Angling the hole in, you’ll want to dig about 18 inches or so deep. Don’t worry about preserving the field soil. Once you’re deep enough, start digging out the soil from under the tree until you feel the tap root or roots. You’ll need to reach under with the sawsall and cut these. A second person helps - they can pull the trunk away from the side your cutting on. They can also tell if you’re cutting the right root or not. Eventually, the tree will come down.

When it’s out, bare root it. Cut back all the big structural roots. Cut the base flat across don’t leave anything pointed down. Wash the root ball clean with a gardening hose. Don’t leave any field soil. Cut the trunk to the length you want. Then plant it in a grow box with good bonsai soil - no peat based gardening and no gardening soil. Wire it into the box very well so it’s not moving around at all. With a Crepe Myrtle, you’ll be good to go.

S
 

_#1_

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After trenching, is pulling the tree out with a truck and tow strap too brutal?

Should only take a couple minutes if that works I think...
 

mmp77

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It didn't occur to me to consider collecting until yesterday so I didn't really pay all that much attention to these when we were there last. As I said earlier, the pic in the post was from Street View.

I decided to stop by this morning and they're both much more substantial than the pic shows. Both have multiple trunks at least 8in+ in diameter.

Not sure if I should still try.

IMG_20190215_080750.jpgIMG_20190215_080800.jpg
 

atlarsenal

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Looks like a LOT of work! I believe I would pass on them.
 

mcpesq817

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Those will be huge with no taper (and crape myrtles don't heal over as well as other trees). You sure you want to deal with them?
 

markyscott

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It didn't occur to me to consider collecting until yesterday so I didn't really pay all that much attention to these when we were there last. As I said earlier, the pic in the post was from Street View.

I decided to stop by this morning and they're both much more substantial than the pic shows. Both have multiple trunks at least 8in+ in diameter.

Not sure if I should still try.

View attachment 227358View attachment 227359

If it were me, I’d pass. They have girth, no doubt, but not much additional interest.

S

Scott
 

Shibui

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Too big for me too. The second pic does have some dead wood character but little else. Think of the size of the pot this will need. And how heavy it will be when you need to move it or rotate the pot to get light on the other side? Who is going to take it out of the pot (and place it back) at repotting time?
It can be done and there are bonsai this size but not for me.
 
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