Late summer harvest of paper birch

[eyerah]

Hi. I am new to bonsai, I've been wanting to try for years, and now I think that I have a good opportunity. In the woods where I am working this summer I found an excellent paper birch (B. papyrifera) specimen. The trunk is already 1.5 inches wide, but the tree is stunted and it's canopy is only about two feet high. The best part is that it is growing from a very rotten log, and I know that I would have no trouble extracting the roots intact for transplant. I live up in Canada where we can only expect another month or so before the threat of frosts begin, and the day length become severely abbreviated. Is it too late in the season to transplant this small tree into a pot for the winter? I would wait until next spring, but I will no longer be anywhere near this area. My idea would be to transplant it into a large pot and overwinter it and then begin bonsai work on it next spring. Could this work, or is it too late in the year for reasonable success with transplanting?

Also, are Northern deciduous trees like paper birch best kept in outside bonsai gardens, or is it common to keep them indoors? And, does anyone know of a bonsai book specific to the northern climate and species?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

If you have permission and only this one shot at it, give it a try. Birch aren't frequently used for bonsai because they drop branches and don't thrive in containers. The few examples I've seen have been pretty cool when they start to show some mature bark at the base and a bit of white bark on the trunk above. No idea how much effort they require to get there.

Because of the time of year, it may not survive the dig. If it is still alive by your first freeze, I'd try to keep it in a garage over winter, but not inside.

 

[rockm]

I'd skip the birch. They aren't easy to keep as bonsai, as Brian mentioned, because they are always unstable. They drop limbs, abandon entire sections of trunks, etc. for no real reason. Trunk chops (an essential part of making a big tree small) will cause an explosion of buds at the trunk base and a lot of other places they're not welcome and not where you need them. Get Nick Lenz' book "Bonsai from the Wild" for a lot of specific collection advice on northerly species. I seem to remember there is a short section on birch, that mostly says "don't bother."

That said, they are extremely tough, so collecting so far out of season might work.

And FWIW, a pot does not make an outdoor tree an "indoor tree." That is, for some reason, a common assumption. I think it's based on the idea that the tree immediately becomes extremely vulnerable to the outdoors, when bringing it indoors is even worse. The inside humidity in most houses, with central heating and air conditioning is roughly equivalent to a desert.

The garage will be fine if you dig it up.

 

[M. Frary]

I don't believe a birch can handle being dug up this time of year. They are touchy. And will die if you look at them wrong. I also would skip it bud.
Welcome to the forum!

 

[Gene Deci]

I collected a birch in Northern Michigan in October a few years ago (pic from 2013 below - still doing fine). It was in very sandy soil and I literally pulled it out by the roots, much like you could do with the tree you found. I have never tried to collect them in the summer but I can say from experience that fall works. If you can wait, I would.

 

[coppice]

Collecting one already robed in white bark, is about the only way to get a tree with mature bark. I'd wait till later, like in fall. Your birch is not going to live all that long. Wallow in its effect while ya' got it.

I will second, in your garage or cold-house will work for this northern hearty tree.

 

[Gene Deci]

Coppice brought up a very good point. If the tree is not already fully white, don't bother. It will not turn white in a pot.

I must take exception with something else he said though. I have collected eight birch trees over the last ten years. The six I still have never been anything but vigorous. I donated two to the club auction and last I knew, they where still doing fine also. Birch tend to be leggy and the long petioles make them more difficult than some species. But they are no harder to keep alive in my experience.

 

[Dav4]

Sounds like fall is only a month or so away for the OP, so I would think he could collect this some time in late August....maybe.

 

[LanceMac10]

When I put something in the ground to grow it out, I've found fall to be a good time. In a pot? A little more winter protection might be required. Of course, if it snows 10 feet over the winter, you might lose some branches!! Spoken from experience!! Still alive though, good luck!!!

 

[Paradox]

Not sure about the collecting time in your area, but I can definitely say no to inside at all except in the garage for winter protection. I have 2 (one Betula nigra and one Betula papyrifera) that I have had since 2012 that have been fine that way.

I just decided that the paper birch will probably never make a bonsai so I decided to plant it out in my yard. I did that this past Saturday and have been keeping it well watered since. So far it hasnt shown any transplant shock and seems ok.

I am still messing around with the river birch.

All birches like water, prefer being moist and really hate getting totally dry.