My first collecting season wrap-up

[travislivid]

I had a pretty good season. Learned a lot from this forum and from a lot of hands on digging. Here in central Texas the lots being bulldozed are plentiful with all the big box stores and strip malls going in. We are littered with cedar elm in nice open meadows where they grow short and wide naturally, so this is what I chose to work with due to all of rockm's advice about how tough and resiliant the species is. Because i wanted to make my mistakes on less desirable and younger material I started out small with a dozen pencil sized young trees to be used for forest a planting. Those went pretty well. I learned just how to dig to get the most roots and how to make the final cut to get the tree out with less damage. A big thing for me was the development of my dig bag and supplies so that I had all the tools I needed and the best way to pack up the tree when it was out.

The next round was 15 or so 3/4" - 1" trees. What I learned most from these slightly larger trees is to trim off all the branches and long growth before digging and packing. I had to add a couple tools to my dig bag but it sure made things easier to get home.
Last of all I had laid out a plan for 10 larger trees. Early in the season I pre trimmed and did some test digging to be prepared. At the end of the season after the trial and error was over I went back and carefully dug out the best ones. It was late fall and buds were swelling and the larger trees were all about to start pushing out leaves.

I am now being rewarded quite well for all the work. All but 8 of the 30 or so trees are leafing out like crazy. I have 3 that seem like they are probably dead and gone. 3 of the ones that have not leafed out have some probable buds and the wood still has a little green so maybe they are just late bloomers?
I am happy to report that all but 1 of the larger 2" to 3 1/2" trees are going nuts and happy!

 

[JPhillips]

Wow! You went hard! I keep driving by developments after everything has already been torn out, they really need to give me a memo about that kind of thing.
I would say good luck, but with your success rate it would appear have it down!
Pictures? I would love to see what you're working with!
-Jake Phillips

 

[travislivid]

I am having good success but i think most of the credit goes to the trees. Cedar Elm's seem to be tough and persistent. Looking at the trees that are doing the best, most of the larger ones that are really shooting out were dug up at the very end of winter which was warm here. The buds were swelling but no leaves yet. Everything I collected in those 2 weeks is doing great.

Of the ones that were dug a month before there seems to be about a 1/3 loss. Most of the really small ones made are now doing fine even though they did not come out with many roots since I was just learning how to dig them.

Now I know just what to look for and when to dig next year. Anything over 1" I will wait until the last few weeks of winter and dig them as the buds are just starting to swell. At least that is what the numbers say. This of course means regular strolls through they woods to keep an eye on when they are ready. It is a good thing that one of the best parts about collecting is the quiet alone walks through the woods.

 

[travislivid]

Oh and on the topic of beating the bulldozer. Most of the wooded lots have frontage so I just take a walk or slow drive the frontage of the property. I am looking for open clearings in the middle of heavy trees. Here in central texas I can spot an elm filled meadow very easily. In the winter they are unmistakable. Usually a good acre with nothing but 3' to 5' tall dense branched trees.
Next, look for tagged larger trees and the tell tale painted stakes where the building is going. Bulldozing is eminent. If there is a reason to dig then it is an easy sell to get permission. They are about to clear the place and a 3" trunk 4' tall scrub brush tree is exactly what they want to clear.
The memo you want is those ribbons and stakes. It tells me there is about to be a 15' tall heap of bulldozed trees ready for the mulchers coming in.
Sad.

 

[JPhillips]

This has been my first year of making a point to go collecting too, but spring hit so early here that I was only able to collect two specimens before everything leafed out. It also doesn't help that Nebraska's potential yamadori are few and far between either. On the plus side, they are both alive and back budding like crazy so I must have done something right.
I've seen cedar elms posted on this forum quite a few times and love their characteristics. I get excited to see native flora used for bonsai , especially if the species seems to respond well which I believe is the case with cedar elms. I could be completely off base but I believe Texas is home to quite a few species that have potential as bonsai, or at least more than Nebraska!