new rmj

wireme

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I found this tree in my early days of collecting, more than 10 years ago I think. I decided to leave it be until my track record re: survival was really good and I could be very confident in not killing it. The decision to collect a tree like this should absolutely not be taken lightly. Results have been great lately and I had the time this spring so it has finally come home with me. Extraction was difficult but not impossible and required some special techniques I've developed, definitely a good thing I waited!

The soil surface and live vein were both heavily mossed, lots of misting, shaded during hot weather for the first month otherwise moderate to almost full sun.

Recent removal of the moss showed numerous new roots emerging from the substrate and the foliage ends are actively if slowly growing.

As the sun gets lower on the horizon the plant has been getting shaded by the fence recently, I moved it yesterday to receive more sunlight for fall especially alowing the box to warm up in sunlight and keep those roots growing.

Its all looking good, the biggest hurdle to pass survival wise now is ensuring new roots are able to harden off before hard freezes arrive.

Coincidentally a forest fire passed through the area of collection this summer so it appears that I collected it just in time!
 

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Dirty Nails

Shohin
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That is a beauty!! One person in 100 would wait 10 years. Good luck!
 

mcpesq817

Omono
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That's a hell of a tree, wow. One of the best pieces of raw stock I've seen on here. Are you going to get a pro to help you style it?
 

KennedyMarx

Omono
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Wow! That's going to be an amazing bonsai eventually. I couldn't imagine coming across something like that to collect. Indiana sucks. :p
 

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
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Beautiful deadwood trunk! Well worth the wait. Based on the position in the box, it looks like the roots are one sided. Keep it healthy and growing in good substrate and you'll hopefully be able to get roots growing closer to the trunk. Good luck with this one...it could be the gem in anyone's garden.
 

sam

Chumono
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really nice find. congratulations. noticed the moss on the trunk. use this technique frequently myself.

best wishes, sam
 

wireme

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That is a beauty!! One person in 100 would wait 10 years. Good luck!

My previous job had me away from town way to often during collecting season so it took that long to gain the experience I thought I needed. Also being isolated and not really having people around to compare notes with or learn from. Books and the internet have been helpful, I would have to credit 90% of the success I seem to be having to information shared on the net by Walter Pall. A lot of that common knowledge now but myself I saw it from Walter. Thanks Walter!

So due to work schedule, sometimes only a couple trees a year, sometimes a bit more. I' ve spent far more time exploring in the off season, observing, trying to figure what's collectible and what's not etc. I have a good list of great material I've been waiting for.

I'm glad I waited for the sake of peace of mind as much as anything. I know the signs of a tree doing well now and still a tree of this quality has me worrying sometimes!
 

wireme

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really nice find. congratulations. noticed the moss on the trunk. use this technique frequently myself.

best wishes, sam

Thanks Sam, I would credit you with the moss but I dreamed it up myself independently last winter! Shortly after that I saw you using it though which helped me decide it could be a good idea, thanks.
 

wireme

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That's a hell of a tree, wow. One of the best pieces of raw stock I've seen on here. Are you going to get a pro to help you style it?

Time will tell, I would love to see it after being styled by competent hands. For now focus on keeping it alive and healthy, definitely no major moves on my own.
 

wireme

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Beautiful deadwood trunk! Well worth the wait. Based on the position in the box, it looks like the roots are one sided. Keep it healthy and growing in good substrate and you'll hopefully be able to get roots growing closer to the trunk. Good luck with this one...it could be the gem in anyone's garden.

There were more more roots near the trunk than far so I think it'll be fine in the future. I kept every root possible hence the long box. If I had the opportunity for professional guidance at this point repotting of old conifers would be first priority for me for sure.
 

amkhalid

Chumono
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This tree is so freaking gorgeous. A true exercise in patience.

I hope you keep this tree in your personal collection but if you decide to sell it, please keep it in Canada. I.e. sell it to me!! :)
 

wireme

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This tree is so freaking gorgeous. A true exercise in patience.

I hope you keep this tree in your personal collection but if you decide to sell it, please keep it in Canada. I.e. sell it to me!! :)[/QUOTE

Hey, you just called shotgun and we all saw it! You will be the first to know should it be up for sale.

The egg is laid and rocking but not quite hatched yet, I very much hope to update with good news next spring!
 
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That looping piece of deadwood is wunderbar....congrats on saving it from fire
 

JasonG

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Thats a really good tree!! You should be proud to have it in your collection. I gotta say, that is the first I have see with the moss like that, creative.

There is a ton of bending that is going to be needed in the future....and with junipers that is a very specialized technique that is tough. Good luck with this one, big junipers like this are a TON of work to maintain. Plan on this taking as much time to maintain seasonaly as the rest of your collection combined :)

Do you have any ideas on how you would style it? I would like to hear what you have to say with it.

Again, great tree!
 

wireme

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Thanks Jason.

I have no problem admitting that the styling and maintenance of this tree is way beyond my current ability! I will just be doing my best to strategically maintain strong foliage to work with throughout the tree. Even that will be a bit of guess work but when the tree is strong enough I'll probably guy wire to spread and allow light into all areas and prune a bit of crotch growth and areas of multiple branching from the same point.

One really nice thing about the tree is that the deadwood is all natural with no carving of stubs required.

An important design choice to be made is the planting depth. You can probably see a bit of a waist at the base?

The tree flares out again below the substrate now covering some more deadwood and live roots. I think the tree looks great with the soil up to the first deadwood bulge but also great with the lower flare exposed. I had pics from potting but lost them with my old phone. This decision should be made soon as the lower deadwood is already getting soft from decay.
 

fore

Omono
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Good luck with this one, big junipers like this are a TON of work to maintain.

Jason, why do you say this? Just the amt of foliage to maintain properly? The procedures are the same on any juniper despite size. Just curious...

Thanks
Chris
 

yenling83

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Very Nice Material! I would think that 100% full sun going forward through all seasons is best for this tree now. However I have no experience dealing with cold winters. You want to get some runners going strong on this one before working on it. full sun, lots of organic fertilizer and watering correctly. Best of luck to you with this nice tree.



What are your thoughts with the moss on the trunk and why do you think this would help? Interesting, I've never seen or tried that. I do think there are lots of things we have not done or figured out yet in order to improve our success rate with collected trees. thanks
 

wireme

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I understand it is standard to not remove old moss and lichen until the tree is established? I figured why not add some more.

It's to retain moisture under the bark of the live vein. It seems that juniper foliage can be kept going for a long time with enough misting and the moss is to help keep the pathway to the roots alive as well. That's my theory for this treatment anyway.

I just had loose moss strung around this one and it require quite a lot of misting to stay moist. I think Sams method involves wrapping the moss for moisture retention as well, this may work better.

I am also thinking that if part of the trunk was under soil and exposed upon potting it may be more critical to protect from drying as it might take time to develop a skin so to speak.

Here's a tree that had such a section wrapped with moss and plastic this year. The dandelion may not be doing it any good but the tree is thriving right up to the thin spiraling spire.

I'll be back with some thoughts on mossing the soil surface shortly.
 

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