New to the ranks

[rev0s]

Hello all! Long time reader, first time poster.
I've long been interested in bonsai and penjing, but I've recently decided to take the plunge and go out and acquire some material to start work. I've toyed with some Jade plants of various types and have a fairly basic grasp of horticulture in many other forms, so I decided to just go for it.
It being an overcast day with a not-too-cold temperature, and having a few hundred acres of scattered copses of live oak, ashe juniper and many other indigenous species of flora and fauna to choose from, I went out and dug up some plants and brought them home. I gathered and potted them to the best of my knowledge (from extensive reading and online research) in the correct fashion.
I am excited to be here and just wanted opinions about the material I've gathered.
Being short in experience and knowledge and long in time and willingness to wait and work, I'd like any and everyone's thoughts on the product of my day's labors.
I selected these three trees for some pieces to start waiting on, selected from hundreds (if not thousands) I saw today, having covered at least seven miles of beautiful land on foot.

 

[rev0s]

I'd also like to add I can post further photos of different angles, etc., if it's required to aid anyone. I just didn't want to put up a bunch of pics if there was little hope for any of these few for future glory.
I understand they'll first have to survive my no-doubt heavy handed collection, but regardless of their future as bonsai, if they survive they'll be welcome additions to my never-ending home landscaping project.

 

[tmpgh]

Welcome aboard. I like that third tree. It has character. I've no idea how to work on it though, sorry. No advice from me on that one.

 

[rev0s]

Thank you for you reply, regardless! With time, much effort and sheer volume I hope to overcome any shortcoming of my lack of experience and knowledge, and end up with a workable piece of material in 2-4 years, but I'll likely purchase a more hopeful tree or two as well in the near future, something reared by more experienced hands and eyes.
Thanks again!

 

[sikadelic]

Welcome aboard! Looks like you did well with selection. I'm unfamiliar with the species particulars, but you have movement and decent trunk size for all of them. I love the third one. Looks like you can really give that trunk character with jin/shari techniques later on.

How were the roots when you dug them up? Were there lots of fine rooting or just large thicker roots? What did you use as a potting medium?

 

[rev0s]

First off I salute you and your service, sir! My wife is ex-Army as well as my grandfather, and I believe it is to veterans we owe our liberties, all politics etc. be darned.
As far as the roots, the first Ashe Juniper (in my mind I'm already seeing it as some sort of windswept shape, ultimately) had a smaller root mass quite full of rocks. It was on top of a small hill standing quite alone amid some quite rocky soil. It's overall height is about twenty inches from the soil and while I didn't take a tape into the field I'd guess it's root mass to be about 8-10" across and another 6-8" "deep", although it had a taproot I severed last, going much deeper I'm sure. Smaller roots and larger ones alike jutted from that main mass held by the roots (along with many stones.
The larger Ashe was much much bigger, and I'm already afraid I perhaps took too much off to get it into the largest container I had, albeit an improvised one (the oak and first Ashe Juniper are in 1 gallon pots, while the second Juniper is in a 5 gallon bucket). It had nowhere near the amount of stony soil held up in its mass but it was quite a bit larger and heavier than the first, coming from the middle of a meadow near a feed line, where cows graze frequently, and I'm guessing they're the ones who roughed it up over time.
As far as soil they have held their own little chunk in the root ball but to fill their new homes I used a mix of sand, my most friable garden soil and some compost from my bark compost supply ( I have two separate compost piles, one made with extra food and vegetative material from my garden and landscaping and one that's "field" made, of bark and leaves in the winter and leaf mulch in late summer and autumn, and grass clippings through spring and summer and whenever I get them).
Our soil's pretty heavy clay but in my garden and piles, but it's gotten much lighter over the years of regular tiling and amendment, and I use no fertilizers or purchased products in my garden or landscape, except the judicious and sparing use of bat guano (only when the need arises, and only for certain crops at certain times) which I get locally.
The ratio is probably 15%-20% sand, 20% compost and the rest just soil from my garden, and of course the original soil from on-site in the root ball.

 

[sikadelic]

The hardest thing to tackle in collecting from my experience is the root problem. Often, like the black oak I collected this weekend, there are many large roots and not many small fine ones. It helped that you didnt disturb the root ball too much so as to limit the stress. I hope they take up well for you.

My oak had about 3-4 1" thick roots and very few small fine roots. I scarred up the roots without disturbing the finer ones and dusted them with rooting hormone. I hope mine make it too.

And thanks for your comments. There are a lot of vets here on the forum.

 

[Poink88]

Looks like you had a good haul! I like them all and hope they survive.

The soil looks like regular soil, it helps a lot if you use well draining "soil" next time.

I'll leave these alone for now except the oak. I will chop that oak at least down to the top of the ruler or maybe even down to the first branches (about 7"?).

Good luck!

 

[rev0s]

I've read a lot about the Ashe Junipers not taking too well to bring uprooted but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me; not because I have experience with it so much as that when I was growing up and for years after, working to cut the things down for fence posts and building materials, they seemed invincible. We could come back on a property 2-3 months after our last trip there, and little pieces cut off of the ends of staves we'd cut to a standard length had rooted and had new growth, right on top of the ground.
My oak was a different story. It was snuggled up against a much larger oak (25-
35" diameter) and getting it out was more work than either of the Ashe. Of all the three I'd be the least surprised if it didn't make it, just from the small amount of root mass and smaller protruding roots it had.

 

[rev0s]

Thanks poink! The oak was the first I got on my little jaunt and after reading a bit more this evening I was wondering about cutting it back.
Yes the soil's nothing special, I'm hoping to have the funds to invest in some better material earlier but since my whole trip was free excluding a little sweat, I wouldn't be too hurt if none made it, and I'd just invest in better starting material and have another go at it.
If they do make it thought, I know a lot of little Ashe Junipers that are going to be very surprised over the next few years...

 

[rev0s]

Here's some diameter shots.
First the oak, then "windswept" Ashe Juniper, and then the larger Juniper.

 

[Poink88]

My oak was a different story. It was snuggled up against a much larger oak (25-35" diameter) and getting it out was more work than either of the Ashe. Of all the three I'd be the least surprised if it didn't make it, just from the small amount of root mass and smaller protruding roots it had.

The more reason I would chop it lower. Less trunk and foliage to support is better when you only have few roots. It would be a shame if it doesn't make it, it looks nice.

 

[rev0s]

I am glad to hear it does maybe have potential; I liked it a lot and passed over many other "little" oaks almost as nice that would have been much easier to get out. I'll probably give it the chop tomorrow, thank you for the advice!
I'm happy to have something to do to it, because I'm pretty sure I'm addicted and I'll wear my back out if I keep digging like I did today!

 

[edprocoat]

I have never dealt with that specific type of juniper, but most junipers do well with heavy root loss. Keep them all in the shade for 3 weeks to give them a chance to strengthen and recover. Keep them watered but let them dry a bit between wateings, not dry out but not steady wet either. When you move them into the sun I would start by doing half day sun first then get them into full day sun after a few weeks, at this point fertilize them. Good luck with them, and welcome to B-Nut.

ed

 

[rev0s]

Thank you ed for the welcome and advice; I arose this morning and nature is helping me out with the shade. It's overcast and humid here, making for an easy time of keeping this guys from getting too much exposure.
This type of tree is one I was very happy to see some wonderful pictures of finished pieces online, because it's extremely prevalent here, and I find the pungent aroma very pleasing.