Oak progression
- Thread starter bonsai barry
- Start date
bonsai barry
Omono
I have about five or six oaks and I enjoy working with them all! They can produce some fantastic back budding.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
That has developed nicely over the years!
A couple of questions -
(1) Did you take photos along the way, and can you describe your development process...how often did you cut back, how far, etc?
(2) Has it been in the ground since 2005, or did you dig it and do root pruning along the way (not just last year)?
(3) I may have missed it, but do you know what species this is?
I've got an English Oak (Q. robur) in the ground, it was planted in spring 2011 and I will probably dig it to do some root work next year. Very strong grower and looks like it will bud back very strongly based on all the branching it has already produced. I've heard they are touchy about being collected, though.
Chris
A couple of questions -
(1) Did you take photos along the way, and can you describe your development process...how often did you cut back, how far, etc?
(2) Has it been in the ground since 2005, or did you dig it and do root pruning along the way (not just last year)?
(3) I may have missed it, but do you know what species this is?
I've got an English Oak (Q. robur) in the ground, it was planted in spring 2011 and I will probably dig it to do some root work next year. Very strong grower and looks like it will bud back very strongly based on all the branching it has already produced. I've heard they are touchy about being collected, though.
Chris
augustine
Chumono
This oak is very nice and I like the species.
Are there any oaks worth collecting here in the Mid-Atlantic region? Or should I just buy a West Coast Oak stock plant? (They are avail from Brent) Recommendation on West Coast species?
Thank you and best regards,
Augustine
Central MD 7a
Are there any oaks worth collecting here in the Mid-Atlantic region? Or should I just buy a West Coast Oak stock plant? (They are avail from Brent) Recommendation on West Coast species?
Thank you and best regards,
Augustine
Central MD 7a
Gene Deci
Shohin
My son lives in Pasadena and his yard is full of both red oak (Q. rubra) and white oak (Q. alba). They thrive in that area but they are very difficult species for bonsai. I think your best bet would be english oak (Q. robur) which are naturalized in some areas and easy to find in landscape nurseries. Finding one suitable for bonsai may take some looking but that is half the fun.
augustine
Chumono
Gene,
I live in Pasadena also. There are many species of oak here in the area but, like you said, they all have huge leaves. They don't look worth the time and trouble.
Thank you for the reply.
Augustine
Central MD 7a
I live in Pasadena also. There are many species of oak here in the area but, like you said, they all have huge leaves. They don't look worth the time and trouble.
Thank you for the reply.
Augustine
Central MD 7a
bonsai barry
Omono
to
Chris, Thanks for your interest in this tree. It is a Valley Oak which are a native to CA. This is the largest species of oak in N. Amierica and typically have a leaf that is about four inches in length. I think this one's leaves are about one inch in length. Last year was the first year that I dug it out of the ground to trim its roots. I prune it annually in the winter. I also cut back new growth to two nodes (or three if its a lower branch). I also wired a few of the branches (not an easy task when its in the ground with other trees around it). Of course the big question will be if it can survive when full removed from the ground. We'll see...
Chris, Thanks for your interest in this tree. It is a Valley Oak which are a native to CA. This is the largest species of oak in N. Amierica and typically have a leaf that is about four inches in length. I think this one's leaves are about one inch in length. Last year was the first year that I dug it out of the ground to trim its roots. I prune it annually in the winter. I also cut back new growth to two nodes (or three if its a lower branch). I also wired a few of the branches (not an easy task when its in the ground with other trees around it). Of course the big question will be if it can survive when full removed from the ground. We'll see...
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Have you ever undercut the tree. I think I mentioned earlier that Oaks produce strong tap roots. This is going to have to be dealt with sooner rather than latter.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
You're probably talking to Barry, but in my case, I did remove downward growing roots when I planted my oak. Also planted it on top of a tile. My notes indicate it had a pretty small, fibrous root system...hopefully I got it off to a good start.
Chris
Chris
Try Willow Oak. I bought one from a local nursery a few years ago at its fall clearance sale - brought it home and chopped it from close to 20' tall to about 18" in two chops. Am growing it out in the ground at the moment to develop a number of smaller sub-trunks to get a spreading oak style to it.
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bonsai barry
Omono
If your question is directed at me, Vance, the answer is yes. I cut it last year in 2012, I will remove it from the ground in 2014.
Beng
Omono
Great looking start, looking forward to seeing it next year and the year after and the year after. 
bonsai barry
Omono
Great looking start, looking forward to seeing it next year and the year after and the year after.
Bing,
This thread is a couple of years old. The tree now is in the ground with a two inch trunk. It will be removed next year. I've included a photo but it is very hard to see much. Thanks for your interest.
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JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Love those small leaves. I just picked up a cork oak, am excited to have one.
Yours is moving right along...
Yours is moving right along...
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Nice tree Barry, your post and others, have inspired me to try my hand at oaks.
I picked up half a dozen 3rd year seedlings from Mussers Tree Farm this spring. (about $2 each, cheap!) I chose Bur Oak, Quercus marcocarpa for several reasons. It is native to my immediate locality, its range extends north into Canada, so it will be fully winter hardy here, minimal winter protection will be needed. The next reason was the really nice bark that mature trees develop. Don't know how well this will show on a young tree, but twigs of bur oak often have corky wings, so I am hopeful that the bark will have texture while the tree is still fairly young. It is fairly disease resistant, few pests and being native it will survive most of the indigenous insect invasions. The oak blight has not hit our area, yet. Hoping it never does, but we'll see.
I chopped root systems flat, stuck them in nursery cans, and they are all sprouting leaves. Actually I was worried, had to remove 90% of the roots for some, because they all had long tap roots. I will keep them containerized for a few years to make it easier to do the initial shaping of the root systems. 3 gallon and 5 gallon nursery cans. So thanks for inspiring me to get started. Another decade and I will post how my experiment turned out.
I picked up half a dozen 3rd year seedlings from Mussers Tree Farm this spring. (about $2 each, cheap!) I chose Bur Oak, Quercus marcocarpa for several reasons. It is native to my immediate locality, its range extends north into Canada, so it will be fully winter hardy here, minimal winter protection will be needed. The next reason was the really nice bark that mature trees develop. Don't know how well this will show on a young tree, but twigs of bur oak often have corky wings, so I am hopeful that the bark will have texture while the tree is still fairly young. It is fairly disease resistant, few pests and being native it will survive most of the indigenous insect invasions. The oak blight has not hit our area, yet. Hoping it never does, but we'll see.
I chopped root systems flat, stuck them in nursery cans, and they are all sprouting leaves. Actually I was worried, had to remove 90% of the roots for some, because they all had long tap roots. I will keep them containerized for a few years to make it easier to do the initial shaping of the root systems. 3 gallon and 5 gallon nursery cans. So thanks for inspiring me to get started. Another decade and I will post how my experiment turned out.
