Podderosa for collection

[Atrox]

This Ponderosa is on public ground in Southern NM at 6,800' it can be collected on a Forest Service permit. It is near my cabin in a seclude spot. I visit it often. We had good rain this summer and this is a current photo of it's condition. The crack can be opened. My questions, is it a candidate for collection? How much can be done to a pondi like this towards further bonsai development? If collected it will be kept 1/2 mile from where it lives now. I have collected juniper, P Pine, Pinion Pine and Oak from this area successfully but all from the ground not a crack like this. I have searched here all post on collection and credit what I have learned on my success so far. I have done a few successful air layers from info here also.I have several other trees near the cabin that I have been preparing for collection next spring.

Thanks

 

[PaulH]

That's a great little tree but in my experience trees in cracks like that have few feeder roots anywhere near the trunk. There might be one 20' long root going way down the crack. If you can move the rock without damaging the tree its worth taking a look though.

 

[larlamonde]

That's a great little tree but in my experience trees in cracks like that have few feeder roots anywhere near the trunk. There might be one 20' long root going way down the crack. If you can move the rock without damaging the tree its worth taking a look though.

I would leave it and enjoy it when you visit. Easy for me to say. Just probably not to many roots to collect.

 

[larlamonde]

This Ponderosa is on public ground in Southern NM at 6,800' it can be collected on a Forest Service permit. It is near my cabin in a seclude spot. I visit it often. We had good rain this summer and this is a current photo of it's condition. The crack can be opened. My questions, is it a candidate for collection? How much can be done to a pondi like this towards further bonsai development? If collected it will be kept 1/2 mile from where it lives now. I have collected juniper, P Pine, Pinion Pine and Oak from this area successfully but all from the ground not a crack like this. I have searched here all post on collection and credit what I have learned on my success so far. I have done a few successful air layers from info here also.I have several other trees near the cabin that I have been preparing for collection next spring.

Thanks

That first photo is really cool. It looks like a fossil.

 

[fourteener]

Simple test: try to wiggle the base, if you can't there is no hope...don't bother.

 

[mc4mc44]

Leave it and enjoy it where it is. Don't collect unless its the perfect situation, it's not worth killing it. This definitely isn't the perfect situation...

 

[Poink88]

Leave it and enjoy it where it is. Don't collect unless its the perfect situation, it's not worth killing it. This definitely isn't the perfect situation...

My thoughts as well. Pics can be deceiving but based on what I can see...there is no way you can move those rocks...looks massive from here.

 

[Atrox]

Really just what I wanted to hear hahaha

Thanks friends, I really wanted to be talked out of it. No telling how old the little fella is, probably near as old as I am, hope to keep an eye on him the rest of my life. I'll keep Ya posted on how he is doin'
Thanks