The 2023 Yamadori/Collecting Thread

[Srt8madness]

Chopsticking the soil so that it fills all the air pockets.
I had a pine I dug 2 years ago that didn't put out any growth and started to weaken. When I transferred a chopstick with soil fungi into its pot, the chopstick just shot down to the bottom of the pot. Turns out that I didn't properly chopstick it underneath the trunk. So when I did, it perked up a week or two later and it started producing buds.
Never making that mistake again.
Better to spend that extra hour, water, and do it again next day just for good measure. The roots are still in stasis anyways.
It can make a huge difference.

Gotcha, I will typically do this, but not always for long as I fear I'm damaging roots at some point. Will keep in mind and use a finer touch next time. Thanks!

 

[MMJNICE]

Noticed this silver maple last year and put it on my hit list to destroy. It was between the my shed an the neighbors fence bum about 6 feet tall. After closer inspection it had decent movement down low on the trunk so I decided to dig him up..probably about an 2 and a half to possibly 3 inch trunk on him.. I'm debating on trunk chopping it further to redevelopment it into a naturalistic style American silver maples but it's already got a good beginning of a broom style, it's just long and skinny.. it's probably 2 and a half feet tall.. like me know what you would do with this tree..

Attachments​

 

[Gabler]

DSW is a shoe store, DFW is a metroplex with nearly 8 million people, and around 4 times the land mass of Delaware.

Yeah. Most things are bigger than Delaware. Except Rhode Island.

I still have no idea what DFW stands for or where it is. When I see DFW, I think “Department of Fish and Wildlife,” but those obviously aren’t the correct search terms for Google. There are probably many departments of fish and wildlife, probably in every English-speaking region of the world.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Gotcha, I will typically do this, but not always for long as I fear I'm damaging roots at some point. Will keep in mind and use a finer touch next time. Thanks!

It doesn't have to take long, but it has to be thorough. With a big tree like that oak, which took an entire bag of substrate.. It'll just take a long time to be thorough.
I've been on the soft side in the past, but ever since this happened to me, I attack the new soil with some more aggression and really jam it in there until it packs. Sure, it will hurt some roots, but in those air pockets they're certain to die.

I do recommend making a handle for your chopsticks, because you shouldn't be torturing yourself.

 

[BrianBay9]

Yeah. Most things are bigger than Delaware. Except Rhode Island.

I still have no idea what DFW stands for or where it is. When I see DFW, I think “Department of Fish and Wildlife,” but those obviously aren’t the correct search terms for Google. There are probably many departments of fish and wildlife, probably in every English-speaking region of the world.

Dallas - Ft. Worth

 

[Cajunrider]

I like big buttresses and I got 3. It was a good afternoon.

 

[19Mateo83]

I like big buttresses and I got 3. It was a good afternoon.
View attachment 469316

How many bald cypresses you up to now.. you trying to corner the bald cypress pre bonsai market?? . They good lookers as always man!

 

[ShadyStump]

I like big buttresses and I got 3. It was a good afternoon.
View attachment 469316

I'm starting to think you're more in love with digging them than with working then.

 

[19Mateo83]

I like big buttresses and I got 3. It was a good afternoon.

what is this all about… I think you over potted this one…. Just a little bit

 

[Cajunrider]

what is this all about… I think you over potted this one…. Just a little bit
View attachment 469318

That was a cutting that I simply jabbed into my basil pot. I shall up-pot it if the cutting strikes.

 

[Cajunrider]

I'm starting to think you're more in love with digging them than with working then.

My days with access to the swamp are numbered. I will have plenty of time to work them later. Plus there is a serenity I enjoy being out there by myself.

 

[ShadyStump]

there is a serenity I enjoy being out there by myself.

This i understand.
Dig on, brother!

 

[Srt8madness]

I like big buttresses and I got 3. It was a good afternoon.
View attachment 469316

Ever make it to the TX/LA border? Would love to meet and buy a tree before you move.

 

[Cajunrider]

Noticed this silver maple last year and put it on my hit list to destroy. It was between the my shed an the neighbors fence bum about 6 feet tall. After closer inspection it had decent movement down low on the trunk so I decided to dig him up..probably about an 2 and a half to possibly 3 inch trunk on him.. I'm debating on trunk chopping it further to redevelopment it into a naturalistic style American silver maples but it's already got a good beginning of a broom style, it's just long and skinny.. it's probably 2 and a half feet tall.. like me know what you would do with this tree..

AttachmentsView attachment 469235View attachment 469234​

Nice maple. Good movement down low. For me that first branch would be where I chop when the tree gets very healthy.

 

[MMJNICE]

Noticed this silver maple last year and put it on my hit list to destroy. It was between the my shed an the neighbors fence bum about 6 feet tall. After closer inspection it had decent movement down low on the trunk so I decided to dig him up..probably about an 2 and a half to possibly 3 inch trunk on him.. I'm debating on trunk chopping it further to redevelopment it into a naturalistic style American silver maples but it's already got a good beginning of a broom style, it's just long and skinny.. it's probably 2 and a half feet tall.. like me know what you would do with this tree..

AttachmentsView attachment 469235View attachment 469234​

Correction.... the trunk is more like 1 and a half inches to 2 inches.. just so dam skinny... I should chop it because it just bothers me.. although it looks more proportioned in person and once in leaf it probably will look pretty cool.

 

[ShadyStump]

Correction.... the trunk is more like 1 and a half inches to 2 inches.. just so dam skinny... I should chop it because it just bothers me.. although it looks more proportioned in person and once in leaf it probably will look pretty cool.

I think we all do this from time to time. The bonsai equivalent of beer goggles
It's not a bad little tree at all, and like all things bonsai, given a little time, will be something wonderful

The trunk has great movement. I rarely go in for the "feminine" vs "masculine" descriptions, but those are undoubtedly feminine curves, a dancers form. If you do a chop don't do it too low, and get to work on that dainty nebari ASAP. Think ballerina and listen to Swan Lake when you're working this one.

 

[EvergreenAddict]

Started digging an interesting project. I live up on the ny pa border and the frost has gone… I’m wondering if digging a tree around four inches in diameter is too hard for a newbie? Did some preparatory work last spring for it… what do the experts say?

 

[BrianBay9]

Started digging an interesting project. I live up on the ny pa border and the frost has gone… I’m wondering if digging a tree around four inches in diameter is too hard for a newbie? Did some preparatory work last spring for it… what do the experts say?

Gonna need some more info. What kind of tree? Are you really heading into spring up there already? Do you have a big enough container ready for this? Enough soil? Are you digging in soil, or lifting from pockets in stone?

 

[Eckhoffw]

I got 3 so far this winter...
American Hornbeam
View attachment 467372
Maple clump
View attachment 467373

Flowering dogwood clump with hollow
View attachment 467374

Wowzers.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Gabler
It is airport code abbreviations
DFW = Dallas Fort Worth
ORD = Chicago O'Hare Field airport
Mid = Chicago Midway Airport
MLK = Milwaukee, Wisconsin
ATL = Atlanta GA

I don't know the New York City series of airports but the list is quite long. The 3 character code pretty much uniquely identifies all the commercial airports in North America. Every major city served by an airline.