Time to collect a couple elms....

[aml1014]

Or actually a forest load of them.
Last week I was given permission by the forestry supervisor for the city to collect in the Albuquerque bosque. I'm free to take elms, tamarisk, Russian olive, mulberry, basically anything non native to the area (invasive species only). Last night my buddy Adam and I made the first run of the season. I ended up with 3 elms, he got an elm and a Russian olive. Here's the group.
Mine are in saran wrap.
Here they are all potted up.
The first is a chunk and probably my favorite of the load. It has a 6.5"base with wonderful THICK bark and nice movement/taper.
The next is another big guy, about a 5.5" base. I plan to chop to the first branch that has movement on the main trunk, the second trunk is dead.
It has great bark, trunk flare, and a decent nebari (which is buried).
More pictures to come of the last tree, and the spot I went.

Aaron

 

[aml1014]

Here's the last of my 3 I grabbed. It's a bit smaller and needs a much lower chop, but it's got a decent flare and root spread. Trunk is about 2.25"
Just to give an idea of the area. I live in the high desert, directly in the middle of town is the Rio Grande river, I'm free to collect anywhere in this range. Here's a few pics of where we went last night.
Here's a Google maps image, I can collect anywhere in the green area. Considering its by the river, the soil was heavy clay and very moist so the root balls all came out in tact and very quickly as well, it only took me an hour to get all three of these.
It's a massive area, and I have a lot of ground to cover. Wish me luck! I'll post more as I go.

Aaron

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Looks like good starts! What medium do you first pot your collected material?

 

[aml1014]

Looks like good starts! What medium do you first pot your collected material?

They are all being put into a mix of about 90/5/5 pumice, diatomaceous earth, and Akadama. I must add, these are pretty small compared to what I have my eyes on.

Aaron

 

[namnhi]

I think I would like to chop the slant one a little lower. The base is what I would use as the focus point.

 

[aml1014]

I think I would like to chop the slant one a little lower. The base is what I would use as the focus point.

I'm thinking about halfway, where the dead stub is in the second pic of that tree, good eye. That thing has about 1"thick plated bark like an old pine.

Aaron

 

[aml1014]

4 more trees today.
I only potted 2 and it got dark on me, but I'll show the other 2 when I get them potted up.
First is a monster Siberian elm the trunk is close to 7" and it is about 26'' tall.
More great bark. My buddy nate happened to snap a picture of me struggling with it.
Next up is a natural Raft with a trunk that is about 2.25"
Can't wait to go get more!

Aaron

 

[AZbonsai]

That is cool bark! Nice haul...you better slow down you are going to DeForest the place...

 

[aml1014]

That is cool bark! Nice haul...you better slow down you are going to DeForest the place...

Heck, even between me and my 3 buddy's, I don't think we could ever take them all out, they reproduce so quickly. Plus all the trees we collect, I almost guarantee any roots we leave behind wI'll become new trees. Ill have a steady supply as long as I live!

Aaron

 

[M. Frary]

Why don't you chop them down to height at time of collection? They bud right out of the cut.

 

[aml1014]

Why don't you chop them down to height at time of collection? They bud right out of the cut.

I'll admit, on those first ones I was a little excited to just keep looking and ended up just cutting them down enough to handle. The two poles definitely need a lower chop.

Aaron

 

[M. Frary]

I found a few American elms within a mile of here just the other day. I can't wait until it's spring to get digging.
I've also been out cruising for Tamarack and Jack and Scots pines for spring collection
I think I have almost all of the trees for spring except for Hornbeam and Hawthorn found.
I'll find those tomorrow. I know a spot.....

 

[Jarath]

Lucky guys. Best collecting I can do close by my home is in peeps gardens.

 

[aml1014]

Lucky guys. Best collecting I can do close by my home is in peeps gardens.

That's what I did last year, this year I got the balls and emailed the forestry supervisor and was amazed that he gave me free reign.
Just potted the other two from yesterday.
First is a Russian olive
It's got a wonderful basal flare that's almost 4".
Next is a curvy little elm.
Heres a group shot of all the collections this week. And now I'm almost out of soil! Gotta go grab another 100gl of pumice before I go out again.
This is just to much fun.

Aaron

 

[Wilson]

Awesome move calling the forestry depth. Now you have so many test subjects, in a few years you will have a good bag of tricks! Keep up the good work dude!

 

[aml1014]

Grabbed four more elms yesterday after work before the sunset.
Got 3 potted this morning.
Great movement on this first one, about a 5inch base.
The next was little until I barerooted it, the trunk was about 2.5", now closer to 4".
When I finished digging the little guy I was packing my stuff up and started walking. I got about 4 feet and tripped!lol
I moved the 8" deep of leaves from where I tripped and low and behold, I found the next one.
It looks like a long ass pistol lol
One more to pot up, gotta wait until after work.

Aaron

 

[Soldano666]

Damn Aaron. I need to.make a road trip next week I think. Haha. Those Russian olives pop a whorl of branches right at the cut site. So don't be afraid of die back. I got none on a bunch I collected last year. This year I'll be cutting newly collected ones back a lot harder.

 

[aml1014]

If you ever do come down, I know some spots. I'm saving the best for last since we are having weird temperature fluctuations.

Aaron

 

[bonhe]

You are very lucky Aaron and will become an elm bonsai specialist in no time!
Bonhe

 

[aml1014]

Last one from yesterday potted up.
Aaron