Too late to collect?

[HorseloverFat]

I AM NEVER CAMPING IN NC THEN.
Sorry, nothing personal, just for me the whole point is to leave civilization behind.
It's hard to find solitude now days.

Struck a nerve, there, eh?



I understand, too... I turn my phone on "airplane mode" when I go on walks.. so I can take pictures.. but NOT jeopardize my peace.

 

[HorseloverFat]

@HorseloverFat glad you can get a moment of peace from this place too. I figured you of all people would appreciate it . Lots of inspiration here and a connection with the native Americans who used to thrive in these mountains. I’ve had my eyes out for old Indian marker trees. No luck yet.

It's very settling... seems like a serene area..

You can tell "life" is "old" there... LOUD with spirits!

 

[HorseloverFat]

I CALL SHINANIGANS!!!!!!!!!!

You're "camping" but still have data signal?
Doesn't count.

You're "camping" but don't have a shovel?
You will never fight off the bears and zombies without a shovel.
Get a shovel.

Heck yes.. A hand spade for my 25lb Ruck is a regular investment..

Sidearm on the belly... ALWAYS... like a "G".

 

[rollwithak]

look at all these options I wish I had a shovel, all I got is a tent stake

WHAT, camping with no shovel!? Get one of these bad boys for your camping tote. https://electricalparts.com/product..._content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic

 

[rockm]

Um, WHY? You will have to plant those out for two decades to get anything worth bonsaiing...Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

The ONLY reason to have an oak bonsai is because it should look like an oak, the older the better. Ancient being the best. That means starting on the journey with trees that already have some actual age...

 

[19Mateo83]

I’ll stick with my ultra lightweight super complicated and in breakable trusty tent stake

 

[19Mateo83]

Um, WHY? You will have to plant those out for two decades to get anything worth bonsaiing...Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

The ONLY reason to have an oak bonsai is because it should look like an oak, the older the better. Ancient being the best. That means starting on the journey with trees that already have some actual age...

I had a little forest planting in mind for these and I enjoy smaller trees just as much as the big trees

 

[rollwithak]

I’ll stick with my ultra lightweight super complicated and in breakable trusty tent stak

I’ll stick with my ultra lightweight super complicated and in breakable trusty tent stake

Ok up to you!!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[rockm]

I had a little forest planting in mind for these and I enjoy smaller trees just as much as the big trees

White Oak leaves are not easy to reduce, neither is internode length. Good luck.

 

[rollwithak]

Honestly dude, when it comes to collecting, most experienced bonsai enthusiasts will say don’t bother with small seedlings. They will say you’re supposed to do yamadori for good material.

I get the appeal of mame and having fun with little seedlings. For these, make sure you get the tap root! Just take a big chunk of earth and you should be ok.

 

[HorseloverFat]

There's always gonna be negative Nancies...

If no one spent time with young trees.. a great number of the incredible bonsai specimens we HAVE in existence would not exist..

It's super easy to BUY a decent starting point... way more "badass" to spend 5-10 years training a seedling to that starting point. (IF you have that kind of time)

Buuuut.

.

The ONLY reason to have an oak bonsai is because it should look like an oak, the older the better. Ancient being the best. That means starting on the journey with trees that already have some actual age...

THIS is true...

I'd recommend looking around.. find a 3-5 year-old oak.. a damaged, stomped or partially eaten one..

Collecting seedlings is fun..

But collecting interesting TREES will attain much quicker success..

And Oak IS one of "those trees" Rockm is absolutely right..

I just disagree with discouraging people from
becoming engaged in the "first portion" of tree's lives.... It's important to understand all ages, in my opinion.

 

[HorseloverFat]

, most experienced bonsai enthusiasts will say don’t bother with small seedlings.

Would these SAME people.. by THIS logic.. say not to bother with seeds, either?

Something to consider.

 

[rollwithak]

There's always gonna be negative Nancies...

If no one spent time with young trees.. a great number of the incredible bonsai specimens we HAVE in existence would not exist..

It's super easy to BUY a decent starting point... way more "badass" to spend 5-10 years training a seedling to that starting point. (IF you have that kind of time)

Buuuut.


THIS is true...

I'd recommend looking around.. find a 3-5 year-old oak.. a damaged, stomped or partially eaten one..

Collecting seedlings is fun..

But collecting interesting TREES will attain much quicker success..

And Oak IS one of "those trees" Rockm is absolutely right..

I just disagree with discouraging people from
becoming engaged in the "first portion" of tree's lives.... It's important to understand all ages, in my opinion.

This is an interior live oak…… it was started from a seedling. If the shoe fits, wear it.

 

[19Mateo83]

Would these SAME people.. by THIS logic.. say not to bother with seeds, either?

Something to consider.

BTW…. Speaking of…let me know when it’s safe to ship you some Osage babies. The buds are just starting to open.

 

[penumbra]

I seem to remember this post starting as a query about oak seedlings.
If it is, let me say that young seedlings can be transplanted just about anytime. With oak seedlings the nut is still attached and feeding the seedling for awhile so you need to keep it all together. I grow a lot of plants from seed but there is no way I would spend my time collecting oak seedlings unless I just wanted some oaks growing where there are none. You have decades of work to get an acorn to look anything like a bonsai.

 

[penumbra]

Would these SAME people.. by THIS logic.. say not to bother with seeds, either?

Something to consider.

Plant an acorn and then plant another dozen other tree seeds. You be the judge. I gow lots of seedlings but I don't have enough years ahead of me for an oak seedling.

 

[19Mateo83]

I seem to remember this post starting as a query about oak seedlings.
If it is, let me say that young seedlings can be transplanted just about anytime. With oak seedlings the nut is still attached and feeding the seedling for awhile so you need to keep it all together. I grow a lot of plants from seed but there is no way I would spend my time collecting oak seedlings unless I just wanted some oaks growing where there are none. You have decades of work to get an acorn to look anything like a bonsai.

These tiny things are several years old. They have tap roots about as big around as your pinky. This area is managed with controlled burns so I’d imagine these have been burned off atleast once in their lives. Kinda why I’m interested in them. They look like seedlings but they are considerably older than a year. A few have 1/2 inch thick trunks then tiny branches

 

[rockm]

There's always gonna be negative Nancies...

If no one spent time with young trees.. a great number of the incredible bonsai specimens we HAVE in existence would not exist..

It's super easy to BUY a decent starting point... way more "badass" to spend 5-10 years training a seedling to that starting point. (IF you have that kind of time)

Buuuut.


THIS is true...

I'd recommend looking around.. find a 3-5 year-old oak.. a damaged, stomped or partially eaten one..

Collecting seedlings is fun..

But collecting interesting TREES will attain much quicker success..

And Oak IS one of "those trees" Rockm is absolutely right..

I just disagree with discouraging people from
becoming engaged in the "first portion" of tree's lives.... It's important to understand all ages, in my opinion.

The majority of notable Japanese and western bonsai did not start their bonsai journies as seedlings. They were cut down from larger trees to take advantage of existing "badass" features induced by nature (man can't equal that imprint.)

What you see as negative and discouraging, I see as getting past the overly romantic, pie-in-the-sky "I'm gonna make this tree from scratch" bullshit and doing actual bonsai with a visible result. Over the years, I see repeatedly people getting seeds and seedlings, then having them sit and do nothing other than grow. That's disappointing and discouraging.

Once on the actual road to bonsai with a tree that you can actually work on, you can inform any work on seeds and seedlings.

 

[rollwithak]

Plant an acorn and then plant another dozen other tree seeds. You be the judge. I gow lots of seedlings but I don't have enough years ahead of me for an oak seedling.

Yeah, it seems like me and @19Mateo83 might both be 1983 babies so, we are considered somewhat “younger” in the bonsai world! That’s why I’m here, to learn from all you!

 

[19Mateo83]

Yeah, it seems like me and @19Mateo83 might both be 1983 babies so, we are considered somewhat “younger” in the bonsai world! That’s why I’m here, to learn from all you!

You could be punctilious in assuming that