Vacationing at the beech...

[BonjourBonsai]

I'm on vacation in beautiful Vermont and I've got dozens of beech trees at my disposal ranging in size from whips to 2 inch diameters. I know it's not ideal to collect now but if I do would a concurrent trunk chop be too much or do I inconvenience my kids on the ride home (again) by making them ride with foliage in their faces?

 

[Paradox]

Collection + chop now = dead tree

Collection alone very good chance = dead tree

Best chance would be one of the whips with a very large root ball, little to no disturbance of the roots

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Collection + chop now = dead tree

Collection alone very good chance = dead tree

Best chance would be one of the whips with a very large root ball, little to no disturbance of the roots

Thought so but wanted to check others' opinions. Thanks.

I'll give my kids the bad news.

 

[Paradox]

Might be a good excuse for a road trip in April or early May

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Might be a good excuse for a road trip in April or early May

That was the plan this year but life got in the way.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

This goes in the category of "I should know better but I had to try"... The leaves are not showing any distress yet. I've got the root ball wrapped in an an old cotton rag.


Also picked up a little red spruce which is doing ok so far too.

 

[Ming dynasty]

This goes in the category of "I should know better but I had to try"... The leaves are not showing any distress yet. I've got the root ball wrapped in an an old cotton rag.
View attachment 447911

Also picked up a little red spruce which is doing ok so far too.

I thought about doing this but always thought it’s illegal or something. Do you have to obtain a permit?

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I thought about doing this but always thought it’s illegal or something. Do you have to obtain a permit?

I have the land owner's permission.

 

[Kanorin]

You might consider cutting back or defoliating to reduce the foliage mass by about 40-50%. I have had some success in emergency repot ( and emergency sewer lateral digs underneath my ground-growing trees) doing this during summer (+ full shade after-care for 2 weeks). It might take you from a 20% survival to a 30%.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Thanks, @Kanorin !

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I got it into a pot today. It has been wrapped in old cotton. I took away most of the muck but tried not to disturb the roots at all. There was a decent size root ball so hopefully it makes it.