Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)(collected) - Help. I need a bigger boat.

[choate_t_bonsai]

Yesterday I went to get groceries and a new lot was being developed down the road. I slowed down to look over the garbage pile and ended up getting out of the car. There was a fairly substantial western hemlock near the bottom of the pile. I dragged it out and looked it over. It has a very pretty, thick trunk with some rotting that could be developed into carving. It also has a multitude of "tops" but one in particular has a very pretty bend. I took it home and had to do A LOT to get the roots even in a bucket. I'm going out today to purchase some supplies to set it up in a (including a bigger pot.)



Here's the question. Once I get it potted, should I let it just adjust for a year? Or should I take off some extra limbs so the plant has less to feed? Seems like a lot has happened to it in a short time...

I've only been doing bonsai a few months and have been pretty limited in my projects. This is a project of opportunity. I wouldn't be trying something so advanced on my own!

Thank you in advance for any thoughts or advice.

 

[caffeinated]

There doesn't seem to be much of a rootball and the fact that it was out of the ground for a while before being rescued doesn't bode well for the tree. There is debate as to whether you keep all the foliage to generate as much sugar possible to help redevelop the roots, vs cutting off some foliage to not overtax the roots. I'm on the side of keep all the foliage and whatever the roots can't sustain will go away anyway. Good luck with it and you should know in a few weeks if it's experienced too much trauma.

 

[Cruiser]

I have a collected western hemlock. Do not remove any branches. Place it in a sheltered place that does not get full sun. Let it recover.
They are a very shade tolerant species and having lost roots you will want to limit transpiration.

 

[Cruiser]

If possible, incorporate some of the original soil into the new potting medium.

As we get into growing season the tree will visually let you know how it’s doing…
-Best case is that it doesn’t skip a beat and bright new green shoots will emerge. Current foliage stays a healthy green.

-Average case scenario it pushes some new shoots but they don’t elongate as much and end up smaller. Some buds won’t create new growth at all. Some of the previous years’ needles will yellow and fall (not just the ones around the trees interior).

If it’s just hanging on… many of the trees buds likely won’t open. New growth will be minimal. Some buds may only half-open. A lot of needles will start to become more yellow than green and then drop. In other words, the tree may just go into survival mode this year… try to sustain its current foliage, grow more roots, and set new buds for next year.

Worst case scenario.. firewood or carve/bleach it into a snag bonsai. (Which I guess isn’t really a total loss).

I wish it and you the best. That one has a pretty neat scar at the base. They callous over remarkably fast