Collecting Jack Pines

[twarawa]

This is good to hear. Do you know any details as to time of year and stage of growth when tree was moved. These things are critical.

If this was towards my info, Vance. I dug it in mid April which is like the beginning of March for most folks not this far north. It was snowing/raining the day I dug it so still consistently below freezing. It was still dormant at that time of year. Basically, as soon as I cold get a shovel in the ground, although not more than 6" to frost.

I remember it was about 3 weeks before the tamaraks started bud break.

The tree was about 30" tall and I took about a 18" x 18" sized rootball. After shaking off excess soil I amended the growbed with a little Turface-like product (Profile-it's smaller than Turface and used for golf courses) I had from landscaping. The soil it was in was very similar to beach sand so I it gets decent drainage. It got no more water than when the lawn was watered or it rained and monthly fertilizer (20-20-20).

 

[Dan W.]

There's a really nice one in the 2nd USNB Exhibition album, belonging to Marin Schmalenberg. Collected in Canada by Jerry Vlcek in the 70's.

Maybe if Bill sees this he can post a picture...

 

[Gene Deci]

I have three that I collected from the Traverse City area, one last year and two the year before. All were collected in early spring just like any other tree. They are doing fine - at least they were last fall. They are currently under a snow bank.

 

[garywood]

I have three that I collected from the Traverse City area, one last year and two the year before. All were collected in early spring just like any other tree. They are doing fine - at least they were last fall. They are currently under a snow bank.

It's really amazing what you can do if you know what's possible

 

[choppychoppy]

Kurtland warbler

Pretty sure its Kirtland's Warbler

 

[Vance Wood]

Pretty sure its Kirtland's Warbler

Isn't that what I said-----OOOOO the spelling, OK.

 

[M. Frary]

I have three that I collected from the Traverse City area, one last year and two the year before. All were collected in early spring just like any other tree. They are doing fine - at least they were last fall. They are currently under a snow bank.

Gene. What type of soil

I have three that I collected from the Traverse City area, one last year and two the year before. All were collected in early spring just like any other tree. They are doing fine - at least they were last fall. They are currently under a snow bank.

Have you done anything to them since you got them Gene?

 

[Vance Wood]

It would seem that the information I have been laboring under for a couple of years is faulty. This should be a lesson to all in accepting information as gospel totally unchallenged.

I realize these trees are under a good deal of snow but I would love to see them in some photographs.

 

[edprocoat]

There was some nice examples of the Jack Pine in the link crust supplied above. The guy Jerry Vlcek seemed pretty good with them too. BTW anyone think that guy need to buy a vowel for his last name ?

ed

 

[Gene Deci]

Gene. What type of soil

Have you done anything to them since you got them Gene?

They are in large nursery containers with as much of the original root ball as possible. If I remember right, two at least came from real sandy soil and it was not easy keeping the root ball intact. I have a habit, which I probably should not reveal in public, but I usually just recycle soil from repotting to fill in around my collected stuff so that is probably what I did with these. I also usually chop trees I collect right in the field before I dig them, somewhere above the highest likely chop point.

I will take some pics in the spring but right now I hardly remember what they look like.

 

[Vance Wood]

They are in large nursery containers with as much of the original root ball as possible. If I remember right, two at least came from real sandy soil and it was not easy keeping the root ball intact. I have a habit, which I probably should not reveal in public, but I usually just recycle soil from repotting to fill in around my collected stuff so that is probably what I did with these. I also usually chop trees I collect right in the field before I dig them, somewhere above the highest likely chop point.

I will take some pics in the spring but right now I hardly remember what they look like.

Did you do a chop on all of these? Do I understand you correctly? I know there are some big time big name bonsai people, way bigger than me and what I think, that will tell you that with Pines it is important that you keep as much foliage as possible to keep the tree going. I will tell you that chopping is probably why your trees survived. When I do Mugo Pines in the summer it is alway coupled with doing everything else at the same time. I believe that it is not a balance issue, as some have pointed out, but a mutual stimulation that keeps the tree moving. I believe that if you cut the roots you put the tree in shock, and being that this is not a normal encounter for a tree it just might just sit there and die. My theory is if you have cut the roots heavly as in harvesting or doing a major root pruning in the beginning if you prune the top the tree's normal reaction is an attempt to heal these wounds and force the roots to function by doing so. Just my theory but it does seem to account for a lot of things. Funny I was dreaming about this all last night.

 

[Gene Deci]

I will tell you that chopping is probably why your trees survived.

I wouldn't be surprised although I did it because I didn't know any better.

 

[Vance Wood]

Not meaning to equate you with a stopped clock but you know what they say: A stopped clock is right twice a day.

 

[Waltron]

Did you do a chop on all of these? Do I understand you correctly? I know there are some big time big name bonsai people, way bigger than me and what I think, that will tell you that with Pines it is important that you keep as much foliage as possible to keep the tree going. I will tell you that chopping is probably why your trees survived. When I do Mugo Pines in the summer it is alway coupled with doing everything else at the same time. I believe that it is not a balance issue, as some have pointed out, but a mutual stimulation that keeps the tree moving. I believe that if you cut the roots you put the tree in shock, and being that this is not a normal encounter for a tree it just might just sit there and die. My theory is if you have cut the roots heavly as in harvesting or doing a major root pruning in the beginning if you prune the top the tree's normal reaction is an attempt to heal these wounds and force the roots to function by doing so. Just my theory but it does seem to account for a lot of things. Funny I was dreaming about this all last night.

Vance, I came across this thread while googling info, so I must ask if you have any more data to support your theory. im headed to jack pine territory this weekend, while its primarily a scouting trip, im searching for summer collecting data on the species, which I have some personal experience data on summer collecting eastern white pine and fir from the same area but not jack pine. I have one good tree marked worthy of collection, not sure I want to risk that one for data, and i've only just looked at it, haven't inspected the roots even. I'm curious to know if maybe its possible that in summer, specifically the week of July 4th, may actually be a more favorable time, considering your mugo data. any info on the subject would be appreciated. I will be collecting 1 jack and 1 fir and hopefully a scotts this weekend for data purposes, but they will be young or uninteresting trees to study the response, but if there is any favorable data out there I may try for a decent pre-bonsai if I can get the roots, which from my experience, is very possible.

 

[Vance Wood]

The reason why what I offered the above as theory is because I have not personally collected Jack Pine in this manner. Mike Frary has the expertise in this area. Please let me know how it plays out.

 

[Waltron]

The reason why what I offered the above as theory is because I have not personally collected Jack Pine in this manner. Mike Frary has the expertise in this area. Please let me know how it plays out.

Ill surely let you know Vance, so now I've seen another thread, and osoyoung mentioned after the summer solstice AND needles hardened off.. but then only offered data from august, @M. Frary , are the jack pine needles hardened off up there yet? down by me they seemed to have done so, maybe not to the full extent of the term though..

 

[M. Frary]

They're almost hardened off. Scots are almost there too.

 

[Bart99]

There is an endangered bird who nests only in jack pine forests 7' to 15' tall. Only only in one place in the world. I live smack dab in the middle of it. The DNR plants acres and acres of jack pines each year.
If it were possible to get a shovel in the ground right now I would have one kickin' it with the rest of my trees. Lol.

I'm just discovering this thread and obviously way behind, but it's a Kirtland's Warbler. People travel from all over the world to get to your backyard to see those little guys. I was in Saginaw years ago for work and took an extra day to drive up there to look for them, but I was a week or so too early and they hadn't returned from migration yet.

 

[Waltron]

imma collect a jack pine so nice the warblers are going to change their migration routes to my back yard.

 

[Vance Wood]

The one Mike gave me has hardened off. I think I will wait a year or two to repot the tree. I am not sure when it was collected so I will not push it but it looks great.