Last purchase of the year: 20 year projects, dont judge me lol

[Johnathan]

So I wasn't going to purchase anything else, but I'm really obsessed with oaks these days. I feel like they are my passion to be coupled with something else - still working on the something else lol

Anyway just bored decided to do some looking and came across a guy who had some stuff available for starts.

Come to find out this guy has 5 acres of land with tons of oaks on them, he thinks they are post oaks. A couple I immediately think would be very nice foundations. I mean 4 or 5 inches maybe a little bigger. I explain to him why, and he's smelling what I'm stepping in lol.... A bunch of other stuff out there too, I think I spotted a huge loblolly pine or two on the property as well and he tells me I can come and "collect" there in the future.

This guy is the most awesome guy ever lol tons of stuff growing on his property from Australian Pines to Lacebark Elms, loblolly pines, even saw a couple junipers. Most of it was being controlled grown as he sells them, but a lot of stuff still young enough to add movement too.

My total spent for today was $20. anyway, so This is what I found....

A 3ft Bur oak which after uncovering, I'm thrilled about adding more movement to.







A 2 ft live/English oak which once again, after uncovering looks like a good bend to build on







And then these next 2 I didn't even really plan on, but I needed to spend more money to reach my target amount......

Hey said this was an Amur Maple which he believes to be a cutting and not grafted, said he did so many he doesn't remember which is which.







And then this one, he just said it was a red maple, didn't know which kind.

Sorry cant post anymore pics in this thread.

 

[Johnathan]

Here is the "red maple" its a baby. Gonna vetwrap and give it hell



My questions for everyone here, are can anyone name the "red maple" ..... also, what to do about the roots coming out of the Amur Maple?

He just kinda ripped it up out the spot it was in. I just kinda put it into a bigger pot with a little dirt lightly tossed on the exposed roots until I could get some responses.

Also, those leaves on it don't look that great. Any suggestions?

Oh and did I mention all 4 of these were a total of $20?

 

[sorce]

The bend in that little oak looks as if it were to Grow, it would be just like the one i found!

Karma says......Awesome!

I say....

Don't have a passion.
Have a Garden, and let it bring you joy!

What I'm saying is....its Ok to love a type of tree.

But your garden may never allow you to grow that tree well for one reason or another, giving your passion an opening to provide disappointment.

Where if you just enjoy your Garden, for what it is, whenever it is it, you will be happier for as long as it is.

Nice!

Sorce

 

[cbroad]

Great score, and you made an awesome contact too! I need to get a couple oaks, I love them, and you'll like the Amur, they're super hardy and it'll grow quick! The last one looks like Sweetgum to me, but those and red maples can look a like when young, but they'll make good bonsai too.

Good luck!

 

[cbroad]

As far as the roots on the Amur, it depends on what your plans are. Do you want to plant it out or get in a bonsai pot in the next few years?

If you want to grow it out, maybe just cut the pot off the root ball and plant it and it'll be fine.

You might be able to tackle a little root pruning now, they're pretty tough, and that's basically what just happened to it. Maybe slip pot it into something wider. I probably wouldn't reduce the root system much more other then just cleaning it up this time of year. Then again, maybe they can take a beating right now, I'm only year two with a few about your size. But you might want to think about keeping it out of full sun for a couple weeks if you keep it potted up, those roots look kind of significant for its size.

 

[Quince]

Hard to buy more fun with a $20 bill. I know what it's like to start with small plants and big dreams. Even if some never make it into bonsai pots it's still cool to have your own mini arboretum. If you are out in Oklahoma and into oaks, you might want to check out the dwarf chinkapin oak. I've heard that they are slow to trunk up, but nice leaves and tiny acorns.

The Amur looks like it has anthracnose. Not a big deal, just clean up the leaves well in the fall and spray with a fungicide a couple times in the spring starting at bud break. I have used chlorothalonil and sulfur with some success.

 

[defra]

Nice !
Those oaks realy got a great movement and taper in the lower part to grow out !
Great find miyagi!

 

[Paradox]

Those could be interesting

I'd let them grow to thicken those trunks then chop them down at the right time.

 

[Johnathan]

Thanks guys I'm excited about growing them out lol I vetwrapped the little one and twisted it all up. I will take a pic when I get back home.

@rockm @Zach Smith

Do you guys think I should repot them into DE? They are in like a sandy, clay, dirt mixture now... I hate it. Makes watering a pain to tell if its getting completely throughout.

Also, any advice on quercus stellata (Post Oak)? I cant seem to find anything bonsai related about them, which makes me think they arent worth collecting.

 

[Fonz]

Nice oaks you got there. I've got a bit of an oak fetish myself
From what they told me you should put them in bonsasi soil asap, for Oaks now would be a good time. But you've read those threads yourself I guess

 

[Johnathan]

Nice oaks you got there. I've got a bit of an oak fetish myself
From what they told me you should put them in bonsasi soil asap, for Oaks now would be a good time. But you've read those threads yourself I guess

Yeah I have. My only hesitation is that bonsai soil would "slow" the thickening of them versus "dirt" But what do I know.

 

[Zach Smith]

Thanks guys I'm excited about growing them out lol I vetwrapped the little one and twisted it all up. I will take a pic when I get back home.

@rockm @Zach Smith

Do you guys think I should repot them into DE? They are in like a sandy, clay, dirt mixture now... I hate it. Makes watering a pain to tell if its getting completely throughout.

Also, any advice on quercus stellata (Post Oak)? I cant seem to find anything bonsai related about them, which makes me think they arent worth collecting.

I assume DE means diatomaceous earth. I'm not the person to ask about that, I've never used it. The only reason you'd repot now is if it was life or death (mostly death). It's clear you're on your bonsai honeymoon, but try to slow down if you can. Take some time to learn the characteristics of the trees you take into your care. If you're acquiring specimens of species you haven't done any homework on beforehand, it's a sure sign you're in danger of getting ahead of yourself. You'll be okay down the road, just be prepared for some disappointments on the learning curve.

 

[Johnathan]

I assume DE means diatomaceous earth. I'm not the person to ask about that, I've never used it. The only reason you'd repot now is if it was life or death (mostly death). It's clear you're on your bonsai honeymoon, but try to slow down if you can. Take some time to learn the characteristics of the trees you take into your care. If you're acquiring specimens of species you haven't done any homework on beforehand, it's a sure sign you're in danger of getting ahead of yourself. You'll be okay down the road, just be prepared for some disappointments on the learning curve.

Completely understand. And it does still feel like Xmas to me. How long does the honeymoon last?

Lol in all seriousness, I have winter in sight. Thats where my preperations/ focus are headed. I have a huge bag of wooden skewers to put to use anyway. If they have survived in this mix so far no reason to freak out now. Instead of the tree adjusting for my convenience, I will adjust for its. Afterall we are human and choice is what differentiates us.

Thank you for the noble words.

 

[Zach Smith]

It burns for a good while, but that's part of the allure. Good thing to prep for winter, I get a lot of questions about it from all over. Believe it or not, the toughest part of the country to prep for winter is the South. We often have mild winters, so all your trees can just sit on the benches. But then sometimes a big freeze will move through, and if you aren't ready for it you can lose trees. Folks farther north expect the snow and ice and prepare for it.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

So in the south do you just watch the weather closely and bring them inside over night.
How do you prepare for quick freezes?
How long does the freeze last one day or 2 weeks?
Here we freeze for months. Just wondering.

 

[Johnathan]

So in the south do you just watch the weather closely and bring them inside over night.
How do you prepare for quick freezes?
How long does the freeze last one day or 2 weeks?
Here we freeze for months. Just wondering.

Here in OKC its rare to get "months" of freezing but we may skirt that line for an entire month or so at once, or at least it seemed that way.

I'm sure this being my first winter in bonsai I will be paying more attention to the actual numbers besides it just being "cold as hell" (whatever that means)

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Here in OKC its rare to get "months" of freezing

So what will you do? I place mine in an unheated garage inside a bigger pot. If it snows I put snow all over and around it- inside the bigger pot.
A couple years ago I lost all my outside trees.
So this will be my first year again also.

 

[LanceMac10]

Believe it or not, the toughest part of the country to prep for winter is the South.

All due respect, but I disagree. Unless you get a February pushing 70 to be followed by a late March blizzard. Or the year we had near two feet of snow in April!!!

 

[Johnathan]

So what will you do? I place mine in an unheated garage inside a bigger pot. If it snows I put snow all over and around it- inside the bigger pot.
A couple years ago I lost all my outside trees.
So this will be my first year again also.

Im really not 100% sure yet. For the oaks and maples, I'm leaning towards an ice chest drilled with drainage holes. And trees inside of it with mulch around and on top of the pots, but the tree still exposed. And then move to unheated garage if its freezing ice.

My 2 ficus would be inside under the lights.

Junipers, pitch and mugo pines, blue spruce would all just stay on the bench.

At least thats what I'm thinking.

 

[Johnathan]

Slippotting the Amur and came across a few of these