The 2025 Yamadori/Collecting Thread

Collected yesterday: a pitch pine, a short leaf pine (I think—has fascicles with 2 and 3 needles), and a red maple with some basal swelling that gives off an ancient, spooky sort of vibe.

The pitch pine has a natural deadwood feature going up the trunk and is about eight feet tall. Not sure what the final plan will be just yet.

The short leaf is about six feet tall and will hopefully lend itself to a slender, tall styling.

Not sure about the red maple. We’ll see where it buds out. The remaining trunk is about three inches across, the swelling probably six inches. It was around fifteen feet tall when I chopped it.
 

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I thought the LAST red cedar was going to be the last for the year. Nope, THIS is the last one. Early last spring I found this one and set about to "prepare" it for collection. It was in a place I walk often so I was able to check on it from time to time. A basic Christmas tree...........7+ feet tall and straight as an arrow. I found a heavy downed log, bent the tree over and weighed it down with the log. Over a couple of months, the tree relaxed until it was almost parallel to the ground. In mid-summer, I picked a couple of likely branches that could cause a change of direction in a new trunk line and cut it off above them. The tree had a nice set of shallow roots.

cedar red.jpg
 
I dug a small one yesterday (Siberian Elm) as a test before the larger ones today. The soil is all sand and just fell away. I cut the tap root, and got a few pencil thick laterals with a coaster size spread of fine roots. But not many fine roots at all.

I’ll try gentle loosen and ball up the surface roots on the next ones.

Does anyone use humidity tents for elms post-leaf out? I’ve heard summer transpiration can be an issue with few roots. I have small poly structure to protect early repots that I could turn into a mister enclosure like some use on yamadori conifers.

IMG_9352.jpeg
 
I dug a small one yesterday (Siberian Elm) as a test before the larger ones today. The soil is all sand and just fell away. I cut the tap root, and got a few pencil thick laterals with a coaster size spread of fine roots. But not many fine roots at all.

I’ll try gentle loosen and ball up the surface roots on the next ones.

Does anyone use humidity tents for elms post-leaf out? I’ve heard summer transpiration can be an issue with few roots. I have small poly structure to protect early repots that I could turn into a mister enclosure like some use on yamadori conifers.

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The Siberians are weed trees. They will grow from a stump with no roots. I’ve had it happen plenty of times. I wouldn’t overthink the aftercare.
Super fun tree to work with
 
Nah. I am highly allergic.
This common ivy - hedera helix.
Whew!! Well that’s good to know. Hope it turns out well. That being said, I would like to see someone try making bonsai out of poison ivy. Beautiful plant that I appreciate, but I won’t be the one to give it a go lol.
 
Whew!! Well that’s good to know. Hope it turns out well. That being said, I would like to see someone try making bonsai out of poison ivy. Beautiful plant that I appreciate, but I won’t be the one to give it a go lol.
There is a thread about it too. Can't figure out how to paste the link right now, but below is the name...

Starting My Poison Ivy Over Again​


And more... Nick Lenz had one
https://bonsaibark.com/2009/12/06/eccentric-bonsai-7-nicks-poison-ivy/
 
Whew!! Well that’s good to know. Hope it turns out well. That being said, I would like to see someone try making bonsai out of poison ivy. Beautiful plant that I appreciate, but I won’t be the one to give it a go lol.
I don't think I've had a month out of the last 12 where I haven't had poison ivy hives.. I think I counted 11 times I had it in the last year. 4 times this winter from digging in root balls.
 
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