The 2025 Yamadori/Collecting Thread

[Joe Dupre']

I would not bet against a crepe myrtle.

Yeah, I wouldn't either. Just for a comparison, I saw Guy Guidry do something very similar to a trident maple at C'est Bonsai last year. I saw the tree later in the summer and it was a BUSH. He told me all of that surface area is meristematic tissue and it would sprout roots over the entire surface. He appeared to be right.

 

[Cajunrider]

Yeah, I wouldn't either. Just for a comparison, I saw Guy Guidry do something very similar to a trident maple at C'est Bonsai last year. I saw the tree later in the summer and it was a BUSH. He told me all of that surface area is meristematic tissue and it would sprout roots over the entire surface. He appeared to be right.

Glad to see that. All I did was to cut it severely, wash the whole thing clean, coat the cut with the juice from an aloe vera leaf, and then plant it in a pot.

 

[Gabler]

It appears I never posted pictures of the Carpinus caroliniana I collected earlier this month. There were six in total, plus about fifteen seedlings I pulled up from a congested area to grow out in a sunnier spot.

 

[Notsureaboutplantnames]

For those of you experienced collecting Quercus agrifolia I have a question or two. I collected some this winter, dug them with some of the main taproot and defoliated as recommended. Treated them like a big cutting.

Here in sunny warm Santa Cruz some of the oaks are leafing out but the shoots are not doing well. The stems have enough energy to push spring growth but without water they will likely do what I am seeing.

So, should I have cut all the branches off to the trunk and not just the leaves?

Should I have removed all the branches off the tree and put the whole plant in a plastic bag?

any insight would be appreciated.

 

[BrianBay9]

My process was to defoliate, pot in pure pumice, keep moist and shaded. No need to cut of primary or secondary branches. I've never used the plastic bag method, but some do. Then be patient. Usually had trees budding out around now. I had about 80% success with that. Pics might help.

 

[hemmy]

I finally got to collecting the cattle grazed Siberian Elms (Ulmus pumila). The natural raft looks almost like an instant bonsai. Front, slant angle, and tilt angle TBD.

 

[hemmy]

Nice curve but then the straight branch from the top has a mass of thick branches.
That “leader” has better transition from one side than the other where there is a ledge.

 

[hemmy]

This one had looked like it had nice movement in the field, but all the branches shoot the opposite direction of the curvy, leaning leader. It might be the most challenging. I may need some professional assistance when they are ready to work.

 

[Notsureaboutplantnames]

My process was to defoliate, pot in pure pumice, keep moist and shaded. No need to cut of primary or secondary branches. I've never used the plastic bag method, but some do. Then be patient. Usually had trees budding out around now. I had about 80% success with that. Pics might help.

Thanks for responding Brian.
Here are two of them, maybe a bit too much sun, but it might have been the 72 degree day(s) we had this past week.

 

[BrianBay9]

Thanks for responding Brian.
Here are two of them, maybe a bit too much sun, but it might have been the 72 degree day(s) we had this past week.
View attachment 589223View attachment 589224

Well, it's a start. Looks like your substrate is good. There are no guarantees, of course. All you can do is keep them shaded, keep the moist (mist if you can), and wait. Good luck.

 

[MaxChavez]

Dug this yew for my morning workout. looking forward to carving in a few years!

 

[Smoothinto2nd]

Hey all. I collected 26 Canyon Live Oaks late February. My neighbor had them and many more mowed down 5 years ago when they moved in and they're landscapers have mostly been keeping them at about the height of the wood chips spread in their yard since. They said go ahead and take them since it would be less yard work. We got 8" of snow 2 weeks after collection so they all came inside or into the garage. The ones that went into the garage have largely stayed the same since collection while the ones that came inside have almost all leafed out or at least started. I'm guessing it was the sudden increase in temperature and humidity. When I notice this, I put a few in humidity domes and they've done the best out of all.

 

[BrianBay9]

Hey all. I collected 26 Canyon Live Oaks late February. My neighbor had them and many more mowed down 5 years ago when they moved in and they're landscapers have mostly been keeping them at about the height of the wood chips spread in their yard since. They said go ahead and take them since it would be less yard work. We got 8" of snow 2 weeks after collection so they all came inside or into the garage. The ones that went into the garage have largely stayed the same since collection while the ones that came inside have almost all leafed out or at least started. I'm guessing it was the sudden increase in temperature and humidity. When I notice this, I put a few in humidity domes and they've done the best out of all.

Nice. Can you give us a general location in your profile? I'm assuming you're in California.

 

[ponderingsage]

Future Aspen forest?

 

[The Barber]

This one had looked like it had nice movement in the field, but all the branches shoot the opposite direction of the curvy, leaning leader. It might be the most challenging. I may need some professional assistance when they are ready to work.

I would go ahead and chop them back hard to where you want them right after collection. The root reduction will cause it to favor new buds along the trunk and abandon branches generally if you didn't get a large amount of feeder roots. So I find it is better to just go ahead and remove all but a couple primary branches on most trees I collect, then seal all of the wounds really well to avoid dieback.

Just an example of what I would do on this one, others may chime in. It loses all taper above this, and note I moved the new apex around...but you can possibly still bend it there or it may just push some buds near the cut. I see a lot of deadwood that will most likely rot away eventually, so not sure what is alive. But it will likely bud out all over the place for you anyways if you cut it back. Love the raft by the way...I have a pot i bought that I want a tree like that for badly.

 

[Smoothinto2nd]

Nice. Can you give us a general location in your profile? I'm assuming you're in California.

Done, Yes, higher Northern California foothills 3300ft.

 

[hemmy]

I would go ahead and chop them back hard to where you want them right after collection.

Thanks for the reply, I went back after this and cut them back harder.

 

[hemmy]

What’s the consensus on root temp and air temp for aftercare on deciduous?

These elms are in a shaded poly tent to block wind, raise humidity, and increase temps. Night temps are 40-50F with a light freeze 10 days out and another month before potential last freeze. I can stick an oil heater in temporarily if we get really cold. But I was going to lay in some soil heating cables on the floor to raise the root temp and help with the ambient air temp.

 

[KateM]

Dug up and potted up this spicebush I don't know what...
It was growing in the rootspread of a maple tree that fell about 5 years ago and it is about to fall apart it's so rotten. When it fell the spicebush got turned over 90 degrees and eventually re-oriented itself to grow up agin.

Had to built a box for it and rig up some stuff.
Interesting side story, while loosening the soil in the roots of the maple tree I found a bottle of Palo Viejo rum and, if I read the stamp correctly, the bottle was made in 1965. So the maple tree was growing over it for 55 years before it fell.
The woods behind our house are full of those bottles. I am guessing cheap drink of migrant farm hands.
And a small American beech. It was growing at the bottom of the gulch and had had nice fibrous roots close to the trunk. That's about the only thing that is good about it. Well, experiment in survival.. .
Forgot to take before pic.

 

[The Barber]

Dug up and potted up this spicebush I don't know what...
It was growing in the rootspread of a maple tree that fell about 5 years ago and it is about to fall apart it's so rotten. When it fell the spicebush got turned over 90 degrees and eventually re-oriented itself to grow up agin.
View attachment 589733View attachment 589735
Had to built a box for it and rig up some stuff.
Interesting side story, while loosening the soil in the roots of the maple tree I found a bottle of Palo Viejo rum and, if I read the stamp correctly, the bottle was made in 1965. So the maple tree was growing over it for 55 years before it fell.View attachment 589734
The woods behind our house are full of those bottles. I am guessing cheap drink of migrant farm hands.
And a small American beech. It was growing at the bottom of the gulch and had had nice fibrous roots close to the trunk. That's about the only thing that is good about it. Well, experiment in survival.. .
Forgot to take before pic.
View attachment 589736

I love the smell of spicebush leaves when you rub them.