Gabler
Masterpiece
And the roots when you repot them.
The 2025 Yamadori/Collecting Thread
- Thread starter Cajunrider
- Start date
And the roots when you repot them.
ponderingsage
Mame
I have had an interesting ongoing discussion with my buddy, ChatGPT about collecting and nurturing a crabapple and an apricot that I am planning to bonsai (can I use that as a verb?). Thought you might be interested in what an AI might have to contribute... Oops, 25 pages long, my fault, but some nice tidbits maybe. Overall, this AI thing is not bad. I'll update the IRL next... 
Some before pictures of the natural dwarf apple tree from last year before the move. I had moved the volunteer tree a couple of years ago from the field next door. It never really grew much over 3-5 years, a natural dwarf. This spring at bud swell before bud break, it volunteered to be a bonsai.
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Gabler
Masterpiece
I have had an interesting ongoing discussion with my buddy, ChatGPT about collecting and nurturing a crabapple and an apricot that I am planning to bonsai (can I use that as a verb?). Thought you might be interested in what an AI might have to contribute... Oops, 25 pages long, my fault, but some nice tidbits maybe. Overall, this AI thing is not bad. I'll update the IRL next...
Don't trust Chat GPT. It has zero experience growing bonsai. It's just a scaled-up version of autocomplete.
Haha, Humbaba avatar, I have slain more bonsai than Gilgamesh and Enkidu have slain, well, Humbabas. So starting at zero is definitely a head start. If you like, let me know if you see anything amiss with the process I am using...
Gabler
Masterpiece
There's a few misconceptions about how and why certain things work, but in the first few pages, I didn't see anything likely to kill your tree. I would just recommend checking any advice you get from Chat GPT to protect yourself against "hallucinations."
OK, thx. Well advised. BTW luv the avatar!
Gabler
Masterpiece
Thanks!
I accidentally posted this in last year’s thread… but wanted to share a cool recent find.
Plucked a really nice Douglas fir off a cliff last weekend, around 4000ft elevation. It’s been a warm spring up here and soils are thawing out. Was able to get a good portion of the rootball, though it was concentrated off to one side (hence the shape of the training box). Hoping this pulls through, as I think it has great potential with a natural bend in the trunk and great bark. I’ve got it in a mix of about 70% pumice, 10% lava rock, 10% akadama, and 10% shredded sphagnum moss. I’ve since mulched the tree into my overwintering area, sheltered from wind and in shade save for the early morning sun. Fingers crossed!
Plucked a really nice Douglas fir off a cliff last weekend, around 4000ft elevation. It’s been a warm spring up here and soils are thawing out. Was able to get a good portion of the rootball, though it was concentrated off to one side (hence the shape of the training box). Hoping this pulls through, as I think it has great potential with a natural bend in the trunk and great bark. I’ve got it in a mix of about 70% pumice, 10% lava rock, 10% akadama, and 10% shredded sphagnum moss. I’ve since mulched the tree into my overwintering area, sheltered from wind and in shade save for the early morning sun. Fingers crossed!
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rutulus
Seedling
I like the bark developing on that red maple. Sometimes even the old ones stay smooth, but I like when they get a bit furrowed like that.
The red maple got cut down some more, pruned and put in the ground to grow out. Found some more root flare under the mat of grass roots and top soil. It was growing in the tidal zone of a small creek and roots are not bad at all as looks like they were trying to "float" close to the surface. Rigged up some stretchers to push leftover branches away from the trunk.
It really tapers in real life, pics take it away.
All while being closely supervised...
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Picked up a couple of BCs that have been chewed up by beavers.
The Barber
Chumono
Every tree I collected this winter and spring is starting to show signs of life, even a couple of elms that had horrible roots that I figured had a 50 50 shot at survival that I dug around Christmas are pushing buds everywhere.
DeepSouth
Yamadori
Nice maple! Do you feel like those branches you left can be used in the final design? I only ask because I collected a similar tree this season and decided to leave the low branches, also stretching them like you did, but I feel like they will never look quite right with the first few inches growing straight upwards. I hope I am wrong, because it could save a lot of time.
Orion_metalhead
Masterpiece
Jon Norberg Shared a CompanyCam Gallery
Check out these images that Jon Norberg shared using CompanyCam - a must have app for contractors.
app.companycam.com
The main collection this spring. Plan on growing the whole thing from that one small left stump. Will try layering off all the other growths next year. Needs to go in grow out mix of pumice and pine bark tomorrow hopefully.
Not sure of exact cultivar.
Well, I am not sure, but I feel like I have time to think about it. I want to see how it grows this year.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Beavers’ special: a 3 tree group and a 7 tree forest. The beavers did the tree selection and chop.
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