Wild Collection - I need help

9 years ago

Hello,

I want to try my hand at collecting a few wild trees before lifting some major ones. Mainly to make sure I know how to dig and pot them properly without killing them. I went for a walk in the woods last weekend and found a few pines (white & scotch) and an eastern red cedar. Are these decent for bonsai specimens? Looking at the ERC I'm wondering if it's too late to make a bonsai with it's straight trunk. I'm not sure how to do any further trimming, I also have some smaller ones I can dig which would be easier to form the trunk.

I don't have enough experience to know at what size to dig an evergreen and how they'll branch and backbud if you prune them. I really appreciate your advice! Sorry for all the pics!

White Pine

Another Smaller White Pine

Large White Pine Split at the Base

Closer View of The Base

Same Tree Far Overall Look

Different Small White Pine

Smaller Scotch Pine

My Interesting Easter Red Cedar...

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Comments (3)

Embothrium
9 years ago
Start smaller.
Jon
9 years ago
I don't have experience harvesting wild trees, but I've read a bit about it. If I recall, the Chinese were known for that. What I've read is that you should wait until the trunk is about the width you want for your final product. However, before harvesting the tree, I think they chop it down low and let it re-grow. You can do that season after season until you have a really drastic taper.

Take the "different small white pine" for example. Assuming that is the trunk size you want, I could imagine cutting off the trunk above the lowest branch on the left, then wiring that branch up nearly vertical so it becomes the new apex (trunk). You can imagine doing the same process several years in a row.

However, I don't know when tree's get so big its nearly impossible to dig them up. Some people pot them in large colanders to keep the roots manageable.
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Travis (Central WI 4a-5b)
Original Author
9 years ago
How much can you prune evergreens and have them grow back? Most of the tree's in the pictures are less than 2' tall. The large white pine is about 4 or 5 feet, but it's spread out more.