Emergency Help Pine Out Of Ground!

Mnbonsai

Hello,

Driving around my neighborhood I discovered that someone had ripped up their landscape.
I spoke with the owner and she was going to throw this pine which was dug up by a bobcat wed night.
Hoping I can save it I picked it up. Now its been a little cold in MN for a while and I hope there is some way to save it.

I noticed that the roots must have been cut substantially unless pines have a smaller root to foliage ratio.

I am assuming that first I should take off all un -needed branches to help the survival.
My question is - now what do I do. Do I need to soak the roots and replant quickly? I have never "harvested" a tree and dont know what steps to take to ensure its survival.

Some styling advice would be required as I am sure I need to significantly reduce the size to get it into a Box.

Anyones experience would be helpful as I know time is against me here.

Thanks
P.S. this thing is huge prob 4 foot in diam and 5 feet hight. Probably not the best for a first pine but I will not allow it to die unattended!

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Jose_Alberto

I don't know much, but I would really reduce the folliage to compensate the root loss... I should maybe let it rest in water for the night, and then in the morning plant it, of course, I would be in the same situation than you, since I haven't done that either... And wouldn't know exactly how to proceed, all I can say is if you leave this guy as it appears in the pic, with the roots exposed to the sun, it might die, since exposed to the sun roots die pretty fast, so find some shad until other advices come...

About the styling I don't know if all will agree with me, but I would take 5 or so (perhaps more), trunks of different sizes, and cut off the rest to seek a clump style...

Well once I removed too much roots to a tree and gave it Thiamine for 2 weeks or so, and it did pretty great, I don't know if that would work for pines...

I don't believe this post is really helpful, but it's the best I can offer you, at least until other, more experienced members, post...

Good Luck

__________________
Jose Alberto Franco
Guatemala
Central America
http://www.doschivos.com

Mnbonsai

Jose,
Thanks for your response. Any information is a help. I just wonder if I should spray the roots with water now. I do have it in the garage with the doors shut. The roots are still pliable but some of the feeders are breakable.

This is a huge task for my experience - but I would rather try it than let it go to waste.

Robert

Dear Minnesota,
I think Jose gave you some good advice about trimming off many branches to compensate for the root losses. Beyond that, I would suggest you also cut off the ends of the long roots.....cut to fit into your box.....and then as soon as possible plant it.....preferably in bonsai mix, (A mix with good drainage) or, if that's not available, put in pure sand. Then water it in well.....'til the water is draining out of the bottom of the box.....then don't water it often....perhaps about once in two weeks.
Being in Minnesota, I'd suggest you store it in an unheated garage, or other structure to keep it out of the wind and in a place where it won't freeze; by freezine, I mean don't let the moisture in the box freeze. The branches of the tree are not very vulnerable at this point...it is the roots you want to protect.
Then, in the spring, when the frosts are light, and only at night and short term, (the sun during the day warms things up above 35 degrees, at least) put the tree out in a sunny place, and water it weekly.
Probably by april or may you'll notice some buds opening and new needles coming in. Then you'll know that you helped the tree survive the trauma it experienced.
I see some very nice trunk on the tree. I'd say it has very good potential.
If you have access to a local Bonsai Club, I'd suggest you join it, and you'll have the opportunity to learn a great deal about bonsai.
When you trim the branches, try to cut them so as to leave some needles on each branch. If you cut back behind the needles, chances you'll have sever die-back.
If the tree is 5" now, cut it down to about 3". If the branches are 3" long, cut them back to about 18"....but keeping some needles.
You have a good project there...but don't become impatient with it; it will take a few years before it looks like a nice bonsai. Good luck.
Some people say putting Vitamin b 1 at time of transplant is important.
. If that makes you feel better, that you're making a good effort to save the tree, do it.
My sensei says it really doesn't matter, but you're feelings are important too, so do what you think is right.

Good luck.
Robert.......in Sta.Cruz

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Robert.........in Sta.Cruz

Mnbonsai

Robert,
Thanks for your reply. I will get it planted asap of course. Will a pine bud back on old wood? I believe what you are trying to say is no.

I will have to cut them back due to the fact that they are tall brances some 3 to 4 feet long. With a lack of foliage near the bottom this makes my inexperienced decision making difficult as to how far down to go with the pruning.

I will try to determine where to go here, Im just a little paniced becasue of the scope and I dont want to mess up the tree.

I am still at the stage where creativity doesnt come quick and this is in need of a decision as quickly as possible as it needs stability I would guess soon.

Thanks Again.
Tim

Mnbonsai

Well,
That took some time. I finnaly got this planted and somewhat cutdown believe it or not.
Now I am seeking some preliminary styling advice. I realize this shouldnt be taking place now but I think some foliage should still be removed due to the root mass.

I would like to deaden some of the areas at the lower portion to balance out the look. Most of the foliage is near the top and this has to be significantly shortened.

I realize the rubbermaid box is too cool for most of you so no funny comments - its all I had at a moments notice!
Any Ideas would help greatly.

Thanks Much
Tim

Robert

Dear Minnesota,
I'm glad you got it planted quickly....but it's CRITICAL that that container have drainage......if there are no holes in the bottom, take something and poke quite a few holes in it......or put it into something else WITH HOLES.
You may feel you've taken a lot of branches off the tree, but you haven't even started. You could take about 90 % off, and the tree would still be viable. Please, at this point, don't be too concerned with styling. The tree is still MUCH too tall and wide. Take AT LEAST half of the foliage off now. You can leave a couple of longer branches on to keep some needles on the tree, but most of the wood, especially around that beautiful base, needs to come off.
Incidentally, from what I can tell from the pictures, it looks to me like a Mugho Pine. That's a very good bonsai subject......and you have quite a nice mature one too. They grow very slowly, but make nice bonsai.
Is there a bonsai club in your vicinity? I think that's critical too....if you want to know what you're doing. If not, do you know of anyone in the area who knows about bonsai? Perhaps a local nursery has someone. Are there any Japanese gardeners in the area.....they frequently knowabout bonsai.
Generally, people are happy to share their knowledge with you....and you need that experience.
I've tried to do bonsai for years from books, etc., but I never really knew what I was doing 'til I joined a bonsai club. I can't recommend it more highly.
Again, DRAINAGE IS CRITICAL....so get some holes in that pot, (never mind what it looks like now....just call it a "growing pot", and that's fine. It's what the tree will look like in 3 or 4 years that counts.
If you're young and impetuous, (wanting to do things right away), go out and buy some small juniper at a nursery, and trim on that, etc.....but leave this pine alone for the winter.
Perhaps it sounds as though I'm lecturing you, and that's not my intent,but you're asking for advice and this is the best I have.
Good luck.
Your specific question: YES, these pines do bud back on bare wood, but there must be some green on the end of the branch....to draw the vitality from the roots. After you get buds opening near the trunk, then you can cut off the long branch.

Robert.......in Sta.Cruz

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Robert.........in Sta.Cruz

Mnbonsai

Robert,
I understand your concerns and appretiate your help. I have studying Bonsai for over a year now and understand basic techniques - drainage etc. There is drainage in the Box. I was making a joke about the rubbermaid.
It has been my experience that a style should be kept in mind before removing any branches - at least its how I have been doing it. I have mostly tropicals and deciduous trees now. Some Junipers and only one pine planted outdoors.

I guess I wasnt clear enough about my requests - I am looking for styling "options" from more experienced people than myself, due to the size etc. I usually require this before any removal of material is done. I really dont look to follow others but the wide array of experience here helps my decision making. And to be honest this is the toughest for me to conceive a style for to date.

I realize styling is not prudent now, but I would think that one should have this in mind while reducing the subject.

Im not really chomping at the bit to get a finished tree done, just enough to head in the right direction so I can let it rest until spring.


Again Thanks for your help, hopefully I will get to an end result shortly.
P.S. You are right about finding a Bonsai club near me but I am about 80 mi from the local club so Its not always possible to make them. I have been to a few of the larger group meetings so far.

weirdowl

Hi MN,
This is just a thought, definitely not advice. It looks like you may have two good trunks there. The main one, and the smaller one to the right. I think I would try to use those and do away with much of the rest. I would probably cut off most if not all of the small branches to the left and try to make some kind of deadwood/jin thing there. Are there any branches growing on the left side of the main trunk? If not, then maybe you could keep one of the smaller branches to the left to come up and fill in that space. That might be hard to get to look convincing though. Like I said, just a thought.

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weirdowl