Ponderosa - The Big O

Originally Posted by rschlafer

No, this tree was from Colorado. When prepping this tree this is what I did: Where I collect, for the most part, is very rocky with lots of rock outcroppings. This tree was growing in a pocket of soil. So I dug half way around the pocket of soil (by dug I mean loosened the rootball from the rock with a ballpin hammer and a chisel). While digging, there there were quite a few pencil size and larger roots that were running off into cracks in the rocks that had to be cut. So after cutting them I took some of the "duff" (decomposing pine needles) that the tree is growing in and I place that and black plastic under the side of the rootball I dug. That way when I dug the other half this fall I wouldn't disturb the roots I had cut in the spring. All new root growth from that side would be contained in the plastic. Also, if you go back and look and no new roots are growing you can cover it back up and wait another year.

I also visited it 5 times since spring and brought it water each time, and made a little dam on the downward slop to help it collect as much rainwater as possible.

That's what I did with this tree. I hope this helps a little.