|
|
|||||||
| Register | FAQ | Members List | Calendar | Mark Forums Read |
| Forum | Gallery | Weather | Journals | Links | Webring | Wiki | NEW:Shop |
| Articles | Opinion | T.O.D. | NEW:Radio | Contests | Humor | NEW: Auctions! | Donate |
 |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes | ||
|
| ||||
30-Jan-2006
|
#1 |
|
Greybeard
 
|
Juniper's again?
It's the one tree that can be collected with the most potential at having something worthy of a speciman tree. Unless you happen to have access to a couple of myrtle trees that are about 60 years old!
On January 14 Harry found his way to Mojave. He brought along some members of Santa Cruz bonsai club as guests. The weather was great, a little nippy in the morning but otherwise a sun filled day with clouds dancing overhead. The rains in the desert have helped make this a great year for digging. The soil is soft and the rocks just pop right out of the ground. When this soil hardens up in a few months, you can't dig these with anything but dynamite. I was guest of Garetth Shepard, (JGSbonsai here) along with Melisan and bonsaikoi. I was able to bag four trees. Three of them have enormous potential and one will need a few years to fill out in the branch dept. It has great potential too or I wouldn't have dug it. It's just that the foliage was way out on the tips of the branches and it will have to be chased back in close to the trunk. This will take a few years. The other three can undergo bonsai techniques next year after settling in. The photo's I will post are mostly self explanatory. The large juniper with a great trunk was along the road. I took a picture because of its shape. This tree is a large as a bus. The picture of the bush along side my shovel is the first tree that I dug. It was the least suitable. I have photographed it in detail to the wrapping stage of the roots. The shovel handle if for size referance. There are some photo's of a few fellows parked near us, and from the look on their face, they are happy with what they have dug. I have some photo's of a great oak dug by Garreth and Koi. It was about 4 feet tall, about 6 inches across at the bottom, and great shari at the trunk line. I have no photo's of the tree by itself. Garreth, want to show us the whole thing? There are some pictures of Melisan packing the oak with wet newspaper. A great way to keep the precious roots wet. I had a lot of fun and can't wait for the next dig. Some time this month or next. Regards, Al
__________________
Real men don't wear coats with "happi" in the title. Last edited by bonsaial1 : 30-Jan-2006 at 01:45 AM. |
|
|
|
Sponsor Message
|
Juniper's again? |
|
Forum Sponsor
|
|
|
30-Jan-2006
|
#2 |
|
Greybeard
|
Some proud guys...
Digging that wonderful oak..
__________________
Real men don't wear coats with "happi" in the title. |
|
|
|
|
30-Jan-2006
|
#3 |
|
Greybeard
|
Melissa packing the oaks roots with wet newspaper..
2:00 PM and I start for home. I find myself heading right for a nasty looking squall line. I hit very heavy rain around Visailia.
__________________
Real men don't wear coats with "happi" in the title. |
|
|
|
|
30-Jan-2006
|
#4 |
|
Greybeard
|
On Sunday, the next day, I head out to plant the junipers in lava, sand and pumice. No organics used for repotting of these trees. Where they come from is organic poor and almost solid decomposed granite.
I ended up with three really great trees with unusual variety. A nice smallish formal upright, a very large trunked semi-cascade, and a double trunked speciman with a very nice small daughter trunk. I am very happy with these new projects for the future.
__________________
Real men don't wear coats with "happi" in the title. |
|
|
|
|
30-Jan-2006
|
#5 |
|
Greybeard
|
This is two junipers from last year that suffered from the same plight as the one I have not shown this year. They both had green way out on the tips of branches. This year they have been pruned back hard ti induce budding back in on the trunk. When force fed fertilizer, these junipers can grow green really fast. These are stable now and growing like weeds. They have not stopped growing all winter.
I hope to have something green to start playing with by fall. Thanks for looking in, Al Keppler.
__________________
Real men don't wear coats with "happi" in the title. |
|
|
|
|
30-Jan-2006
|
#6 |
|
bonsaiTALK Expert
|
Junipers
Thanks Al for posting. The trip was wonderful and we are so greatful to have had the chance to go.Harry Hirao was so helpful. He pointed out trees he thought had great interest and taught me the best way to dig up these awesome trees.
Bonsaikoi and I put the trees in grow out boxes. While Bonsaikoi was building boxes, I was sifting pounds and pounds of pumice! What a workout. We wired down the trees to make sure there would be absolutely no movement. Can't wait to go again on a dig! Melissa |
|
|
|
|
3-Feb-2006
|
#7 |
|
bonsaiTALK Adept
|
Oaks on a Juniper dig?
Al and Melissa: Thanks for taking the pictures of us hard at work. I have finally got around to taking the pictures (not very good ones) you suggested of the collected Tucker oak in the pot. This oak is very tall and has a hollow trunk for 90% of the height. The hollow part is about 3/4 of the depth of the trunk and it is naturally aged. This feature is very dramatic although the pictures don’t show it well. It is 12 inches in diameter at the base and 43 inches tall at the last live branch. About the top 6 inches is dead and will be removed as soon as I get enough energy to cut through that hard wood. Harry suggested it would be a good one to dig but it may be too tall to be a bonsai unless it buds back lower on the trunk.
I have also posted a picture of the oak that I collected two years ago in a nearby location. This one is doing fine and it has grown new branches back very low on the trunk. It looks a little bare because I just repotted and cut it back. I also removed about 50% of the leaves on the remaining branches to help it recover from the transplant. It is 8inches in diameter and 23 inches tall. I will see you and the rest of the Bonsaitalk crew at the Shohin Seminar tomorrow. Gareth |
|
|
|
|
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads
|
||||
| Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
| Once & for all, junipers inside yes or no? | Joanie | Indoor & Greenhouse Bonsai | 65 | 14-Sep-2007 02:57 PM |
| urgent help: collecting junipers | UGA_22 | Collector's Corner | 7 | 27-Oct-2005 02:48 AM |
| Juniper question, for those experienced with growing habits of junipers. | bonsaijack | General | 2 | 20-Sep-2005 05:13 PM |
| Starting New Junipers | treeoflife | Propagation | 4 | 5-Aug-2003 03:01 PM |
| Trimming Junipers | Earl | General | 1 | 3-Mar-2002 07:20 AM |
Linear Mode
