New Free Pine

Mike_Westervelt

I don't know about the rest of you, but I have personally coveted many trees that looked to be neglected, or in danger of removal due to overgrowth or construction or whatever, and waited, procrastinated whatever, only to drive by a year later and find it gone and some begonias, or something in their place.
Yesterday I drove by one such pine at a school, and lo and behold, there one the end of the building is a backhoe excavating around the foundation. So I ask the foreman, " you fellers gonna be diggin down yonder under them shrubs?" and he says, " why yes we are, why do you ask", and I respond " I wonder if you would be so kind as to dig that one green one out for me, I would gladly buy you a bottle of whiskey for your trouble. After he wiped the, are you some kind of an idiot look, off his face, he replied, "sure, but I only drink beer, do you want it right now?"
Anyway enough rambling, the point is don't be afraid to ask, as I have been guilty of too many times
So this is what I got for a case of Coors light.

It is about 10"-12" at the ground, main trunk w/shari is 6"(didn't realize part of trunk was dead, it faced the school), and the top of the foliage is about 44".

So Whaddya think, any styling ideas. I realize it's a crappy picture but I needed to get it in the garden promply as all the soil had fallen off.

Mike

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bnsaijim

The best would be a Tanuki.

I wouldn't count my styling ideas before the the tree lives. Doesn't look like there is anything resembling fine root- certain death toll for pines. If it does survive I would count on several years before you have a healthy tree to work with.

Jim Stone
TX

Adam_MA

Maybe it's just the picture but it doesn't look like there are many roots left on that tree. Now I'm not experienced with collecting but if there are some roots there and it was mine I would cut WAY back on the foliage, keep it in a protected environment and make sure the foliage is kept misted rather well.

If this one makes it, it will make a great bonsai!

Adam

TreeBay

EDIT: MATT WAS WRONG WHEN WROTE:

Omigosh what a trunk! But why did they cut off the entire root system? Get your six pack back!

Not much hope for this one. Cut the foliage back 90-95%, leaving just 10 or 12 buds. Put it under periodic mist in a greenhouse with high humidity, plant in something free draining like pumice or perlite or very coarse washed sand.

Great eye on the potential, but terrible execution on the collecting. I am glad I don't have to watch this one turn brown, that would hurt.

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Mike_Westervelt

It's already planted in the garden in this picture, there were a lot of pencil sized roots, but not a bunch of fine ones. Keeping fingers crossed.Wrong season too.
Oh and I did remove a 4" branch that supported the majority of the foilage, it stuck out the back, 90 degrees off the trunk about a halfway up the angled section of trunk.
Thanks for the input.
Mike

bnsaijim

Maybe there's hope then. It's not the worst season to dig it up. It really looks like a root base sitting on bare dirt....

I'd keep it misted then and watch water well- make sure that enough water will get down to all the roots.

I'd be hesitant about cutting anything else back until the tree decides what sap lines it will keep alive.

Jim Stone
TX

Mike_Westervelt

It's already planted in the garden in this picture, there were a lot of pencil sized roots, but not a bunch of fine ones. Keeping fingers crossed.Wrong season too.
Oh and I did remove a 4" branch that supported the majority of the foilage, it stuck out the back, 90 degrees off the trunk about a halfway up the angled section of trunk.
Thanks for the input.
Mike

Mike_Westervelt

Oh, I see what you guys saw now. It looks like there was once another trunk where that knob on the right side of the base, thats why the base is so large.I actually had to dig a hole 4' in diameter, and 18" deep to get the roots in, I would have preferred to put it in a box to better control water, but didn't have time to build one before kids soccer game.
Oh and Matt you've obviously never lived in SW Washington in the Fall, periodic misting, Ha
Mike

TreeBay

Oh thank goodness it's PLANTED in the ground!

It's funny several of us had thought the roots had been hacked off. I think it was that little cutback bit that made it appear as if the entire trunk was clipped off.

YEAH!

I was in Seattle a month ago and it was in the nineties with only a cloud or two and hazy; I just wanted to escape!

No worries on the mist if you have roots to spare. I expect to see a fine bonsai here soon!

Congratulations!

Matt

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