Yamadori - Can it be done in winter?

Jay

Sooo..... I have returned from a wonderful week in the cool Adirondacks. My wife and I spent what was one of the hottest weeks away from home. Admittedly, home is Orange Co NY not the super hot weather some of us get, but it was in the 90's and muggy pretty much all week. Enough of my weather report!

While on the lake, I noticed several trees that would be wonderful to collect. I know the owner of one the properties and have been given carte blanc to collect as I please (within reason). A few of these trees, the best ones, are on a rock wall going pretty much straight down into the water. The water is better than 40 feet deep at this point. The trees are from 6 to 20 feet above the water and at least 40 feet below the top. During the winter, the ice on the lake can get two or three feet thick, thick enough to safely drive cement trucks over (that's what they do!).

I am hoping to be out there in January or February, on a weekend when the temps are in the low 30's or upper 20's. I could place a ladder up to the lower trees and see if they can be collected. If so, would I be able to do it then? As for the type of trees I am only guessing at this point... one or two pines, a couple of hemlocks and a few cedars.

Any thoughts from those in the group with knowledge

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

Advertisement

Bonsainut

Ive done alot of yamis but not in this kind o weather. I've had best result duing these same months you list.
I imagine if you could even dig in this frozen stuff and could get a real good rootball get it home and heeled in your chances would be good.
My advice would be to start off with a few ---there will be plenty of years ahead to get more. See how those react, and learn with them.

treenut

Don't forget to take your camera I would love to see some pics of this area.Drive across the ice in a cement truck,no thanks.

TreeBay

I may not be understanding what you're up against, but, if you can dig, you can collect.

The problem is if you have that much ice on the lake you can be sure the ground is frozen, and probably to a significant depth if it is saturated with water. Digging frozen ground can be like chipping concrete.

Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

Jay

Matt and Nut(s) thanks for the thoughts. I will be back up to the lake at the end of August and will try and get a few pixs. A little more info for you.... the trees are growing in this large rock face. It is possible, very possible, I may not be able to get them at all.
The reason for doing it in the middle of the winter, is it is the only time I can figure out a way to get up to them. Some maybe growing in cracks in the rock, in these cases I will not be able to free the roots and will not attempt to take the tree. Others may be in little pockets in the rocks, hopefully these will be able to be retrieved. I realize that this is not the best time to retrieve a tree, but if I am to get them it is the only time I can think of a way to get up to them!

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

ripsgreentree

If the dead of winter is the wrong time to collect you may have to brush up on your rock climing. If you found a tree that could be collected you could lower it down to someone in a boat. You could go down to the boat also as going down is much easier than climing up. Looking forward to pictures.

__________________
ripsgreentree

It requires an open hand to give and to recieve.

Jay

Rip... in my heart I know you are correct. Winter can not be the best or even second best time to collect. Unfortunetly, at my age and state of limberness, not to mention size.... rock climbing is not even close to being a posibility! The pictures that I hope to get in a few weeks will show you the situation. In addition, it may turn out that the 'gold' I see on those cliffs may turn to 'tin' under the more expert eyes available to me here...... I would not want to do it just to 'do it'. I will only attempt to collect these trees if they 1- stand a chance of survival and 2- will be worth adding to a collection!

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

treenut

Is this Jay?

Attached Images

ddial.bmp (56.3 KB, 53 views)

Jay

Treenut.... no not me!! But I will say the rock wall is not that different than the one I am talking about..... want to come along and climb?

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing