Try to find my own bonsai in the woods ?

[bonsaidude]

Haha yes me again, Ok so I live in CT were maples are around. Say if I were to go for a hike and try to find one ( persay even now winter ) obv be dormant. I wouldnt know how to identify it without leaves but wont ask you to tell me how to unless you want to, my main guestion is is it possible to find a really young one growing random say 10 inch tall or even 30 inch tall can you chop him ( not were here stand meaning upper trunk keeping roots ) and mess with him to make it a bonsai or is this somthin you need to start with a seed. Ps does it have to be trident maple ? and one more question to throw in how the hell do u guys chop a whole trunk nice and smooth what tool for a bonsai ?

[josh1812@live.com]

your questions are a little confusing but here it goes.
Yamadori is the Japanese name for collecting trees in the wild. This is the pretty much only way to get a beautiful bonsai in one life time. I would advise you not to dig it up judging by your lack of experience. You should learn some basics first. But if you decide to continue here are a few pointers.

When you look for a plant make sure you will be able tore move it and style it accordingly.

You should look for a trunk that tapers which means it swells at the base and gradually thins as it goes up.

I would advise you not to dig up a sapling rather a larger tree.

You will need a few tools such as a shovel and somewhere to put it and some soil

Now it is possible that you can find it the size you want

Obviously it does not have to be a trident it wouldn't even grow naturally in your area

We chop the trunk with assorted tools

If you need more info be more specific

[bonsaidude]

sry about details but you answerd everything by saying its called Yamadori so I started researching and found alot of info. Diddnt know they had a name for it lol or woulda did that first thank you.

[tarian]

something done by members at my club is air layering branches or trunks of tree's obviously to get the old looking bark and a tree at a sutible size

[Rosaelyn]

One thing to be sure of when you are collecting yamadori is to be sure that you collecting from some place where you have the proper permissions to do so.

[tarian]

if you don't have permission then its not illigall to air layer it

[Rosaelyn]

Hmmm, that still does not sound very legal to me...

[Gnome]

bonsaidude,

is it possible to find a really young one growing random say 10 inch tall or even 30 inch tall can you chop him ( not were here stand meaning upper trunk keeping roots ) and mess with him to make it a bonsai or is this somthin you need to start with a seed.

Yes, you can get a young tree from the wild, but consider whether you really want to. The point of collecting a tree is to get something that has, at least a little, character. If you are willing to start with a simple sapling there are better ways to acquire one. Although I usually suggest avoiding growing from seed at first, that certainly is an option. You can also purchase seedlings or, better yet, buy a nursery tree that has the first years behind it.

Norm

[TomM]

Dude, It's me again - different thread. If you want to learn a lot about collecting yamadori - and you should - here's the best read : BONSAI FROM THE WILD, collecting, styling & caring for bonsai by Nick Lenz. For me this is the collectors Bible. And Nick knows his stuff. He is in Western Mass. not so far from your neck of the woods. That's important because he really specializes in the trees of the Norteastern U.S. AND he is a very FUNNY guy. He makes learning FUN.
If you cannot find his book - I will try to find one for you.
TomM

[Marsman]

Stone Lantern has the book for sale: [url=https://www.stonelantern.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=lenz]Bonsai from the Wild, 2nd Ed[/url]

And to your point about collecting maples in Connecticut. I too live in CT and have 150+ acres of woods behind my house. I wandered back there for hours and my conclusion is...They are all sticks. Tall and straight for the most part. That's not what you want. Swamp maple have large leaves that are poor for bonsai. What you need to do is start poking around the nurseries come Spring, or go to a bonsai nursery and find a good candidate. There are some very good bonsai nurseries in CT and Mass. PM me if you want a recommendation.

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Knowing where to look is the important thing... To get a tree worth doing, you have to look in a place which is inhospitable to the species. It causes them to do exaggerated things to survive. So try and find a place which is hostile to trees, but still has them... and then find out who owns the space. Most land owners don't really care about what's on the back 40, and would likely be willing to let you take out the trip hazzards that we love. Often times, if it's state land, you can get a "logging permit" to take out small trees.

That's why places like the high mountain desserts of CA are so popular for trees... very inhospitable place where trees eek out a bare exsistance over hundreds of years. Some of my yamadori are easily 200 years old plus... but have great compaction and are quite small. Having to chop a yamadori means it isn't much of a yamadori (though there are exceptions to this statement).

Kindest regards,

Victrinia

PS. Do what Gnome says until you are ready, because he is correct. And remember... yamadori are NOT instant bonsai... the attrition rate is high... and it takes 2-5 years to actually be able to work on them at all, depending on the tree... so don't think you'll get something and have something you can work on any time soon.

[Marsman]

Just got my Nick Lenz book in the mail yesterday and stayed up late reading it. I'm enjoying it thoroughly.

Also, come this Spring, I'll be going to one or two of Nick's workshops at his house and I'll get the book signed! WOOT!!!

[TomM]

Marsman - I'm glad you are enjoying this book. Nick is quite the author, bonsai expert/artist, potter and humorist !!!
I did get his autograph in my copy. He shares my love of larch for bonsai. Do not miss his poison ivy bonsai on pages 180-181.
Please report back after your workshops in the Spring, and take a camera along. ENJOY.

[Tachigi]

Haha yes me again, Ok so I live in CT were maples are around. Say if I were to go for a hike and try to find one ( persay even now winter ) obv be dormant. I wouldnt know how to identify it without leaves but wont ask you to tell me how to unless you want to, my main guestion is is it possible to find a really young one growing random say 10 inch tall or even 30 inch tall can you chop him ( not were here stand meaning upper trunk keeping roots ) and mess with him to make it a bonsai or is this somthin you need to start with a seed. Ps does it have to be trident maple ? and one more question to throw in how the hell do u guys chop a whole trunk nice and smooth what tool for a bonsai ?

Hi bonsaidude,

I collect trees as part of my business, so let me give you my 2 cents worth.

To start with Maples for bonsai in your neck of the woods are pretty tough to come by...you might find an Amur or possibly a hedge maple...both of which are generally considered a more difficult species to cultivate for bonsai and you should have at least intermediate skills to really pull this off. I would suggest a Hornbeam or American Elm as a deciduous species for your first collection.

To identify trees this time of year I would suggest you pair yourself off with someone from a local club that has collected in your area before. They will be able to help with correct technique and identification ...and improve your success rate tremendously.

If that is not an option for you I would suggest the following readings:

Peterson Field Guide : A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs: Northeastern and north-central United States and southeastern and south-centralCanada
A quick link to a seller: [url=https://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Trees-Shrubs-south-centralCanada/dp/039535370X/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thehelpfulgar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325]https://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Trees-Shrubs-south-centralCanada/dp/039535370X/[/url]
This book will help you identify trees anytime of year.

John Naka's Techniques 1 & 2 will help with collection technique

Nick Lenz's book as mentioned above.

I would suggest before you rip some poor little victim from the ground you take a walk to see what you can identify, and make sure that the area is legal to collect from. When I collect I always scout it before I collect. I never ever take collection tools with me during this process. Its a distraction diverting your attention from your true mission. Your more likely to collect any old thing. So scout first and mark your trees for collection, by GPS and/or notes. Remember that a good piece of yamadori is not easily found. So you must like the hunt as much as the collection...makes it more gratifying when you find "THE" tree.

Hope that helped

[Marsman]

Tom,

Thanks for the suggestion on the Perterson's Guide. Just this morning I was considering posting a thread asking for a good book to help me. I hate it that I can't ID some basic trees and this book will help me out considerably.

[jason_mazzy]

if you can leave it in the ground for a longer period of time ( a few years ) do this: find a decent size young maple, smaller leafed variety, about 2-4 inches caliper. mark the tree with neon pink matking tape (or any bright color) when the tree is dormant in the middle of witer, chop it to 5 or 6 inches or so. also make a ring about 18 inches around it witha shovel (digging a surface ring a spades length deep). Then wait. Come spring it will grow new shoots from stump. wait till early summer and redig ring a bit deeper(and possible underneath severing main tap root). Water and superthrive fertalize heavily. wait till winter. check tree and rework spade but do not lift plant. now you can rincse and repeat for 2 or 3 years watching development of tree or at end of winter right b4 spring you can transplant that tree to a big wide pot and start working on its care, helping it grow a strong rootball. then followuing season begin training tree.