Collecting a tree along with beginner questions.

[DragonsBlood]

Ok well i thought i would ask here about collecting a tree. It is in my back yard and it is arounda foot tall it a pine tree other then that i don't know much about it.
I was wondering how to go about collecting it what i would need and what should be done after collecting it. i am planning on starting some ficus trees (from seedlings which i know everyone is against) so i can grow them inside which i think i will enjoy more.
Any suggestions on prep for the inside trees?
Also types of soil, peat, and other necassary items i would need. Thank you all for taking the time to look at my questions and even more thanks for those that answer. I have been reading quite a bit for a few weeks now and alot on this site.

[Gnome]

DragonsBlood,

Hello and welcome to the bonsai forum of the site. I checked your previous posts and discovered your question regarding growing Figs from seed. Sorry I have never tried that but you should know that Edible Figs and decorative Ficus are not the same species. The edible Fig that you are considering growing has very large leaves and a strong growth habit that would seem to make it a poor choice for bonsai.

Look here for some interesting facts regarding Figs. Note that lacking the presence of a specific insect the fruit/flower will not produce viable seeds.

I am planning on starting some ficus trees (from seedlings which I know everyone is against) so I can grow them inside which I think I will enjoy more.

Its not that we are against growing bonsai from seed, there are several distinct advantages to growing from seed. I am against beginners growing exclusively from seed as it will take several years of simply growing them out before you can begin anything that resembles bonsai. And if you don't know a few tricks, more later if you wish, you lose one of the advantages of growing from seed in the first place.

It is far better to approach bonsai from more than one direction. For instance there is no reason not to buy nursery material while you are waiting for your seedlings to mature a bit. Or You can also consider looking for at least on piece of stock that is a little further along, sometimes called pre-bonsai.

Any suggestions on prep for the inside trees? Also types of soil, peat, and other necassary items I would need.

Supplemental lighting would probably be at the top of the list. Look here for help with lighting and other aspects of indoor culture. Avoid the peat, if the wrong product is chosen it will lead to nothing but trouble. Please read the stick thread/s regarding soils and re-potting. We will be glad to help with any specific questions you may have.

Ok well I thought I would ask here about collecting a tree. It is in my back yard and it is arounda foot tall it a pine tree other then that I don't know much about it. I was wondering how to go about collecting it what I would need and what should be done after collecting it.

As far as the Pine goes, wait till spring, actually probably late spring or early summer is more accurate. I have tried to collect several pines and have killed them all. I think I was too aggressive in pruning the foliage of the newly dug tree. I am now growing some Scots Pine from seed and am having much better luck. Pines are one of the species that benefit greatly from being grown from seed as they can be handled appropriately from the beginning.

Try to identify the Pine you have. Look for the parent tree. Note the arrangement of the needles. How many needles grow in a bundle? That is the first key to identifying the tree. One tip for now, don't prune any branches of the seedling no matter what you may have read about keeping the bottom 1/3 of a bonsai trunk bare, it is too soon for any of that and will severely limit your options. I hope this helps a bit for now.

Norm

[DragonsBlood]

Thank you very much norm and i will wait till spring to collect it but what if it seems to big by then? and I have already read through the site u connected me to thank you very much for your help!

[Gnome]

DragonsBlood,

Thank you very much norm

You are welcome.

I will wait till spring to collect it but what if it seems to big by then?

I don't think that will be an issue. Fall is almost upon us and the tree will be slowing down soon.

Pines are different from deciduous material in that they are reluctant to break buds on older wood. The top of the tree will probably be used only as a sacrifice, in other words used only to thicken the trunk and then removed a few years from now. A lower branch then becomes the new leader. This is why I cautioned you against removing any low branches now.

Norm