Collecting a tree from the wild or a garden

Found on: Bonsaitree.co.za

As mentioned in another of our articles dealing with the subject of how to increase one's bonsai collection a very popular source of mature, characterful trees are collecting them or said differently 'digging them up.' To achieve the same level of trunk development one can expect to find growing in the ground somewhere, one would have to grow a tree for many years in a large container or in the ground. There are no doubt certain points of discussion around collecting trees from the wild, and then there are also the problems relating to reducing the height of the tree, to one which is both manageable as a bonsai and part of the overall design you have in mind.

Before rushing out and digging up the first tree that catches your eye you should consider some of the following issues. As the main object of collecting a tree rather than buying one from a nursery or growing it yourself is that it is something which has already seen years of development in the ground and therefore has developed a substantial trunk girth. However the trunk has been allowed to grow unchecked therefore it would have no taper and would most likely be several meters tall. Cutting it back will leave a scar which even if performed correctly will take at least several years to heal over.The roots (or nebari) will also mainly consist of large storage roots and you will probably find few fine feeder roots close to the trunk. Therefore you will most likely have to develop the nebari from scratch. Lastly you need to consider that digging up a tree makes it your responsibility and unless you are fairly sure that it will survive the ordeal perhaps you should rather leave it where it is. Of course an exception would be where a tree is going to be killed by building activities or some other external factor, in such a case you could do no worse.

There are essentially two sources of collected trees; private or public gardens and the wild or nature. If you are like most other bonsai fanatics you will always be looking for bonsai material whereever you go. Should you see something you like growing in someone's garden or in a public park asking the owner in the case of a private garden, or the municipality in the case of public gardens can result in some sort of deal. For instance you might offer to replace the plant with something else, perhaps indigenous or something they would now prefer. If you know a landscaper you are one step ahead in the game. Often when a garden is being renewed the landscaper is required to remove old hedges and other plants from the client's garden. If they know you are on the look out for trees they may call you, giving you the oppertunity to remove the plant. It saves them the trouble and they know the plant will have a second life.

Collecting from the wild is another option but one which should be considered carefully. Unlike domesticated plants, something growing in the wild has not seen the same degree of attention in so far as feeding and watering. Therefore it is likely that anything you will find of substantial size has taken many years to develop. Before pursuing this source further you should be reasonably sure that once you have removed the tree from the wild you will have the necessary skill to keep it alive. If you feel you are capable then read on.

Before you steal onto a piece of land, park, farm or other property in the dead of night with a torch rather first first seek out someone with the authority to give you permission, trust me you will feel a lot more at ease while digging up the tree. Often times you will find that the person who owns the land will give their permission without a problem. Who knows you may form a new friendship which might lead to a long term source of trees which you can collect.

You will need the following tools for the dig:

1. Sharpened spade - so you can use it also to chop through roots
2. Saw - any normal tree pruning saw will do.
3. Shears - nice and sharp so you can cut away some of the foliage
4. Wrapping for the roots eg hessian sack cloth, plastic sheeting or even a large bin liner bag (thicker sort)
5. Lever - to assist you to remove stones from the root ball area and for lifting the tree out of the hole

Step 1 - making a decision

• So lets assume you have identified a tree which you would like to remove from the wild or a garden.
• Lets also assume that the season for removing the tree is correct (quite simply the best time would be the same as when you would expect to repot that species as a bonsai, generally this will be near the end of winter dormancy).
• You have permission and now all you need to do is collect the tree.

Step 2 - reducing the foliage

• Reduce the foliage of the tree so you are provided with easier access to the area around the roots, it will be easier to transport and will reduce the loss of moisture whilst the tree develops new roots.

Step 3 - digging

• Using the trunk as the centre, mark out a circle right around the tree. The diameter of the circle should be roughly the width of the pruned branches but as big as is possible to manage. (The more roots you are able to keep the better the trees chance of survival)
• Dig a ring of about a spade's width right around the tree, cutting roots where necessary. It is preferable to cut them neatly as it will stress the tree less when healing over the cuts and will also reduce the exposure of the tree to disease or other attack.

• Continue digging until you have passed the laterally growing roots. Towards the bottom start to angle in, under-cutting the tree root ball.
• Cut the taproot if present.
• The tree should feel very loose at this point and you should be able to manouver it around in the hole.

Step 4 - transporting your tree

• If possible lift the root ball carefully from the hole. If this is not possible then try levering it out. If this fails too then tie the lever to the trunk and have a friend or assistant help you lift the lever on both sides and thereby lift the tree from the ground.
• If the soil of the rootball is very dry it is very likely to fall off. In such a case it would be better to wrap the roots before lifting it out of the hole. By gently rocking the root ball from side to side it is possible to get the cloth underneath and to tie it together.
• Put the tree in your vehicle and take it home. If you plan to collect other trees prior to heading home make sure you dampen the covered roots and set it down in shade.

After care for your collected tree is very important and will be discussed in a future article. For the moment however, follow a similar approach used for caring for a tree after repotting.