[IBC] (newbie) burr-oak.. will it bud back?
 

Ian Timshel wrote:

Hi all.
This is my first post here and it's a big group! You folks seem very
active.
snip

Welcome to our insanity. You will never be the same.

I have no trees, tools or books and am in no hurry to acquire them,
although I have begun the patient process of considering a starting
point. ;^) Spending money is likely the easy part..ehh

My problem too. Self-discipline is important, so that you don't just grab at the
first things you see. Read as much as you can. Try the local library, and
inter-library loan if necessary. Try the Internet too. There are a lot of good
sites. Brent Walston's site at www.evergreengardenworks.com is one of the best,
with lots of informative articles.

snip

My initial fantasy was to glean a burr-oak from the back bush. I have
155 acres to wander (zone 3a in Canada) and the deer have mangled many
young trees into attractive aesthetic shapes.

Hold off on collecting trees until you have some experience. Try to do it with
someone who has experience in collecting a tree for bonsai.


Queston one is: Does anyone know if burr-oak will bud back?

I don't know about that species, but most deciduous trees will bud back.

Second question is: Am I a dolt for considering making a beginning in
this direction?

Not at all. I started collecting trees at the very beginning, although I had
nobody to learn from and I learned the hard way what to do and not to do. A little
knowledge and discernment can go a long way.

My plan intitially was to spend quite a bit of time wandering the back
yard marking candidates while asking questions and posting pictures.
Does this sound reasonable?


That's a good idea. Look at the root base and lower trunk first. The upper part
of the tree can be developed later. The root base, which is the point at which the
trunk flares as it divides off into roots, is the most difficult part of a bonsai
to develop. See if you can find a specimen that has roots that radiate out
somewhat evenly. You might have to dig around the base of the tree carefully to
expose these roots. After that, the movement of the lower trunk is important.


Cheers! Ian.



Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a

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[IBC] (newbie) burr-oak.. will it bud back?
 

Craig Cowing squeezed out:

Ian Timshel wrote:

Hi all.
This is my first post here and it's a big group! You folks seem very
active.
snip

Welcome to our insanity. You will never be the same.

I have no trees, tools or books and am in no hurry to acquire them,
although I have begun the patient process of considering a starting
point. ;^) Spending money is likely the easy part..ehh

My problem too. Self-discipline is important, so that you don't just
grab at the
first things you see. Read as much as you can. Try the local
library, and
inter-library loan if necessary. Try the Internet too. There are a
lot of good
sites. Brent Walston's site at www.evergreengardenworks.com is one of
the best, with lots of informative articles.

snip

My initial fantasy was to glean a burr-oak from the back bush. I
have 155 acres to wander (zone 3a in Canada) and the deer have
mangled many young trees into attractive aesthetic shapes.

Hold off on collecting trees until you have some experience. Try to
do it with someone who has experience in collecting a tree for bonsai.


Queston one is: Does anyone know if burr-oak will bud back?

I don't know about that species, but most deciduous trees will bud
back.

Second question is: Am I a dolt for considering making a beginning
in this direction?

Not at all. I started collecting trees at the very beginning,
although I had nobody to learn from and I learned the hard way what to
do and not to do. A little knowledge and discernment can go a long
way.

My plan intitially was to spend quite a bit of time wandering the
back yard marking candidates while asking questions and posting
pictures. Does this sound reasonable?


That's a good idea. Look at the root base and lower trunk first. The
upper part
of the tree can be developed later. The root base, which is the point
at which the trunk flares as it divides off into roots, is the most
difficult part of a bonsai
to develop. See if you can find a specimen that has roots that
radiate out
somewhat evenly. You might have to dig around the base of the tree
carefully to
expose these roots. After that, the movement of the lower trunk is
important.


Cheers! Ian.



Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a
===============
Craig.
Thanks for your comments.

Your insanity appears vaguely familiar somehow..heh

I am chasing some books but need a trip into the city to buy.

www.evergreengardenworks.com had escaped me. Thanks for the link, it
looks great.

I don't so much want to collect trees right away, but instead, begin to
consider the process of doing so. I also want to find a more "entry"
level approach to teach me some of the standard skills required to
become competent.

Your comments regarding root and trunk development are so very valuable
to the newbie. These are the types of gems that personal input can
make clear with relative ease. Wading through libraries full of
information often fails to yield this type of important point. I'm
grateful for access to such experience. This leaves me with much to do,
and this will help with the self discipline no doubt..ehh


How would you "prove" a bud back capability?

Cheers! Ian.

N 49 12' 30"
W 96 53' 45"

Variables won't; constants aren't. -- Osborn
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