Yesterday i was outside and i noticed a little maple in a small tree line at
the edge of my property.it must've been mowed over in the past couple of years
and has stayed small and has interesting scarring on one side.Anyway my
question is this,when would be the best time to collect it.i have read through
my bonsai books and saw that the answeres vary.some suggest collect them in
fall right as the amples begin their dormancy and some suggest in spring when
they start budding out.which would be my best bet to keep the tree healthy.
thanks
Aaron

Yesterday i was outside and i noticed a little maple in a small tree line at
the edge of my property.it must've been mowed over in the past couple of years
and has stayed small and has interesting scarring on one side. BRBR

Before you waste any time, find out what kind of a maple it is. If it is a
seedling of a nearby street tree, it is probably a Norway maple and useless for
bonsai.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

On 8 Sep 2004 at 0:50, AJCarroll1019 wrote:

Yesterday i was outside and i noticed a little maple in a small tree line at
the edge of my property.it must've been mowed over in the past couple of years
and has stayed small and has interesting scarring on one side.Anyway my
question is this,when would be the best time to collect it.i have read through
my bonsai books and saw that the answeres vary.some suggest collect them in
fall right as the amples begin their dormancy and some suggest in spring when
they start budding out.which would be my best bet to keep the tree healthy.
thanks

Spring. It is _possible_ to collect in the fall, but you need
to be an expert at keeping plants alive in less-than-optimal
conditions to get them though the dormant period that follows.

If those books _recommended_ fall collecting, dump them.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Jim Lewis wrote:

On 8 Sep 2004 at 0:50, AJCarroll1019 wrote:

Yesterday i was outside and i noticed a little maple in a small tree line at
the edge of my property.it must've been mowed over in the past couple of years
and has stayed small and has interesting scarring on one side.Anyway my
question is this,when would be the best time to collect it.i have read through
my bonsai books and saw that the answeres vary.some suggest collect them in
fall right as the amples begin their dormancy and some suggest in spring when
they start budding out.which would be my best bet to keep the tree healthy.
thanks

Spring. It is _possible_ to collect in the fall, but you need
to be an expert at keeping plants alive in less-than-optimal
conditions to get them though the dormant period that follows.

If those books _recommended_ fall collecting, dump them.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

Jim:
I think it depends at least in part in your particular climate. In both Maine and
NY I have collected both in spring and fall and have noticed no difference in
survival rate.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Norway Maple have very large leaves and i dont think they decrease in
size too much. Maybe they would be alright for a 2 man size tree.
Rowan


On Wed, 8 Sep 2004 20:23:12 GMT, AJCarroll1019 wrote:
iris,
why would a norway maple be useless for bonsai?

--
Rowan

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Luke Tulkas wrote:

snip

If those books _recommended_ fall collecting, dump them.


Whoa! Another one of bonsai myths kicking in again!

The reality is this: time is crucial. If you can save a few months of it by
collecting in the fall, do it without hesitation. Wait, however, until the
leaves fall off. Notice that I didn't say until the tree goes dormant.
Because even until long after there's nothing happening above ground (not to
the naked eye, that is), roots still grow until temperatures drop well below
freezing. Also, roots begin to grow well before things start happening above
ground in the spring. A few caveats are in order, however: don't stick the
collected tree into a shallow pot right away, plant it into a training
container (that isn't really a problem, since the tree isn't showable for at
least one year after collecting) and shelter from drying winds. All the
collecting guidelines still apply, of course: try to grab as much of the
rootball as possible, not disturbing it too much in the process, use free
draining soil mix, don't forget to water during the winter, etc. Your maple
will do fine.

I wouldn't recommend putting a tree collected in the fall into any kind of pot.
Dig a hole, put it in, mulch it well with leaves, wood chips, etc. and let it sit
for the winter. Don't bare-root it, but collect as much of the root ball as
possible and don't disturb the rootball. Stick it in the ground and look at it in
spring. This is what I do and I have had a high degree of success wintering trees
I've collected in the fall.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

To me if the tree is nice and shows potential to you go for it. Part
of the fun and interest in bonsai is using different and/or
nontraditional material.

In answer to your question:

It would probably be best in late fall before winter sets in to dig it
up and pot it. The tree should be dormant and not subject to stress as
much. Doing it in early spring is okay too and it gives the tree some
time to recover by the next winter. I wouldn't dig it up in mid to
late summer as it's too hot then and not early enough in the year to
allow the tree to recover before winter sets in again. Good luck!

Layne

On 08 Sep 2004 20:23:12 GMT, (AJCarroll1019)
wrote:

iris,
why would a norway maple be useless for bonsai?

To me if the tree is nice and shows potential to you go for it. Part
of the fun and interest in bonsai is using different and/or
nontraditional material.

In answer to your question:

It would probably be best in late fall before winter sets in to dig it
up and pot it. The tree should be dormant and not subject to stress as
much. Doing it in early spring is okay too and it gives the tree some
time to recover by the next winter. I wouldn't dig it up in mid to
late summer as it's too hot then and not early enough in the year to
allow the tree to recover before winter sets in again. Good luck!

Layne

On 08 Sep 2004 20:23:12 GMT, (AJCarroll1019)
wrote:

iris,
why would a norway maple be useless for bonsai?