Collecting Wild Bonsai & Aftercare Tips

Creating a bonsai tree by collecting wild plant is definitely the most stimulating method of getting bonsai. Finding a plant in its natural surroundings that has been shaped by Mother Nature is very distinctive. Many native species, often the best for bonsai training, are very difficult or impossible to find in a nursery. But collecting them outside in nature is a fantastic think to do.

Finding wild bonsai trees is a task at hand... You will need to get the attention of a landowner, be it National Forest, Indian Reservation, or home owner for their permission at first. Ask them it wont make you feel bad.

If it is the National Forest: It is generally easy to ask them for a plant digging permit within their Forest Service building. Not all National Forest will allow for a plant or tree digging permit, so you need to ask them first. Where I live I can get four plants or trees to be removed. Be sure and get a map of the area offered from them.

If it is an Indian Reservation: It is harder to get permission from them. You will need to call their Reservation Office to ask for their permission to dig up 3' or smaller plants and/or trees. The Reservation Office will have to get the info for you if you can dig or not dig on their property. Be sure and get a map of the area as well.

If it is a homeowner: You will need their permission first to allow you to dig on their property.

10 Steps - To Collect Wild Bonsai:

1. Generally the time of year to dig up natural or wild bonsai is when the tree is still dormant (during the winter). Usually just before the spring, while the plants or trees are still dormant, hopefully with no snow on the ground so you can dig the plants or trees up nicely.

2. Get permission from the property owner.

3. High areas generally offer more possibilities for success but are harder to navigate. Lower areas offer much more verities. Look for a pre-bonsai easily, you can find them under a tree or in a general area open to the eye.

4. An outdoor specimen with bonsai potential has little value if you cannot be sure that it is going to survive before you dig it up. To be able to determine that, it is necessary to examine the roots. The roots must be as compact as possible so that a solid root-ball can be dug up. Sadly, many times this is not the case.

5. Bring tools that are appropriate for the collecting site. Collecting a California juniper in a desert situation is very different than collecting Sierra Juniper off granite mountains. Generally you will need a backpack with an aluminium frame in which larger trees can be placed will often be indispensable for long trips. You will also need a short hand sized shovel, short hand sized digging pick, a regular full sized shovel, a full sized pick, a hand bypass pruner, and a small folding cutting saw. You will also need some burlap (to rap around the tree roots), scissors, string to tie the burlap up tight and water. Sometimes you will need block and tackle or a chainsaw. Don't forget to mark the bonsai with tape on its north side. Several bottles or a large container of water are important for the one undertaking this task. Rinse a considerable amount of water over the burlap and tree roots. Bring along a camera and a compass. Also you should have a GPS to mark your quad and/or vehicle. As well the plant or tree site... A good GPS should have a trail marked out with pin points (you make) of locations for you vehicle and/or quad along with the location of the bonsai dig spot... And bring a friend!

6. Find a tree, place a north side tag (white tape) on the bonsai, keeping the north side north (use your compass).

7. Carefully dig around the tree with a spade and/or pick, be careful not to damage its root system. Try and get as many fine fibrous roots as you can. The more roots you can keep, the better chance the tree will survive. Pick the tree and roots up and out of its hole. Rap the root ball in burlap and tie it down tightly (see picture). Water the root ball thoroughly.

8. Generally I leave the trees untouched for trimming until I am potting them up during the spring. (Remember, after digging up a juniper, you should leave the branches and needles intact. A year later, you can prune away long branches. Clean the juniper branches earlier and it might die.)

9. Always clean up your dirt hole to make it disappear and/or look flat or invisible when you are finished removing the plant or tree.

10. Tie the plant or tree to a metal frame pack to hike it back to your vehicle... Or hold it nicely while walking and/or secure it nicely if driving a quad back to your vehicle.

10 Steps - Aftercare Tips:

1. Use a 1/2 drop per gallon of water with Superthrive for the second watering once you are at your holding yard. Use 10 drops Superthrive per gallon of water when first potting your bonsai. You can pot up your bonsai the first spring after collecting it. (Remember, after digging up a juniper, you should leave the branches and needles intact. A year later, you can prune away long branches. Clean the juniper branches earlier and it might die.)

2. Large pre-bonsai, the first year... Keep the bonsai in a green house, misting house and/or shady location (with morning or evening sun). However you can pot up the pre-bonsai tree during the spring. Locate the bonsai where it needs to be, green house, misting house, good shady location during the first year. Move the bonsai to its permanent location after the first year.

3. The best time to pot up your bonsai is after the winter months, during the early spring (remove the burlap). If the tree has a good amount of roots, personally I'll put it into full sun right away. If the tree does not have many roots, I think some shade, green house, or misting house might be better.

Misting, or Fogging could be good, but may not be required depending on the bonsai type. Pine trees and Junipers are good to mist or fog. Try not to get the soil wet from misting/fogging. Some types of trees don't need to be misted or fogged.

4. Use a plastic, wood, ceramic, or a rock container that will fit the root ball nicely. I like building wooden boxes so I can make them the same shape as the mass of roots.

5. Your container only needs to be maybe 1/4 inch to 1.5 inches of excess space around the sides of the root ball. Depending on the size of the plant or tree, the bigger the bonsai the bigger the inches around the root ball.

6. Regular Bonsai Soil Mix mixed with All Purpose Potting Soil is what I use. Generally 3/4 Bonsai Soil Mix mixed with 1/4 All Purpose Potting Soil, and pack it good, tightly in and around the root ball (please don't damage the root ball) use a Wooden Stick and your thumb and fingers to pack down the soil (carefully around and within the root ball). A Lot of people say not to pack down the soil but having done so for so many years it is a good thing, just like the soil was from where it was dug from (be careful of the root ball, pack around it). Even the humanity of the soil is its best with the mixture of the soil mixes above, in any climate, even in high humidity like Washington or Oregon, near the ocean.

7. Make sure to firmly secure the tree into the container so it doesn't move around (sometimes you have to get creative to do this, use Aluminum Wire and/or support the tree with some wood).

8. Pruning for Junipers and Spruce, since they ought not to lose more than 25% of the crown at one time. Most trees can have up to 40% of the crown removed at one time.

9. It is a great idea to place a north side tag (white tape) on the bonsai to help it survive, keeping the north side north is a good thing for the first year.

10. 1/2 Feeding with Organic Fertilizer one month after potting is a good thing. 1/3 light Foliar Feeding during the next three months is great, remember to provide 1/2 fertilizer in the first of fall then to full fertilization the second year (don't fertilize your trees during the burlap period, when first collected).

Thanks for checking out our Collecting Wild Bonsai Trees & Aftercare Tips. May this ShoutOut info help you on your next pre-bonsai dig.