This morning 6 members headed for the hills to bring a few more ferals into captivity.
Bristling with digging implements we bounced along a rough farm track through washed out gullies and over stony ridges to the chosen site then left the vehicles and followed our guide another 600m on foot. Karen had been clever enough to bring a labourer as well as digging tools so she was less burdened than the rest of us.
We had the choice of lots of olives, all sizes and shapes but the hillside is a little steeper than when I was there last It is most frustrating to see the shovel slide away down the hill as soon as you let it go. Having to fetch them back repeatedly got a little tiring too I'm not sure that photo above does justice to the slope
The soil is pretty hard at this time of year and this particular hillside seems to be made up mostly of rocks so the crowbars turned out to be the weapons of choice this time.
It was interesting that all of us targeted smaller trees this time, possibly due to a lack of youthful enthusiasm in this year's team. Even Alpine was collecting tiny trees (said he couldn't even lift the chainsaw due to gammy shoulder this morning)
I arrived home around 1pm and dumped all my trees into tubs of water while I did a final trim before potting them up
Here are a couple of before and after shots so you can see how I treat these collected olives after initial collection.
This is a tiny, skinny one but I thought the trunk had enough character to try making a shohin sized tree.
Note the huge long root but there is a convenient ring of roots around the trunk in one spot
Then reduce the to a little more before potting up in a 15cm plastic pot.
This is one of the few that had more than a little movement in the trunks
The tall, straight trunk is not bonsai in my opinion so it is now shortened - possible jin?
Final tally: 5x 30cm pots, 10x 20cm pots and one in a 15cm. Not all of them will be spectacular keepers. Some will end up with other club members if and when they settle into life in pots.
Albury Wodonga club olive dig
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Albury Wodonga club olive dig
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- Sammy D
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Re: Albury Wodonga club olive dig
Collection trips are great fun. Well done on the dig
A stick in a pot is better than no stick at all. Remember even the best bonsai started as a stick.
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Re: Albury Wodonga club olive dig
Great score Shibui, you've earn a beer today. I can help you with space for the 15cm pot
Cheers
Kirky
Cheers
Kirky
Great oaks from little acorns grow.
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Re: Albury Wodonga club olive dig
Great to see clubs out on the hunt for free trees and in the process helping the environment.
Some interesting trees amongst those.
Some interesting trees amongst those.
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Re: Albury Wodonga club olive dig
Yes, it was certainly mountain goat country, and being in denial about my age I headed straight up the contour. Why do we always think the better trees are the furthest away??
Here are a the few I collected. No before and afters from me and all of mine are quite small but with bulbous trunks
I'm was a little less brutal than Neil......did I leave too much on? They can always be cut back again.
If nothing else I got fresh air, worked muscles that haven't worked for a while and spent time with my fellow club members!
Theo
Here are a the few I collected. No before and afters from me and all of mine are quite small but with bulbous trunks
I'm was a little less brutal than Neil......did I leave too much on? They can always be cut back again.
If nothing else I got fresh air, worked muscles that haven't worked for a while and spent time with my fellow club members!
Theo
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Re: Albury Wodonga club olive dig
Hi Guys , thanks for a good day out , definitely the easiest digging I have done in years , 10 hits with the mattock , 10 with the podgy bar and the rest were simply pulled out . Only managed to take a few pics
Cheers . Alpine
, this one I will wire it then trim back A nice little sumo a little raft twin trunk . Tomorrow I will finish the potting them up , around 2 dozen little fella's to tuck into the benches , some will end up at the A.W meeting for those that missed the dig .Cheers . Alpine
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Re: Albury Wodonga club olive dig
Well done to everyone ,some great material. Hope to see them again in a few years. Cheers John.
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Re: Albury Wodonga club olive dig
These are the smallest material collected all around shohin size or smaller
Cheers . Alpine
I used any container I could lay my hands on after the hard yakka , a tray of these will go to club members who couldn't make the trip , It will give them a bit of inspiration to tag along next time .Cheers . Alpine
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