When is the best time to collect this species?...

[Dario]

Hi all, I am new to Ausbonsai and I am wondering what is the best time of year to collect this species of paperbark? Do you do it in summer? Also have the same query regarding tea-tree? (I live in Melbourne) If this information is available elsewhere on this website, could someone please direct me to it?-if not I would really apreciate an answer. Thank you for your time-Dario.

[Pup]

Dario, what is your experience at collecting . The reason I ask is if you do not have sufficient experience. It does not matter what time, as it is doubtful they will survive.
It is not a matter of just going and digging them up, and hoping. However if they are Garden or in the way of bulldozers. Then it is a matter of digging them and hoping.

The Melaleuca incana being a WA tree will survive root pruning now, as well as top pruning. The Leptospermum is another question what species is it as they can be touchy.
My recommendation when collecting is to collect as much of the root ball as possible ( you can carry ) prune back the foliage. When you get them home clean up all broken or damaged roots. Then Soak the trees for at least one week in a seasol solution.

Then wait and see, as with all collections this is the one none variable, they all take time to recover or die.

Good luck. Cheers Pup

[Dario]

Thanks for your prompt reply Pup, I have read quite a few of your posts and have enjoyed them and learnt a fair bit too. I have been ethically (with due permission) been collecting trees only since the start of last winter. But in that time I have collected around 20 trees with a zero failure rate- due to,I think, to doing a lot of reasearch and reading from both bonsai and horticultural books and following the directions to the letter, and doing it at the correct time for the intended species. I did have one near failure because I stupidly decided to prune the tree for a second time (first time a few months before it was collected) within a month after collecting it- not allowing it the required time to recover. Luckily it was a hardy species and it has come back to moderate health although I have obviously set the tree back and plan to leave it for the next 12 mnths. Safe to say that I have learnt my lesson there!
I am unsure as to what species of Teatree I am dealing with so untill I learn more about it I will hold off on collecting till a later date. In regards to the Melaleuca Incana, I previously trunk chopped it and it has since recovered and sprouted a lot of new growth that is around 10 to 15 cm long. I am just unsure of what season it is best to collect/transplant this native species. I don't have any experience with natives as yet (even though I love them) and I would really like to get involved with them and learn about them. Is it best to collect this species of Melaleuca now or wait till mid or the end of summer? Or do you do it in Autumn/winter? I don't want to just take it and hope as it has a lot of potential and I would like to give it the best possible chance of survival because I think it deserves no less than that- being that I am going to collect it. hanks, Dario.

[Pup]

Nice to hear that you have had success in the past. The Melaleuca can be dug now, here in the west. It has been hot and dry, you have had wet condition so that will help in its collection.
As for the Leptospermum I think it is possibly a laevigatum ( coastal tea tree ) these are very hardy trees. The reason for this guess, is when I was in Melbourne last April, we were taken around by the President of the Mornington Peninsular club and saw them every where. In WA they have been collected in summer and winter with good results. So you should have no problems.

Glad to be of help.
Cheers Pup

[Dario]

Thanks again Pup. Hope to talk soon,Dario.