AusBonsai

Got these privets this morning, perhaps a forest planting?



Two maples dug this morning






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Some advice please. After removing the weed and top layer of soil it seems the trunk is a lot fatter below. But most of the roots are about 10 cm above the base I want. Do I just plant it and hope more roots grow at the lower end or take off the top layer of roots and hope the bottom layer has enough roots to sustain the tree. FYI the soil was so loose, it’s basically bare rooting.
Thanks


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You'll end up with nicer radial roots if you go with the higher roots. Cut on a bit of an angle (unless you're going for formal upright).

Is that cut to keep the top half or bottom?


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Keep the roots above it and discard the bit below the red line. Much nicer radial finer roots above the line where the bit below the red line is just thick structural roots which will just make an ugly base

Thanks guys


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Most of the bases are like this.


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I find that there is usually some reverse taper where the upper roots are growing. May not be noticeable until you prune them off. Healing the wounds after cutting upper roots will also swell the trunk a little. In the end you almost always wish you had kept those roots and chopped the lower ones off.
Removing half the roots should be OK for the trees but I think I would remove some branches to compensate.

Pity the lower trunks on those maples are so straight and tall. There should be something you can do with some or all of the privet though.

Thanks for the input Neil. I’m going to grow then air layer the maple.


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Also, I never bag my trees when I collect them but a friend in Melbourne swears by it. Is it necessary if I got a decent root ball? I’ve never had any dramas in the past.


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I assume you mean put a bag over the top of the tree.
I have never done that and still get great survival with all the species I have collected. I might consider it if dig was closer to leaves opening. Usually new roots start to grow well before the leaves open so by the time there are leaves that need water there are new roots below to supply it.

Oh that makes sense. Well I don’t have plastic large enough to bag these two trees however if you look in the background, there is a blue tub with a bag over it. I collected that tree (3 weeks go) from within a pot plant. I wonder if I should just remove it then? All the leaves have been trimmed off - it’s a bougie.


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When is it best to collect this tree? Not sure if blackthorn or hawthorn.




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Instant forest?






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