English Oak: The best time to collect?

[robc]

HI everyone,

i have a few oaks in my sights for collection. they are varying sizes - from thumb to thigh thickness - and all naturally germinated from a nearby mother-tree. i have never dug up an oak so i was wondering if anyone could give some pointers or share some of your experiences with yamadori oaks. When is the best time to collect? potting medium? aftercare etc? I vaguely remember oaks prefer root disturbance at a different time to most other trees. is there any truth to this?

thanks,
Rob

[kcpoole]

I have collected them late winter and repot at the same time
Normal soil and after care as any other deciduous tree.

Ken

[Josh]

I collected some oaks last year in mid July and all survived. It was a bit early for them but all survived and are powering on. After care is important.

Josh.

[Boics]

I collected some very small seedlings with little to no real care and 4 of 5 survived.
I forget exactly when bit I'm sure they had leaves on at the time.

You might find this link elpful?

http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATquer ... otting.htm

[Aquaman]

In my limited experience you can dig them up at any time of year if you take a bit of soil with the roots. If you can manage to dig up a good size root ball then you are not really disturbing the roots.

[alpineart]

Hi robc, mate Oaks in the ground have a very poor root mass unless doctored , usually the stay roots and tap rop with very few feeders close to the trunk . Ihave had very little success with Oaks due to poor roots on collection . They grow on for a season or two and die .

I have used an excavator with a claw to remove a 200mm chop top again very poor roots and while it survived 2 years it died basically from lack of roots . If you had the time i would dig around the big one severe the tap root and half the side roots and back fill then repeat next season and severe the rest of the main roots hopefully by then there may be some good feeder roots to sustain the tree .

Like all collecting its luck of the draw if good roots are present to sustain the tree .

Cheers Alpineart

[Josh]

Hi robc, mate Oaks in the ground have a very poor root mass unless doctored , usually the stay roots and tap rop with very few feeders close to the trunk . Ihave had very little success with Oaks due to poor roots on collection . They grow on for a season or two and die .

I have used an excavator with a claw to remove a 200mm chop top again very poor roots and while it survived 2 years it died basically from lack of roots . If you had the time i would dig around the big one severe the tap root and half the side roots and back fill then repeat next season and severe the rest of the main roots hopefully by then there may be some good feeder roots to sustain the tree .

Like all collecting its luck of the draw if good roots are present to sustain the tree .

Cheers Alpineart

Have to agree with Alpine. Some of the other guys that collected oaks same time I did lost theirs. It is pot luck. Interesting you lost them after 2 years Alpine. Might wait a bit longer before I start work on mine then!?? I soaked mine for 2 days in seasol before potting up. I did get a good root ball on most but had a couple with not feeders, just big chunky roots. I had 2 two that took 8-9 months before showing any leaf at all.

Josh.

[Boics]

Josh and Alpine.
Did you read the article that I linked?
Perhaps this is the key?

[shibui]

Very interesting Boics. This is something I have been flogging for several years now. It appears to me that many species grow just as well when lifted during growing season rather than when dormant.

I have collected oaks several times in the past when dormant, one was over 5 cm diam and all survived. I suspect failures are due to lapses in care rather than inherent difficulties in the species

[alpineart]

Hi Biocs , this method works on quite a few Aussie Natives ie Eucalypts , Melalueca , Callistermon as well as other introduced species . After care is important more so if collected out of the so call season or ideal time . I too have collected many species out of the norm' circumstances dictate collecting especially if storm damaged trunks or material from human developments .

I dare say i kill more material with kindness than neglect , but this method like all others is hit and miss , there is no sure fire method and again remember we live in the land down under what they do up there doesn't always apply to us down here . I can dig 50 trident maples in winter root prune them , re-plant and 2-3 can die during the middle of growing season , certainly not through a laspe in care , thats just nature .

Research before you dig and learn along the way , never fail , try , try and try again .

Cheers Alpine