AusBonsai

Hi,

I haven’t been very active in the forum so please forgive my first post being for advice and not so much an introduction (John’s the name by the way). I live in Nz and have a few Radiatas in development but have yet to collect any, problem lies in a number of nice specimens that happen to be next to the sea and are in sand leading to long taproots. I’ve heard of mixed results in collecting in sand so would like you guys advice on how you collect in sand, success rates, etc.

I have trimmed excess height but will go back in the fall and dig a trench around the roots and back fill with pumice to promote feeder roots closer to trunk. When collecting I will wet the sand to help hold the rootball together and then transfer it straight to a training pot to prevent the rootball from coming loose in transport.

I’m hopeful someone can chime in on collecting pines in coastal sands,etc.

Thanks

I don't have to deal with sands but I have no problem with the soil dropping off any trees I collect. I find it is much better to get the roots into a good bonsai mix sooner rather than later so when the trees are first dug seems to be the best time to do the change.

The biggest problem with sand seems to be that feeder roots tend to be a long way from the trunk. Trenching to cut lateral roots may work but without plenty of moisture in the pumice around the cut roots they may not actually produce new feeders.

I will be interested to see if anyone else has dealt with these issues and I hope you will also keep posting your success or failures with this project.

colleced some many years ago in sand.
generally left them as long as i could get them and wound them into the pot.

Chopped the ends to promote new roots closer in and then repotted the next year with a hard root prune

Ken