Collecting yamadori is a great way to get extremely advanced bonsai stock. Of course this good news but nothing god comes without a demerit. In this case collecting yamadori involves preparation.
This is not to say you can not collect yamadori wit…
Collecting yamadori is a great way to get extremely advanced bonsai stock. Of course this good news but nothing god comes without a demerit. In this case collecting yamadori involves preparation.
This is not to say you can not collect yamadori without preparation. It is to say your experience will be better with some preparation.
We can broadly separate the process into 3 pars:
Before collection
During Collections
After collection
The before collections process are mostly administrative. That might sound odd but it covers you and prevents unwanted drama later.
Of course there is having the right tools for the right job. Not just digging and cutting. We also means paperwork. The most important item you can have is a permit or agreement to let you dig a yamadori.
During the collection everything is much more straightforward. You can either jump straight into collecting your future bonsai by digging or preparing to collect them in the future.
The first thing to consider is if you can delay collecting the specimen. If the answer is yes you can cut, prune and work the trees now but not dig them out of the ground for transplant. Don’t forget to mark the trees with something bright or take a photo with geolocation enabled.
This also helps you plan future trips. You know where you have been and where you should wait to visit again.
A single year between preparation and collection can yield major results. Not just in successful collection rate but in how well the collected yamadori respond or develop after collection.
If you are going to dig them out of the ground right away things are only slightly different. The difference is when you are heading out to collect your bonsai. We explain the timing in this video https://youtu.be/qLYDAS1PErc
The last part is what happens after you collect your yamadori. Taking notes of what you found. This is not for the current year or collection but for future years and trips to collect yamadori.
Taking note of what you fo..
