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Edit: not sure why but some of the photos got rotated 90 degrees when I attached them to the post. Apologies.

Here are a few Black Spruce I collected this fall. I live in zone 1b/1a (-50c isn’t uncommon in January/February) so the growing season is short and the winters are long. The snow stays on the ground sometimes until June so the fall is best from a practical stand point

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They’ll all be going on the ground in the next few weeks and they’ll be covered in many feet of snow by December.

Welcome to the empire!

Some nice trees there, with loads of age.
Do you collect often?

Happy to be here!

Collecting is basically the only option for me as I live in a very remote area. The upside is that its basically open season on stuff like this as long as it’s not in private property. I collected these spruce about 10 minutes from my home down by some ATV trails.

These trees get run over, hacked up, broken, chewed on by dogs and worse. So no one bats an eye when they see me strolling down the trail with a tree on my back.

Even so, I don’t pull a tree I don’t think will live. All the trees I collected have very compact shallow root balls.

Example:

I have a few more trees I want to collect before the cold really hits in a few weeks. I’d really like some Tamarack.

Peace.

Good stuff. Tamarack.. Sounds like you are in the USA? Too bad, else I would have ensure to get your details and beg you to send me some stuff

Your trees and wooden pots look really cool JPH! Did you make the pots? What is the best time of year to collect trees? Should I do it before the ground freezes? my neighbors like to lawn mow there spruce trees every 5 years or so I have access to lots of little gnarled looking trees.

leatherback wrote: Good stuff. Tamarack.. Sounds like you are in the USA? Too bad, else I would have ensure to get your details and beg you to send me some stuff

Northern Canada actually. Zone 1b/1a. Taiga shield basically. Believe it or not but it gets as cold as -50?C in the winter. Not all the time but we often get a week or two of just absolute brutal cold. I wouldn’t live anywhere else though. It’s just too beautiful.

I’m also really glad you like the trees I collected. If you are interested I’ll do follow ups here as they progress. I’ll also post new trees I collect should I run into anything nice.

As for the training pots, I did make them. They are just scrap/recycled wood I had around the house. Very simple but if you want more details on their construction I’ll provide you with them.

As for the best time to collect? This is a huge question and has more to do with your climate and the specific trees in question. I chose fall simply because it’s easier to get into the areas with the trees I want. The spring here is very snowy and wet until about June.

But for most places I think spring is the best time.

If you are collecting in the fall make sure the tree is more or less dormant. I tend to wait for the needles to fall off the tamaracks to know if things are slowing down out there. But you’ll need to observe your own surroundings to know when the time is right.

You’ll also have to take winter into account sooner. I think people are a bit afraid of overwintering their trees but if you are collecting trees from your area they are already used to the conditions. You’ll just need to ensure they don’t dry out in the wind and that the roots stay fairly protected. I’ve used mulch but snow is free and a great insulator! You could also put them into a cold frame structure. Really just as long as they don’t dry out.

The spruce you describe sound cool! And since you have access to a lot of them (I think?) it’s a great opportunity to practice collecting and working with your native trees. Just be sure to read up on collection techniques for the type of tree you want. It can be daunting but don’t give up!

If possible I try to plant a nearby sun-starved sapling into the spot where the collected tree was. If anything to show respect and say thanks.

Thank you for this!
Yes, I often wander through the forest in my property looking for unique trees.
It is actually a logging road my neighbors property is on, so they drag bigger trees across the saplings and such. I have seen about 25 promising little trees, not very attractive looking, but certainly tough. Good for me to practice on! I will probably try to dig up a few of these in a month or two as it gets colder here.

Do you put some kind of finish on your wooden pots? or just leave it bare? You have Inspired me to make a few of these.

I just leave em’ bare. But it was function over form when it came to these boxes.

Whatever you choose as a design just keep it simple, strong and make sure it has tons of drainage.

Just a little winter update:


The snow covered up the trees quickly. It’s a great insulator and just about the only thing you need to overwinter the local trees since they are used to absolutely brutal winters. I used the deck as a simple cold frame for now. The deck is on the side of the house that gets the least wind which is an added bonus.

See you in the spring!