Thanks for the tips Tom. I was planning on potting them up at the site since I have a bit more room in the SUV than Steve apparently does. But it looks like you might recommend leaving them wrapped all winter and mulched into my gravel bank?

One other thing....I was planning to getting into Indy the day before and doing some prep work. My plan was to prune these yews heavily, leaving a little green on each branch. Any reason not to prune that far?

Brian

BrianBay9 wrote:Thanks for the tips Tom. I was planning on potting them up at the site since I have a bit more room in the SUV than Steve apparently does. But it looks like you might recommend leaving them wrapped all winter and mulched into my gravel bank?

One other thing....I was planning to getting into Indy the day before and doing some prep work. My plan was to prune these yews heavily, leaving a little green on each branch. Any reason not to prune that far?

Brian

Brian, as long as the bag is sealed and it has damp newspaper or sphagnum in it you can do that, though I have never used gravel. When I do my fall collections and leave the booty in their bags I generally mulch with hay. This will help insulate with any hot spells you might get in late fall. You might want to moisten it up a bit as well around the beginning of December and beginning of March for insurance sake if you choose the gravel route. This can be accomplished by a few holes poked in the bag and a turkey baster with water injected. Then seal the holes with tape.

I always prune my trees down to the outside of a image I might see in the trunk...I feel that it also helps when the spring burst comes...you should get a lot of new buds on old wood. Below are some typical examples of how much I cut back when collecting.


BEFORE


AFTER

One question.....are you planning on pruning yours...or all of them?

Tom,

I'll prune, or not, as you all see fit if it will help. I figure we won't know which tree belongs to whom until the end of the dig. I figured we'd take turns picking trees once we get them out of the ground. If you'd rather I leave them alone I'll do that.

Brian

Brian...your suggestion is an efficient one no doubt. However collecting a tree is a personal experience and choosing what branch to cut in the field is a critical one for design and possibly health.

So you pruning on someone else's vision might be iffy...lol


I think that with collecting, and pruning your not talking about a whole bunch of time. Especially with as many people as there are that are coming.

Understood. They will remain the hedge that they are until you all arrive.

BB

Ummmmmmm Dad! When were yo going to tell me about OUR road trip.

Will talk...pity schools in session.

Tom, thanks for the tips! I've got a sheltered spot in the back yard where I can leave them, and a friend has offered all the dry pine needles I can haul away. Make an excellent mulch.

Brian, just so we all know what's expected: you'd like help to get them all out, correct? That's fine for me; I can stay all day. My family will be perfectly happy running around on their own. And as for beer, I'm not that much of a beer drinker, but if you're offering Guinness or Killian's I'll accept one, with thanks.

Tom, you may shoot me if Taylor sees this ... if it works out for your daughter to come with you, my daughter would like to meet her. But Taylor, I'll back him up that school takes precedence!

Steve,

Yes, I'd like help getting them all out. After they're dug I figured we'd take turns picking our favorites until they're all gone. I have no idea how long it will take to get 18 of them out of the ground. We should start with the best of them. If we run out of time, or run out of steam, my brother-in-law has volunteered to bring down a wrecker and winch out the remainders.

Guinness is now on the supplies list....I'm more partial to wine myself, but not after sweating in the dirt for a few hours. As for beer, I should probably bring out some of Ft. Collin's finest. It's a microbrew heaven here, so I'll have to bring a wide selection. If y'all have other drink preferences, let me know.

Brian

BrianBay9 wrote:Steve,
I have no idea how long it will take to get 18 of them out of the ground. We should start with the best of them. If we run out of time, or run out of steam, my brother-in-law has volunteered to bring down a wrecker and winch out the remainders.
Brian

A winch?

I easily can do 9 in a day of substantial size when I collect...that includes lugging them out of deep deep poo. So these 18 should be pretty easy among all of us providing Ft. Collin's finest is not to free flowing