Yamadori and waiting time

Its a rookie question, but is it really important to wait a few years before you work on a collected tree?
I dug up this blackthorn earlier this year, and it shows nice root growth in the box. Nice white roots at the bottom and some on the sides.
It had a lot of growth on the branches. Some would be a metre or longer (3 feet) if I hadnt cut them back.
I could resist it, so I had wired some branches, and carved a bit of the trunk. It doesnt show much signs of ill health. Some leaves are a bit damaged but probably from the hot sun.
New growth hardens off nicely, and it contiues to form new branches the whole time.
Ive read that its a good idea to let a tree just grow out now and then, even when it has been in a bonsai pot for a long time, so it can be more healthy.
But if I do that, every branch would be too thick. I think I also have to cut the main branches back quite a bit in a few years, if not the crown would be too big and the proportions will be weird.

Woopsie. I see it now that this should have been in the Bonsai questions departement.

I've seen CA Junipers take 3-4 years to die, putting out all kinds of new growth in the first couple of years. I always wait at least 3 years.

Although Blackthorn may be less likely to die from the stress of being collected than Junipers the one year suggestion is important. When we work on trees we stress them and your Blackthorn needs to recover from the stress of collection first.
If he new growth is overpowering you might trim it to a reasonable size, but I would not remove any living branches or wire and certainly I would not repot.

As Billy suggests, it is hugely important to build a strong and healthy set of roots. If the top is growing well, then it makes sense that the same is happening below ground. This can still be achieved by pruning back top growth as long as any new growth is allowed to extend. Ancient collected material is treated in the same way if the growth is strong but no wiring or potting until the tree is really established.

I read up on this again now, and have to say, thanks for the answers. Must have forgotten to do that.
I was just wondering about another thing.
What do you make out of the risks when comparing repotting when it comes down to killing a year old collected tree and the possibility of waterlogging?
Since my tree is planted in cat litter, I dont think its a major problem, but there are still some dirt on the roots when collected. and Im afraid the old ones are constantly wet, at the same time as the new ones will dry out before watering. Would you just leave it be like that for a few more years, and then repot into a smaller pot? its put into quite a big box atm. I understand that you dont bareroot a new tree..

Hi Storm,

It sounds like you've done a bit of research and prepared well for your collected tree - large box and cat litter sound good. Your trees new roots will grow into the cat litter in time, it sounds like its healthy enough. Give the tree some shelter from rain if you feel it doesn't need any water. In your climate, I'd give it shelter over the winter regardless.

I have a one year collected Hawthorn which isn't in the best of soil - I regularly put it under shelter to stop rain getting to it. As much as I want to get it into a better soil, I'll be leaving it for another year before I think about re-planting it.

Get out into that good Norwegian fresh air and collect yourself something else to take your mind off the Blackthorn

Cheers

Paul

Storm wrote:I read up on this again now, and have to say, thanks for the answers. Must have forgotten to do that.
I was just wondering about another thing.
What do you make out of the risks when comparing repotting when it comes down to killing a year old collected tree and the possibility of waterlogging?
Since my tree is planted in cat litter, I dont think its a major problem, but there are still some dirt on the roots when collected. and Im afraid the old ones are constantly wet, at the same time as the new ones will dry out before watering. Would you just leave it be like that for a few more years, and then repot into a smaller pot? its put into quite a big box atm. I understand that you dont bareroot a new tree..

Because you panted the tree in cat litter and the rootball is surrounded with good drainage, you are drawing water away from the tree. The fact that it has original soil around the roots shouldn't be a problem. Long term the original soil could cause root rot but once the tree has gained health, you can get rid of the old stuff.