Nicholiarelius, despite the fact that collected trees (the Japanese term is "Yamadori") be more appropriately-sized for immediate bonsai training, you will have to realize that they are not ready to undergo any drastic training right away. They too have a "waiting" period in which the tree recuperates from its removal. Some species respond better/quicker than others, but even that can change according to the conditions it was previously growing in, the way it was removed, and the effectiveness of the after-treatment. It is not uncommon for people to not touch (styling-wise) their trees for a few years after collection to allow them to regain their vigour. After that, then styling can be done more safely. My tip would be to focus on developing your bonsai skills on nursery stock. From things as "simple" as watering appropriately, to wiring skills (not even as much about the styling aspect), to trimming, root-pruning, etc., all these will be invaluable when you tackle on larger, more ambitious projects such as collected material. -Audric

Thanks for the reply. I neglected to mention that the ground right now is a lumpy mess of pine needles and cones from all the fir trees (which I don't mind) covering all sorts of debris that has been tossed back there over the decades. My husband and the previous owners used the wooded area as a place to toss old christmas trees or grass clippings, dead shrubs, you get the picture... It's also lumpy from clumps of clay that were dug up from other areas of our property and dumped back there. In my clearing, I've discovered a pair of pants, leftover lumber from the construstruction of our subdivision, dozens of beer bottles and cans, several cinder blocks, plastic tubing that went on for yards and yards (finally threw that in the trash!)... I guess that's more of what I was looking for in help with clearing out the area. It would be so nice to have a natural looking yard without the fear of tripping over an invisible stump or getting caught on a prickly vine. All of the fallen trees will remain along with as much of the pine needles and leaves. I'm just flustered over the number of invasive weeds that require constant spraying to keep down. Sorry for the awfully long posts.

Panels are typically offered with the choice of cover for flush or surface installation of the panel. Surface mount has the panel projecting from the wall on which it is mountedSurface mount covers will have flanges bent to wrap around the edges of the panel enclosure. Flush mount covers have flat edges to lay against and overlap the wall surface. And the inspector should accept the flush mount cover for all applications. The flush mount is easier to fabricate in the shop. The moniker "Baltimore rehabber" makes me suspicious about parts of the story. This may be a case where the real story is that a disgruntled renter or foreclosed owner removed and discarded the panel cover for spite and the poster, perhaps a flipper, is trying to repair that on the cheap. I do not object to that activity, but I especially treasure the truth. I suspect that most saying they want help here also want to be told the truth. Here is a link that might be useful: Pael mount

Unfortunately, I think that for many families today, "abuse and vandalism" may well be the norm. Just look at how many children behave in public. If that's what they are like in public, just imagine what they are like at home! A couple of year ago, a cousin, his wife, their grown daughter and 4 yr old grandson were passing through. Cousin asked if they could stay with me - they had in the past, but when it was just cousin and wife. I said no as my house isn"t set up for a 4 yr old. Cousin said it was probably a good choice, as the child was "a bit of a handful". We agree to meet and visit in the lobby of the hotel where they were staying. OMG! Thank heavens I never allowed that child in my house! He was EVERYWHERE! He stood on the end table with lamps and jumped off. No one said a word. He climbed on all the furniture. He finally succeeded in knocking a large lamp off one of the tables. His mother just put it back but left the shade askew. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Then I remember that when DD had gotten married 18 years before, cousin and wife bought their two daughter and a son to the lovely cocktail buffet party my neighbor gave for all the out of town guests while the rehearsal dinner was taking place (had to be limited to 32 people due to space). My neighbor later told me that she heard a racket upstairs and went up to find that the tree children had gone upstairs (without permission), had taken all the decorative pillows off her bed, and were jumping on it like it was a trampoline! I can assure you my cousin was NOT raised to behave like that! Who considers this acceptable?