Show us your pine nurseries!

[Bonsai Nut]

Ok - I know some of the folks on this board have a lot of pines in the ground. I've only got about a dozen or so in 1 gallon or greater, with about 50 1 year seedlings and 500 seeds in the fridge. I'd love to see some shots of trays of seedlings, or 100's of 1 gallon pots, or tons of raised bed planters

 

[Tachigi]

Be careful of what you ask for. Brent could upload his and crash your server

 

[Graydon]

how about a nursery pine?

Submitted for your consideration is one JBP in a 15 gallon nursery can. Root-bound beyond belief and neglected for too long to guess. Found at a local wholesale nursery just outside of Tampa, FL. with about a dozen more like it.

I currently have one like this and another we call "elephant leg". I did manage to kill another like this last year. Wahoo172 has a few from this lot as well. Jason Schley in Daytona acquired one via horse trading. The remaining ones we did not purchase had less potential and we think they threw them on the burn pile rather than sell them at a discount. I regret not getting them all that day (right George?).

Anyone so inclined to comment - do so. Of note are the tiny little buds that are popping very near the base - future branches? Or should the stump be grafted as needed with branches in proper places? There is more flair below the soil line. Nice bark huh?

The future holds difficult issues concerning that solid as a rock root ball and branch placement. What would you do if this was your tree?

 

[Graydon]

A few more shots to wrap up this tree. Can anyone say trunk chop?

Again - comments please. We can debate bonsai photos from Japan or discuss actual trees that can be worked on now. I'm all ears on this one.

 

[Tachigi]

Graydon, Before I give my 50cent worth a question or two.

On the lower main branches is there any indication that you will be getting back budding closer in toward the trunk?

Are the second set of branches further up the tree long enough to say...touch the pot lip?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Maybe practice your pine air-layering on the apex? Get a decent air-layer off the top and you have a 5 year head-start on a nice pine bonsai for free. I tend to have a little more patience in this area than other folks - I enjoy the challenge and process.

 

[Graydon]

Graydon, Before I give my 50cent worth a question or two.

On the lower main branches is there any indication that you will be getting back budding closer in toward the trunk?

Are the second set of branches further up the tree long enough to say...touch the pot lip?

Good questions. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this so...

I do not anticipate getting any buds to break on those branches without some stimulation (i.e. cutting back) but I am a little leery (read scared) to do this until I can get some vigorous root action. Those branches (the first whorl) are old wood, real old like 10 - 12 + years. Typically I would cut at the needles and try to chase the buds back to the trunk. The problem is those needles are WAY out there. I have not ruled out an approach graft or bud graft either. We were shocked to see those tiny little buds near the base so I rule nothing out yet.

Yes, some of the second whorl branches can reach the pot lip.

 

[Graydon]

Maybe practice your pine air-layering on the apex? Get a decent air-layer off the top and you have a 5 year head-start on a nice pine bonsai for free. I tend to have a little more patience in this area than other folks - I enjoy the challenge and process.

Yes, we have started 2 layers - I am with you on the free tree thing. We girdled the trunk with wire but that is it until I see some sap bleed. Photos are not the best but in the last one if you look above the pot you can see the wire starting to cut just a bit.

 

[Tachigi]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this so...

You must have read my mind. I ultimately was heading to the approach graft. I have a pine similar that I picked up years ago for a few bucks. Nothing special, except for the fact that its trunk was a perfect formal. Colin stepped in and we did a grafting demo on it since it really had little else to redeem itself. Well a couple of years have gone by and its turning into a stonker of a tree. He says another 5 and it will be ready for display. I think that's optimistic, I say closer to 8. The bottom line I guess is that the graft may get you to where you want to be, a little faster and with out the chop mark. By the looks of the picture you'll get a two-fer with that air layer up on top. If it were mine I'd use the bottom and second level branches as graft material and sacrificial branches then remove branching above your proposed apex to the bottom of the air layer .... then again a chop might work

 

[Anonymous User]

I think I have shown a couple of these here, but since they fit in with the thread's subject...

1) One of the growing fields I have up north, about 500 pines in all, Jack Pines, Scots Pines, White Pines, Spruces, and some Red Pines.All still years away from a training pot, although a few will be removed this year for Shohins.

2) A truck bed full of three year old Black Pines that Vance Wood and myself bought. We filled another truck full with Scots Pines.

3) A huge Mugo pine that will be collected from a urban environment this spring. Kept in shape for years with a hedge trimmer.

4) A close up of the trunk with the now famous cigarette pack. Notice the rim of the orginal nursery container showing...it was never taken out of it by the person who planted it years ago.



Will

 

[Tachigi]

Purrttty.....how many in the field Will?

 

[Anonymous User]

Purrttty.....how many in the field Will?

In that picture, about 60 Jack Pines, but there's about 500 pines in all in various stages of development, most will be hacked back again this year, well, maybe over the next two, that's a lot of work.



Will

 

[Tachigi]

So with that many trees, is it safe to say your a pine barren .....

 

[Anonymous User]

Lol, no, not at all. With what the deer and rabbits don't prune into non-existence and what I don't kill or ruin over the years, I just might be stock rich in five years or so. Then after I selectively pick what I think are the best....I might have one or two worth keeping. This has been a real learning experience, I learn every time I make the trip. I already think I'll do a few things different the next time I plant. If worse comes to worse, my daughter will inherit a nice Christmas tree farm.


You know, it ain't all fun

http://www.knowledgeofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=83



Will

 

[Tachigi]

If worse comes to worse, my daughter will inherit a nice Christmas tree farm.

Now there is some positive spin if I ever heard it.

also

Sand Paper and Tomatoe Juice ? ..... I would have paid good money to see that

 

[Graydon]

more pines

Seedlings - started off season. 1 tray root pruned (first photo) The rest destined to be root stock for grafts in a couple of years (second photo). The third photo has some smaller seedling with very low buds that may get futher development ot the knife.

 

[Graydon]

and more

Next up are this past December's shipment of bare root 1-0 pines. All were heavily root pruned, inoculated with miconox and planted in a 1/3 mix of pumice, akadama and lava. Some in bulb pans, some in colanders and some in whatever else I would find. Second shot has some remaining from last year. 2 shots of roots already peeking out from the colander. I potted 1st week of December. Man I love Florida - good growth in December and January. Can't wait for The real growing season!

 

[Graydon]

and finally

A bench shot of pines in various levels of disrepair. Last shot of the remaining grafts form this past year. Waiting to see some buds swell and push before introducing to more sun.

 

[Anonymous User]

Oh, very nice, indeed!