Did some Fall maintenance (weeding, etc) on the seedlings so I thought I would post some photos.
Here is what the cuttings look like. I have four trays that are more or less like this. Huge disparity between what they look like - some are tall and gangly, some are short and stubby. Numerous low buds and several multi-trunks.
Because they are in small nursery pots in larger trays, for most of them the roots have escaped the pots and are running in the bottom of the trays. It makes me wonder whether I should replant - even though the nurseryman in the Bonsai Today articles waited until the end of year two to replant into colanders.
Here is what the trays of seedlings look like - the ones I didn't cut. They are too overgrown now to be able to grow much more. The largest cuttings are just about the same size as the largest seedlings - though it is a somewhat unfair comparison since the cuttings were transplanted into better mix and have more space to grow. However many of the cuttings appear to have caught up to the seedlings - particularly if you add in the fact that they are better quality with low buds and multi-trunks. Even though this is early in the season (I normally transplant pines in December or January), I transplanted 32 seedlings into two Anderson flats just to clean up the area. The rest I tossed.
Next steps - all of the cuttings and the seedlings that remain will be wired in January.
I forgot to add - I have never fertilized the seedlings with anything. They are simply growing in the seeding medium. The cuttings I have been lightly fertilizing with the acid fertilizer SUPER IRON 9-9-9.
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