Extended season starting trees indoors

[cmeg1]

Air/layered the Zelkovas

These were my first attempt.Only a smal few had a nice Broom canopy.All the rest I save for clump or multi/trunk style zelkova.

Hopefully the Layers root quickly!
I like how I was able to use the foam board to form a flat surface for a thin piece of 2” stonewool to provide a rooting medium.These will grow to the edge and air prune from the sides.I may continue this method to let roots run flat to the edges and get bigger and pull the trunk out for some nebari.

 

[cmeg1]

Experimenting with a few Siberian Elms

This is a nice concept.And could be beneficial when they are slightly bigger too.

What I did was remove the top half of the stonewool mini-cube to reveal the lowest part of trunk possible down into the roots.

I then proceeded as best I could to make the air-layers.
It is funny how some have much bigger trunks just below the surface of the 1.5” stonewool cube.I wanted to see if it layers with much better trunk flare since the fatter trunk….perhaps quicker too……some are nearly 50% thicker inside the cube and if this works it may be better to let them grow a bit befor I layer the others.

Hardest part is getting a wide enough ring-bark as I usually have to remove a few roots.

One could argue that the air-layering process is not need for these stonewool grown seedlings…….some have quite many roots and are airpruned nicely……..I believe they could be improved with girdling the trunk and more consistant on every seedling and not just a select few.

This could be very cool……especially when I let them grow a bit more befor proceeding…….or even outdoors.
The cubes are great in this respect.Could also be an effect of the bio-stimulant hydroponics!!!

At any rate it is cool even now just to get that instant flare to the young seedling air-layers!!!

 

[cmeg1]

FIELD MAPLE

I stratified a lb of seed last season and I noticed in my fridge some are cracking open.I hope there is sufficient germination percentage.
I dumped all the seed in a tray and dome with bottom heat mixed into a bunch of moist spahgnum.The warmth and humidity should get them cracking open.Whatever does not I will put back into the fridge longer.
I always liked these trees.Especially when I can control the entire growth from the beginning.They endure sun all day quite nicely and are generally fuss free.I need to see how they do indoors in the tents…….so wish me luck for high germination.
These also air-layer phoenominally!!!

 

[cmeg1]

Siberian Elms 2 days after girdling

Already showing callous.That is a good sign.I moisten with kelp twice a day.

 

[cmeg1]

SIBERIAN ELMS…5 DAYS

I always get a kick out of watching these produce roots.
Only 5 days and these are absolutely ready to bust into new root growth.Some of the swelling and cracking is bizarre even.Oozing sap all over the place.Quite the transformation,rather instantanious too.It’s amazing how everything is self sealing until there are roots.I go a step further and spray all this daily with fulvic acid and kelp solution into the fdesh callous.
And the fact I take these so low and at the fattest area of trunk could prove beneficial and be worth the effort to get a fat base on such young seedlings.

 

[cmeg1]

FIXING NITROGEN DEFICIENCY

Just noticed first signs of deficiency on the Siberian Elms.On about 4 of the 72.These are all going to be girdled for roots very soon.
They have been dunked in fulvic acid/kelp solution twice at 4 hours!!!

Being they are so cytokinetically active and co2 fertilized a deficiency was bound to show up.Nitrogen being the most common and also easiest to fix.Spoon feeding the trees is actually beneficial in this regard.They definately are not being over fertilized.And nitrogen deficiency can be cured in as little as a few hours!!!!!

I always go to NPK website for remedies,as it is their products I use( Kalix brand).
I also had to maintain the 1:1 motherplant ratio to keep everything very viable in terms of rooting capabilities.So I used my %-ppm conversion calculator to establish an amount of potassium sulphate to be added also as a balance.

Its good to keep an eye for this…….it is very common in co2 fertilized gardens as the plants are very,very actively using the available nutrients.
After a couple doses of this I will up the EC to about 1.1 or 1.2
They were only at about .7-.8 relatively quite low,but I always use lots of fulvic acid and amino acid chelators to get by with lower salts.
This remedy has equated to a very big 1.4 EC.
I rarely go over 1.2
Although elms are particulary aggressive feeders in this environment.This will green them up in hours and I will definately bump up the npk…..more than likely 1.2 EC.
Here are pics and also my formula I just added this morning.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Field maples are very underrated as bonsai!!

 

[cmeg1]

Field maples are very underrated as bonsai!!

I hope to get more seed to germinate.Out of a pound of seed only 6 germinate????
I will put them back into cold storage if I get nothing in 10 days.They are heated in a moss dome now.

 

[cmeg1]

Zelkovas starting to root 11 days later!!!

These are rooting.Looks as if the entire trink was ready to root.But only is at bottom thankfully…..fast process for such a tiny plant.

 

[cmeg1]

MAGIC BEGINNING WITH THE JBP SEEDLING CUTTINGS

I had to start a new batch since the experiment with the first batch was a bit of a fail.They dried beyond recognition and also I noticed that roots are much,much more prolific in the original aerated rooting media of perlite/vermiculite or orchid spahgnum mix.
So,plenty of time.At only 13 days now these are rooting nicely.And it seems a good strike of radial rooting will occur.The secret is moisture every 3-4 days and let it be kelp/fulvic acid powders ( in solution) when they callous.I just dunk each mini-tray every 3-4 days as the bottom moisture will never really be utilized or too wet and it only adds needed humidity.And of course they are on smart tray above about 1/2”of standing water.85 f.
This gives great rooting.

I also got the tent ready and clean.I love stonewool mini-cubes in this regard too.No water in tent to shop-vac every watering!!!
I so hated the shopvac.

I made my mind to use 2” mini-cubes.That way can have a bit more rooting room to set oustide a short while before sale.Will be super!
These 10x20 trays of cubes will be dunked in their entirety for extended times for more thourough absorption and hopefully very abundant low budding.

 

[cmeg1]

ZELKOVA MINI-BROOM & CLUMP STYLE AIR-LAYERS.

Some of these are ready @ 14 days….COOL!

I will actually find it hard to sell these until perhaps a much bigger crop….this was total experimentation.I will create a large crop of these someday….when a more streamline approach and also more room.

Neat how the trunk is completely flared out on some of them

 

[hinmo24t]

Damn nice job

 

[cmeg1]

Damn nice job

Thanks……I will eventually get a full on crop of these…..I may not let this first batch go,I like them so much.
I guess I will order some zelkova seed though and get planting for Spring.

 

[cmeg1]

A FEW MORE

Some are a bit early,but they should recover fine because of the low intensity lighting they will be in for awhile.

These will get stronger and I will defoliate and shape again.

 

[Srt8madness]

Hate to ask for info already given, but can you reference to where the fulvic/kelp mix for dunking JBP is in this thread? Trying to do some JBP (for personal growing, not to sell) and the techniques in this thread are incredibly intriguing.

 

[cmeg1]

Hate to ask for info already given, but can you reference to where the fulvic/kelp mix for dunking JBP is in this thread? Trying to do some JBP (for personal growing, not to sell) and the techniques in this thread are incredibly intriguing.

5:2 ratio of fulvic acid/kelp powders….or simply 1/8tsp fulvic:::1/16 tsp kelp powders.

This ratio is more perfected in powders where the actual study is more closely replicated that was done by Virginia Tech for ten years showing this ratio to work 50% better than either product on its own.

a simpme soray once or twice a week is highly effective for backbudding……it has been discovered the fulvic acid will carry the kelp directly into the cell of the soft plant tissue in as little as 4 hrs.

My new plan this season is extended whole plant dunking for up to 4 hrs,but usually just 2 or so……really absorbing especcially into waxy pine leaves..
No more than once a week or it will fry the plants as the cytokinesis does create heat as a byproduct and will burn needles and leaves.
Kelp can be put on plant roots in the media drench every watering though Daily is fine.

Can you get fulvic and kelp powder from NPK technologies or kalix, their parent company which is wholesale same company.

Also one 16th teaspoon of yucca powder per 5 gallons is very very good especially when spraying to surfect the water molecule and spread onto the leaves evenly ,if Dunking it’s not totally necessary but that small amount of Yucca does strengthen the plant in desert growing ways this is all still experimental though…… The Yucca powder is also a very mild fungicide which is another reason to add it if you’re not a fan of the chemicals as I am indoors hence the reason I stay away from a lot of specific varieties I just don’t like spraying the damn things

 

[cmeg1]

FINALLY STARTING TO POT UP THE SEEDLING CUTTINGS………2” mini-blocks this time!!!

Close eye on these now………no missed waterings lol
Try to create the best crop ever wwith more bottom branching.

Just potting up as I pluch the rooted cuttings from the trays……. Nearly 100% success radial rooting too!!!

these are now settling or establishing themselves in rather low mother plant light while the roots proliferate and also at about 800 ppm of CO2

also a pinch of monoammoniumphosphate to boost the routing power in the first three weeks and then it will be eliminated and regular grow formula.

The air pruning in these Grodan mini block should be spectacular and create a rather healthy plant ….probably even more so than the fabric Rootpouch’s used to do.

 

[Srt8madness]

Thanks for the reply, and wow those look fantastic!! Keeping my eye on that ebay store of yours

 

[cmeg1]

Potted up another flat of seedling cuttings

Exciting getting these growing.

 

[cmeg1]

DEFOLIATING AND POTTING UP ZELKOVA

I’m finding it better to defoliate these when ptting especially if less initial rooting.

I’ve decided to keep a tent just for these fun trees and others too.