Extended season starting trees indoors

[cmeg1]

Got 8 weeks out of a twenty gallon tank.Nice
About $13 a month.
Re-upped this morning.

 

[TyroTinker]

Thanks!
Yea,will have to shape before branches get too solid.I still have time.I got to get rootball more stable in the pots or they would greatly suffer from me flexing them all around.They are getting a starter fertilizer now with a pinch of mono-ammonium phosphate added.That should really increase rootmass in 2-3 weeks then they will get more nitrogen afterwards.These are all destined for very small Bonsai just start training right away.They shape up quite quickly in good conditions.May very well be defoliating this upcoming grow season!

These will make great little bonsai trees. On the Zelkova you have amazing branching now but will that translate to good ramification when they get older? I’m wondering if when they get older will your treatments give more branches off the trunk or more sub branches? Do you have any ideas? I’m completely out of my league here just super curious how your experiments will go. I am excited to follow along

 

[TyroTinker]

Got 8 weeks out of a twenty gallon tank.Nice
About $13 a month.
Re-upped this morning.

How big is that tank?

*edit* just kidding..... twenty. I swear I did see that

Do you refill where people get their carbon for drinks or is that a different % of carbon?
(I’ve never dealt with it, but my dad has been talking about it. He has a big tank that’s been sitting in his garage for years)

 

[cmeg1]

These will make great little bonsai trees. On the Zelkova you have amazing branching now but will that translate to good ramification when they get older? I’m wondering if when they get older will your treatments give more branches off the trunk or more sub branches? Do you have any ideas? I’m completely out of my league here just super curious how your experiments will go. I am excited to follow along

When in good vigor these develop rapidly for smaller trees.You can start defoliating in 2nd season even.
I made this one quite a few years ago without even trying when I was literally just getting into bonsai. and it opened my eyes to what can be done with some tree species.
It was about 2 years old from seed.
The ones I’m making now should be consideralbly better!

 

[cmeg1]

How big is that tank?

*edit* just kidding..... twenty. I swear I did see that

Do you refill where people get their carbon for drinks or is that a different % of carbon?
(I’ve never dealt with it, but my dad has been talking about it. He has a big tank that’s been sitting in his garage for years)

I get mine from keen compressed gas......a welding or compressed gas supply store.seems most towns have one near by.
Open an account and just make exchanges.

should get a doser though.Can burn leaves and even harm youself guestimating with mathmatical .equations.....dosers are rather expensive with the fuzzy logic

 

[TyroTinker]

I get mine from keen compressed gas......a welding or compressed gas supply store.seems most towns have one near by.
Open an account and just make exchanges.

should get a doser though.Can burn leaves and even harm youself guestimating with mathmatical .equations.....dosers are rather expensive with the fuzzy logic

Well to be honest I doubt I will ever take it as far as you are now but I will keep it in my head as a possibility in the far future. Gotta have dreams right?

 

[cmeg1]

Time to start transplanting seedling cuttings.

So,far I am getting about 50% success rate.Pretty good roots.
So hopefully get 200 or more from this batch.
I can transplant about 15 per night.

I hope the more mature cuttings I made a few days ago push roots.I left some stems,used a stronger dip and also wounded slightly.
They were made a month later than the batch I’m transplanting now.They were much greener and probably have more stored energy.Seems they would grow vigorous.Fingers crossed on that one.Will probably make another tray of them this Friday just in case.

 

[cmeg1]

I put the cuttings in the grow room just next to the settling light that’s dimmed.
Should be fine while I slowly acclimate to dryer air.Will remove dome on 3rd day of vents being open.
This PPFD meter is the bomb for stuff like this ,so I do not stress them the first week with intense light when taking cuttings away from t5’s.

 

[cmeg1]

The experimental mature cuttings

 

[cmeg1]

only two more seedling layers to go

That will give me 13.I am giving the seedlings of Zelkova and Japanese Maple to a friend.I just do not have the room to do all I want to do ,so Just make all the Pines I can and the 13 Zelkova.I like these.
It is funny....the roots on these little air -layers look as dense as the 2 month old roots on the trees themselves.If not older really.Layers are only 2 weeks tops!
I may keep most of these Zelkova.

 

[Pitoon]

I put the cuttings in the grow room just next to the settling light that’s dimmed.
Should be fine while I slowly acclimate to dryer air.Will remove dome on 3rd day of vents being open.
This PPFD meter is the bomb for stuff like this ,so I do not stress them the first week with intense light when taking cuttings away from t5’s.
View attachment 273226

How much was the reader?

 

[cmeg1]

How much was the reader?

these extended range ones are made specifically for indoor high intensity led’s that are over 1000ppfd.
There are cheaper alternatives,but what is the point of having one that only reads to 600 ppfd.

$575. Expensive,but apogee is best you can buy.
I run my lights near 1000,sometimes more in co2

Quantum (PAR & ePAR) Sensors / Meters - ePAR Sensors - Apogee Instruments, Inc.

www.apogeeinstruments.com

 

[cmeg1]

room now

I have room now for more pines.Also going to sew chinese elm.At least a few.Planted a few hundred pine seeds too.
I am finding these root best when stems turn red,Like Jonas from bonsaitonight sais’.
After that, strike rate seems to get lower and lower.
I have better success with higher temperatures too.Like approaching 85f initially till’ roots start forming.Then can turn down about 7 degrees afterwards so roots grow quicker.

 

[atlarsenal]

Where did you get the big black trays? I use washing machine drain pans but I think I like yours better.

 

[cmeg1]

Where did you get the big black trays? I use washing machine drain pans but I think I like yours better.
View attachment 273621

They have a few different sizes.

Giant Plus Garden Tray

This tray has proved popular when used by private and commercial gardeners alike as a large irrigation table for keeping a multitude of potted plants watered.

www.greenhousemegastore.com

 

[atlarsenal]

They have a few different sizes.

Giant Plus Garden Tray

This tray has proved popular when used by private and commercial gardeners alike as a large irrigation table for keeping a multitude of potted plants watered.

www.greenhousemegastore.com

Thanks, I get a lot of stuff from GHMS but I have totally missed those!

 

[cmeg1]

filling the pots already

After a week or so these get really solid in the pots.A good sign!
I am impressed a little 8 week old seedling has a 3/8” trunk already ......being 7” tall.
Even the lowest branch is popping buds clear down to the trunk.Wow
Will have to wire here very soon.

 

[cmeg1]

Cool little Zelkova

This one is barely 6” tall.Turning to a bonsai by itself.
Still getting starter fertilizer yet.

Excited to see what Chinese Elm do.Have seeds coming Thursday.Schumacher states 33% germination without pre treatment.Will stratify and also do some straight away too.

 

[cmeg1]

Some seedling air-layers turn out identical.

Several of the Zelkova’s turn out almost identical at the start.Kind of neat.
Here is a couple.

 

[cmeg1]

planted Chinese Elm.

About 400 seeds.Schumacher states 33% germination without pretreatment.
Fingers crossed.I really want a few of these to see how they react to seedling air-layering and also growth characteristics in this environment.
I have a hunch they will grow nicely with elevated co2 and everything else.