Japanese Red Pine question

[spunog]

I planted this Japanese Red Barked pine on 1 april. It sprouted a week or two after and is now as shown in the pic. It is currently in Potting compost and has been in the conservatory (Sun Room) .

I'm pretty sure Pines need to be outdoors.

When should I start moving this guy outside?

When should I start to fertilise it ?

When should I change it to bonsai soil mix ?

Thanks,

Des

 

[Bill S]

Now
Now
early spring 2012, unless you want to go the route of severing the roots to shorten the tree and branches yet to come, but that is an advanced avenue to travel.

Hope you are a youngster, those are going to be needing years of work.

By the way don't keep the dirt wet, let it dry down before watering again. look for some threads and articles on watering bonsai.

 

[spunog]

Ok thanks for the response. I read that for a pine I need a fertilizer with high Nitrogen ?

 

[Alain BERTRAND]

vel.

Hope you are a youngster, those are going to be needing years of work.

It depends on the size of the tree you want, but JRP are fast growers and backbud well.

2003

2005

end of 2006, put it in the ground

Spring of 2011

Sorry for the last pic, whatever I do, it is never upright after being uploaded.

 

[Pine Barron]

Great progression so far Alain. Thanks for posting these pictures.

 

[spunog]

Npk 6:5:9

Oh cool, thanks for the phase shots. very interesting.

How does liquid tomato feed sound for fertilising this pine? NPK 6:5:9

It is slightly acidic which I hear is good for pines.

Thanks

Des

 

[tanlu]

Thanks for those photos Alain. I recently started growing JRP and they definitely do bud back very well! I'll take some photos of them. They look like they're in their third year. I'm planning on putting them together and create a tripple trunk bonsai, or I guess group planting (?)

@ Spunog, I highly recommend purchasing Miracid by Miracle Grow, you'll see pink azaleas on the cover of the box. It's meant for all acid loving plants and my pines are responding very well to it.

In the spring and summer you'll want to use nitrogen rich fert like 20:10:10. In late summer and fall lower nitrogen and increase potassium and phosphorous (10:20:20). Usually flower boosting ferts work well for that.

T

 

[Bill S]

Thanks Alaine, definately a lot of progress in a short period, good work.

 

[bonsaiTOM]

So glad to find this thread and see the photos offered - with the 8 year progression.

I have several one year-old JRP's that are similar to the first pic from 2003. My plan for some of them is to create literati for which I favor the red pine. Might also try a 'triple trunk' with some others. Years of development lie ahead. But I'm thankful to have this guide to consider.

 

[Alain BERTRAND]

The first batch of my JRP reaching slowly the stade where I should put them in a pot, I have sown new seeds this spring for the second batch, with hope that the experience I got with the first will help me.
I also plan to create literati so here are my plans
Young JRP grow rather well :

Picture taken at the end of September 2004. All the plants where between 70 and 90 cm (almost 3 feet) after their third year. This is where I was wrong : they were already to fat to wire and bend them to shape them with acute, sharp curves. So this time, I plan to give less fertilizer, to pile the pots in staggered rows to make them race up for light and to pinch any branch and remove needles that could help them fatten too much before reaching a height allowing the first shaping.