Mame contest idea

[Cadillactaste]

The squirrels and the trusty canine companion keep digging up my Hornbeam. So far the only damage is one branch getting broken off. Of course it was the branch I intended to keep... but at least the tree seems healthy. The roses are doing great, despite the occasional disruption by said faithful canine.

Might be wise to teach them faithful canine the amazing command... "leave it".

 

[Cadillactaste]

Cold frosts have thinned the folliage on the Boston Ivy...to the point it was pathetic looking. With my having a controlled cold greenhouse...and it a hearty vine I had at removing much of the tangled mess...

That is the stuff I hadn't tossed over into the Ravine yet...before I thought to grab a photo of the pile. Had started clearing up the tangles earlier and tossed it. Finished and was like...ugh needed to grab a photo of the waist! So...second round of removing tangled vines...
Reminding myself these are worked different than typical bonsai...compact is the key.

 

[Cadillactaste]

My creepy Virginia creeper is showing pretty fall colors.View attachment 161207
Serissa looking healthy.
View attachment 161209
Even the near death willo leaf ficus is trying to make a come back.
View attachment 161210
Only 3 years to go. LOL

As I pruned my dormant creeper...I thought to myself. When I got mine...I only had a trunk. No branching or ramification. Okay....I see you having fun with that aspect...that you can create something quickly with this species. Unlike the Boston Ivy their vines so threadlike thin...Creepers are thick vines and you have substance. Though...Boston Ivy after seeing Walter Pall's just breaking dormancy on his blog...I must say developing them are so different than the creeper. My Boston Ivy...minus foliage...is 3 1/2" tall. ...totally different than my Virgina Creeper. The creeper will get a slight angle change being tilted up more for a more dramatic weeping style than limp style
as I feel it is now. But was thinking of your creeper as I pruned my own...have fun with it!!!

 

[Cadillactaste]

@CasAH ... How did I miss your Ginkgo in the contest!?! Sweet... love my ginkgo.

Just looking over all the listed contestant trees...and am excited for everyone and their journeys.

 

[CasAH]

@CasAH ... How did I miss your Ginkgo in the contest!?! Sweet... love my ginkgo.

Just looking over all the listed contestant trees...and am excited for everyone and their journeys.

@Cadillactaste

I was surprised you did not mention it previously. The leaves are just starting to turn yellow.

I hope I can keep it alive over the Winter. It is in potting soil, as I got it too late in the year to do anything with it. Plan to repot next Spring.

 

[Cadillactaste]

@Cadillactaste

I was surprised you did not mention it previously. The leaves are just starting to turn yellow.

I hope I can keep it alive over the Winter. It is in potting soil, as I got it too late in the year to do anything with it. Plan to repot next Spring.

Unsure how it slipped my seeing it. I was hitting like to ones posts. But...I seemed to have done just that. Well I was glad I went back through and looked at the trees contestants submitted. Waiting on my fall color still. Microclimate...Scott who I got it from said...he has had no fall color on them their dropping their leaves first depends on weather. Protecting it from early frost can help...mine has seen frost...but we were to get low 30's last night...and I stuck it in the cold greenhouse which is at 60 right now. Hoping to see fall colors on it. Living in that microclimate the town trees have changed color on their ginkgos awhile back.

Cool your getting to see those lovely yellows...what is your plan of wintering?

 

[CasAH]

Unsure how it slipped my seeing it. I was hitting like to ones posts. But...I seemed to have done just that. Well I was glad I went back through and looked at the trees contestants submitted. Waiting on my fall color still. Microclimate...Scott who I got it from said...he has had no fall color on them their dropping their leaves first depends on weather. Protecting it from early frost can help...mine has seen frost...but we were to get low 30's last night...and I stuck it in the cold greenhouse which is at 60 right now. Hoping to see fall colors on it. Living in that microclimate the town trees have changed color on their ginkgos awhile back.

Cool your getting to see those lovely yellows...what is your plan of wintering?

I plan on building a box out of 2" foam board about 4x4x4 to hold my trees. Fill up to bottom branch with paling peanuts. I will place it on a shelf in my attached unheated garage.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I plan on building a box out of 2" foam board about 4x4x4 to hold my trees. Fill up to bottom branch with paling peanuts. I will place it on a shelf in my attached unheated garage.

Paling peanuts...is that like packaging peanuts...if so...be aware some melt with contact of water. Had a mess one time when it was raining and unpacking a bonsai. Mulch might be a better insulation and has been used before. I honestly don't know anything about wintering outside of anything but my cold greenhouse. Wish I could be more of assistance. But packaging peanuts...and water most of mine turned into a soggy clump of sticky mess. I threw my shoes away.

 

[jeanluc83]

I plan on building a box out of 2" foam board about 4x4x4 to hold my trees. Fill up to bottom branch with paling peanuts. I will place it on a shelf in my attached unheated garage.

Sounds like a reasonable plan. I would probably substitute mulch or horse bedding (shavings not sawdust) for the peanuts for the same reason @Cadillactaste mentioned. Also place your box on the floor. The temperature will be much more consistent there than on a shelf.

 

[CasAH]

Sounds like a reasonable plan. I would probably substitute mulch or horse bedding (shavings not sawdust) for the peanuts for the same reason @Cadillactaste mentioned. Also place your box on the floor. The temperature will be much more consistent there than on a shelf.

One car garage. Wife parks in garage. Shelf is designed for wife to pull car in underneath. Not ideal, but it is what I have available to me.

Wife is a hospice nurse and gets called out in the middle of the night. Cannot talk her into giving up award car in the Winter, nor a big fan of the trees I guess.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Many people store things on shelves...you make do with the best you can offer.

 

[defra]

My quince airlayer opened up the flower bud

 

[Cadillactaste]

Oh @defra! Stunning...white and red on that single bloom. It's going to be a gem of a mame.

 

[Mimstrel]

Might be wise to teach them faithful canine the amazing command... "leave it".

She is actually very good at "leave it" but the yard isn't fenced so in the morning she goes out on the chain to take care of business while I get ready for work... and sometimes the neighbor dog is out and she has to bark at him... and the chain ends up wrapped through the pots. And then the pots end up sideways.

I have plans to put in a fence, hopefully this fall.

 

[jeanluc83]

Update on my pitch pine.

I was happy with the growth I got this season. It increased in girth by about a quarter inch and I got lots of backbudding in the right places.

Next year it will be put in a small pot and I'll concentrate on getting those low buds strong enough to support the tree.

Spring




Fall

 

[VAFisher]

Just an update my entries. My original pot wasn't right for this tree so I found this Bokeno pot that suits it much better to my eye. Since crapes, in my experience, handle summer root work just fine, I went ahead and switched it.



My 2nd entry also got a new tiny Bokeno pot. I'm unsure of the low branch on this one but I think it will be nice after it ramifies and the leaves reduce a little more. I can always remove it later.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Sweet! Loving the updates! Everyone is taking it to the next level already!!

 

[Cadillactaste]

... I think we can see the potential in material and love it more...I showed my husband my mame tree...he wasn't impressed. ... ....Well I still love it. Lol

 

[VAFisher]

... I think we can see the potential in material and love it more...I showed my husband my mame tree...he wasn't impressed. ... ....Well I still love it. Lol

My wife calls them the Keebler Elf Trees.

 

[Underdog]

My wife calls them the Keebler Elf Trees.