My year around bonsai work in the Inland Empire, CA

[bonhe]

The 2nd one.
On 4/16/16


This morning


After cut back


Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

I just mentioned fungal growth in other post. I found this fungal manufacture in supermarket this morning. I intended to grow oyster mushroom for a while. This small box is very good for my intention. It costs about $10. I bought one to try. If it is good, I will try to grow it with my way in the near future.


I followed the instruction on the box. The lid was removed. I can see a lot of fungi spores ready to grow.


I remove the bag, and soak it in the water for 8 hours


Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

This week is really hot and humid here. Going out to the garden to water the trees in the afternoon is similar to come into the sauna room!!


Is the trees getting environmental stress like the human?
Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

The crepe myrtle starts blooming!
The 1st one.


The 2nd one.


Bonhe

 

[0soyoung]

This week is really hot and humid here. Going out to the garden to water the trees in the afternoon is similar to come into the sauna room!!
View attachment 112047

Is the trees getting environmental stress like the human?
Bonhe

Not from the humidity - high humidity = low stress.

The only way I can believe that it is this humid in Riverside is that the sea level has risen high enough that you are now a bayside community !

BTW,

1. Why does the black pine have that name?

What is the answer?

 

[Craigm]

BTW,
bonhe said: ↑
1. Why does the black pine have that name?
What is the answer?

it's the color of the new buds which are slightly black, right?

 

[bonhe]

0soyoung, post: 374898, member: 12845
"Not from the humidity -
high humidity = low stress.
It is very interesting!
The humidity affects not only to the plants but also to the human. The humidity too high or too low is not good for both plants and human.
* For the human:
If the humidity is low (it means the air is more dry), it can cause skin problem: dryness ---> itching ---> scratching ---> infection, thickening of the skin, dermatitis, etc....; increase skin aging, dehydration secondary to water loss through the skin, lungs.
If the humidity is high (the air is more wet), it can cause breathing problem (suffocated due to wet ---> shortness of breath, pneumonia, etc...), skin disease due to fungal infection (athlete's foot, jock itch, toenail fungus, you name it.)
* For the plants, will be the same affects as the human. It means, the low humidity can cause dehydration (the leaves is considered as the lungs of the plants). The high humidity can suppress the fluid transport within the plant because the evaporation through the leaves will be ceased -----> stop the absorption of the water from the soil through the roots. The metabolic processes will be slowed down significantly! The plant can not live long in this condition. Besides, high humidity is an excellent environment for fungal disease growth on the plant!

*The optimal humidity for human is 30 - 50 %; for the plants is 50 - 70% and for fungus is greater than 70%

The only way I can believe that it is this humid in Riverside is that the sea level has risen high enough that you are now a bayside community !
I wish I could buy you an air ticket to come down here!
I also wish my home would be a bayside!
We have been have subtropical storm here in the past few weeks and it brings monsoonal moisture to our area. It is why it is so hot and humid here. It reminds me my motherland!

At 7:30 am today, in my garden, temperature was 72 and humidity was 66!! It made me sweat in no time!

Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

BTW,
bonhe said: ↑
1. Why does the black pine have that name?
What is the answer?

it's the color of the new buds which are slightly black, right?

Hi Craigm, I don't think so.
The black pine has that name because its barks turn black later on in its life!
Bonhe

 

[0soyoung]

I wish I could buy you an air ticket to come down here!

When I was a kid, I spent a summer in Riverside. I remember it being hot, but I don't remember it being humid at the same time (kinda like Phoenix).

 

[bonhe]

When I was a kid, I spent a summer in Riverside. I remember it being hot, but I don't remember it being humid at the same time (kinda like Phoenix).

I recognized this change since last year. It used to be hot and dry here, but it is changing now.
Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

I got this cork elm out again this morning to trim it back a little.
Before


After


Healing scar.

Bonhe

 

[Craigm]

Hi Craigm, I don't think so.
The black pine has that name because its barks turn black later on in its life!
Bonhe

Clearly it has Black bark,Same as a Red pine has orange/red bark .
Was a stab in the dark at your question, I was always told you define
a jbp and jrp from its new bud color which on jbp early on is black.
no probs,cool as!

I

 

[0soyoung]

I was always told you define
a jbp and jrp from its new bud color which on jbp early on is black.

I've heard that too.
Ironically, they turn into hairy white candles during the winter
It is the most distinctive feature of black pines (that they have white winter candles), IMHO . It is especially pronounced with the thunderhead cultivar.

 

[bonhe]

I was always told you define
a jbp and jrp from its new bud color which on jbp early on is black.

I read some where on the internet about this. However, I never see the black candles!
My teacher told me that the color of the pine bud or candle can tell you if the tree is strong or weak. In my experience, the silver bud or candle is seen on the strong pine. The red one is seen on the weak pine. The brown one is in the between strong and weak.
Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

Those Korean black pine are waiting for their pruning in about a month.

Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

The seedless sweet pomegranates are dangling in the hot summer afternoon.

Bonhe

 

[0soyoung]

Seedless pomegranite??
Just a styrofoam ball??

 

[bonhe]

It was called seedless because its seeds are really soft and flat. You can chew them without any discomfort!
The regular pome. seeds are hard and big.
Bonhe

 

[Giga]

Love those chunky crepe myrtles

 

[bonhe]

Love those chunky crepe myrtles

Thanks. I still have 3 large CMs waiting for training!
I looked at this pomegranate this morning and thought it was time to do another pruning! This tree was pruned and wired on 5/15/16. This time I just cut short the shoots back to 2 -3 leaves without wiring.
After finishing one side of the tree, I recognized I did not take a picture prior to pruning!



Those shoots were pruned.


After


Bonhe