Nursery Juniper and boxwoods advice

[Ininaatigoons]

The estimated age was from the top chop. Unfortunately I took 4 pics and only 1 loaded! This of course would be view from front left. Back to the beginning... The best scale for Thuja Occidentalis is Very Large.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

The estimated age was from the top chop. Unfortunately I took 4 pics and only 1 loaded! This of course would be view from front left. Back to the beginning... The best scale for Thuja Occidentalis is Very Large.

I disagree that they need to be very large . Going large is one method of dealing with the course foliage . And there are trees of substantial size . But there are a lot of notable trees that are not that big . Like I said dead wood is often a main feature of these trees . Said deadwood if often delicate . On smaller trees . The 2 pics are my current tree it’s still early in development it’s 26 inches from the rim of the pot to the top of the deadwood . And I don’t plan to make it taller . It will not become a masterpiece . And will never be mistaken for a shinpaku . But it will make a nice bonsai .

 

[gfreak]

This is quoted to be over 450 tears old and trained from a 12' yamadori to whay is now 6'

Holy crap, yea that is awesome. I've always liked looking at trees with deadwood style stuff.

 

[gfreak]

First you need to consider the soil it is in . I’m unsure what is used there for nursery soil . If that is what it’s still in . My first concern is are you sure your getting wet . A lot of nursery soil is peat moss based . These soils can be difficult to wet . Once dry . The top gets wet and water runs thru the pot without soaking the soil .recommend setting the pot in a container of water . And allowing it to absorb all it wants . To wet it thoroughly. Up to the soil level for 30 minutes or longer with water up to the bottom 1/3 Use a clean stick of wood ( chop stick popsicle stick or meat skewer) inserted deep into pot to check soil moisture leave the stick in the pot . Water when it no longer is wet when removed . This is a great learning tool each tree is different . They need to dry out but bone dry is to dry . Options are water when needed ir move to a less intense sun location . I assume full sun there is intense . I’m not the person to speak to that . But micro climates can be made . It’s easier to shade out the sun then get more that’s not avail .irrigation systems are avail including simple gravity drip . Do not leave the pot soaking in a tray of water . You will promote root rot . Do not allow it to continue to dry out completely you will kill it

Also as an update, I did this that night. and so far it seems to be retaining water MUCH better than it was originally! It's no longer dry when i come home from work!

 

[gfreak]

Some of hte branches/leafs on this guy are starting to brown a bit. anyone that could point me towards what was causing it?

Was it the initial under-watering/retention issue I had before that just took a while to show the effect? Or is this now an over-watering issue from me over correcting?

https://imgur.com/a/khK42o6

Thanks! As a side note, my fukien tea is thriving, but not this guy that was supposed to be a pretty hardy plant haha.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Some of hte branches/leafs on this guy are starting to brown a bit. anyone that could point me towards what was causing it?

Was it the initial under-watering/retention issue I had before that just took a while to show the effect? Or is this now an over-watering issue from me over correcting?

https://imgur.com/a/khK42o6

Thanks! As a side note, my fukien tea is thriving, but not this guy that was supposed to be a pretty hardy plant haha.

I suspect it’s the under watering . A conifer can be damaged from lack of water and take a long time for the effect to show up . Think of a X mass tree . It’s cut in a forest boom you just killed it . But keep it cold outside in shipping or a merchant selling it then bring it in a heated house put the trunk in water it can look alive for a long time hopefully you have not killed it completely only time will tell the extent of the damage

 

[Ininaatigoons]

Thuja Occidentalis grows near swamps up in Northern Minnesota, but also on rocky cliffs with little soil. They should be very tough. I think it'll live through this!

 

[gfreak]

That makes sense, i hope you're right that it'll live!

If it does die it's not a huge deal to me other than being dissapointing as it was pretty cheap and a good learning lol.

But I'll just keep the course now that it's retaining water properly (as far as I can tell atleast). And hope it bounces back!

Every other plant i have though seems to have a ton of new growth starting now though which is promising

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

This is quoted to be over 450 tears old and trained from a 12' yamadori to whay is now 6'

This is a Nick Lenz collected tree. The estimated age, within reason, is relatively accurate, give or take 75 or so years. And as said before its the appearance of age that counts, chronological age does not matter.

I would not hold my breath waiting for stone lantern to republish Nick's book. There are a number of reasons it did not happen earlier, Nick's death won't change that.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

This is a Nick Lenz collected tree. The estimated age, within reason, is relatively accurate, give or take 75 or so years. And as said before its the appearance of age that counts, chronological age does not matter.

I would not hold my breath waiting for stone lantern to republish Nick's book. There are a number of reasons it did not happen earlier, Nick's death won't change that.

Why do you have to be negative about the book thought we were friends

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Why do you have to be negative about the book thought we were friends

I was not negative about the book, I was negative about the publishing company, there is a history of problems with the publisher, and such. The book is fine. Stone Lantern Publishing has not published a new book in 3 or 4 years. I believe the owner has been having health issues. He may have retired. He has not been in contact with "the community" lately. So you have a book with a deceased author and a defunct publishing company. Getting the copy rights, publishing rights transferred and all the legal stuff straight, and getting a publishing company on line to print a run of books is a complicated process. Its not a simple thing. Then you have to have a company willing to warehouse the the books, because gardening books do not sell the way crime novels sell. They sell in ones and twos over a long number of years, where a crime novel will have the bulk of an edition sell out the first week or two, then interest tapers off to nothing. The crime novel goes to the discount book stores by month 6. Garden books are a different market, most publishing companies won't touch them because the initial sales are slow, and they have to be inventoried for years to make your money.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

I was not negative about the book, I was negative about the publishing company, there is a history of problems with the publisher, and such. The book is fine. Stone Lantern Publishing has not published a new book in 3 or 4 years. I believe the owner has been having health issues. He may have retired. He has not been in contact with "the community" lately. So you have a book with a deceased author and a defunct publishing company. Getting the copy rights, publishing rights transferred and all the legal stuff straight, and getting a publishing company on line to print a run of books is a complicated process. Its not a simple thing. Then you have to have a company willing to warehouse the the books, because gardening books do not sell the way crime novels sell. They sell in ones and twos over a long number of years, where a crime novel will have the bulk of an edition sell out the first week or two, then interest tapers off to nothing. The crime novel goes to the discount book stores by month 6. Garden books are a different market, most publishing companies won't touch them because the initial sales are slow, and they have to be inventoried for years to make your money.

Thanks Leo . My comment was was made in jest. . About the publication of the book not the book itself . I was not expecting you to take it seriously. Sorry . I am a fan of Lenz . For his talent and his lighter side . After all life is to short to not have fun . Sorry to hear about the publisher’s health .

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Thanks Leo . My comment was was made in jest. . About the publication of the book not the book itself . I was not expecting you to take it seriously. Sorry . I am a fan of Lenz . For his talent and his lighter side . After all life is to short to not have fun . Sorry to hear about the publisher’s health .

Don't get me wrong, I loved Nick Lenz. I have always thought the world of him. He was a hero of mine. All my negatives were for the publishing company. I have friend who did published a bonsai book back in early or middle 1990s, in Milwaukee. And I listened to him go through the problems of finding the right publisher, and how to market the book. In the end he had to buy several pallets of his own book, to warehouse himself. He eventually got them all sold, but it took him near a decade. (those who know Wisconsin, yes, it was, and do you have your copy? I got mine, and its autographed) LOL

 

[gfreak]

Well unfortunately, the tree did not make it. I'm assuming it was the original time period where it wasn't getting water properly. But it lost almost all of its leaves in the time since that last post.

On the plus side, the boxwoods and the 2 other mallsai trees i have seem to be doing great! Now i know a bit more about the watering and stuff so i appreciate the tips from y'all! So here is atleast a tax of that, i can post a picture of the casualty later as well.

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

The great thing about The Nick Lenz book . Is really only appreciated by bonsai enthusiasts from the north east . He is from this region and the book is in depth about native trees from here . Regardless of anyones thoughts on Nick . This simple fact .I feel is lost on a lot of people . The bonsai world needs more similar. Works . The modern power of communication has helped . Experts world wide share there knowledge . But lifelong knowledge of a species in a area is still rare . I feel strongly that any bonsai enthusiast should embrace the species that are native to where they are . The best artists in the world all do . This is lost on a lot of newbies . And unfortunately a lot loss interest . Yes there is great material from around the world . With knowledge on how to grow it in different climates . But all native stuff is highly adapted to the climate where you are . Mostly easy to get and forgiving .

appreciated by us midwesterners too, plenty of Great Lakes references in bonsai from the wild.

Well said!