Pinus strobus 'Niagara Falls' from Mountain Meadows nursery.

[Japonicus]

Last December when we went to Mountain Meadows Nursery in N.C. I picked up two projects.
This is one of the two, a 3 gallon Pinus strobis 'Niagara Falls'. Hardy to zone 3, and a dwarf at 1-6" growth/yr.

https://conifersociety.org/conifers/pinus-strobus-niagara-falls/

Its origin is a witches broom.
The unsightly aerial roots were just uncovered today when I got digging in, and are hidden on the back side.



There was a healthy amount of mycorrhiza throughout no matter how deep I went into the root structure.
No compaction, and I worked further into the roots after the picture was taken with me holding the base up...

​

...to the point that I had begun cutting into the base of the trunk just to get it into the pot I had.
I butchered the base of the trunk really.

I hope it doesn't shed any branches, but if it just lives will be a feat of itself.
Fortunately the ugly aerial roots are on the chosen back side.
The pot is ~3.5" tall inside.

 

[Japonicus]

You can tell by the orientation of the candles, how much I changed the planting angle.

 

[Scorpius]

It's better to slowly reduce the root ball over several years than all in one go like you did. I hope your tree makes it.

 

[Japonicus]

It's better to slowly reduce the root ball over several years than all in one go like you did. I hope your tree makes it.

Right. I don't mean to promote this reduction, but I do have a certain comfort level involved
though not 100% confident. I'm considering planting this project, in the ground as is and mulching over.
The time frame was key with rain and wain, but still, you're right, it's risky.
The problem I'm incurring is the lack of proper sized pots. I've spent down buying pots this year
and am still very limited. It would have been better to have cut the nursery can down 1/2 way and put back
in with bonsai soil. Hoping my comfort level is not amiss.

This cultivar may not lend itself to bonsai very well and trunk might not be reduced...
1st because it is strobis, 2nd it is pendulating to some degree. Yet here it is.

Now to move onto the 2nd project from Mountain Meadows, a beautiful dwarf golden hemlock
which will probably go into a pond basket.

 

[MaciekA]

Hey @Japonicus , you seem like you have the space/means to make the following happen so ... putting it out there: I have had really spectacular results with putting white pines on a horticultural heating mat after a significant reduction in roots. You would only need to run a mat just for this spring / early summer and then you'd likely be off to the races. In your case I would get the smallest mat I could, set it to 80F and then bury the sensor under the pot (but above the mat) and then surround the entire pot in lava or pumice (heat battery, softens the temperature swings and eases the workload on the mat / saves watts) with no gaps around or underneath. I've had luck with other pine species on heating mats as well, last year I recovered a completely bare rooted lodgepole pine yamadori on a heating mat -- it filled a pond basket with roots the following months and is now super vigorous.

Something to consider if you want to hasten root recovery! If 80F sounds too roasty you can always try 70F like they do in greenhouse propagation setups.

 

[Japonicus]

Hey @Japonicus , you seem like you have the space/means to make the following happen so ... putting it out there: I have had really spectacular results with putting white pines on a horticultural heating mat after a significant reduction in roots. You would only need to run a mat just for this spring / early summer and then you'd likely be off to the races. In your case I would get the smallest mat I could, set it to 80F and then bury the sensor under the pot (but above the mat) and then surround the entire pot in lava or pumice (heat battery, softens the temperature swings and eases the workload on the mat / saves watts) with no gaps around or underneath. I've had luck with other pine species on heating mats as well, last year I recovered a completely bare rooted lodgepole pine yamadori on a heating mat -- it filled a pond basket with roots the following months and is now super vigorous.

Something to consider if you want to hasten root recovery! If 80F sounds too roasty you can always try 70F like they do in greenhouse propagation setups.

Thanks MaciekA
Besides a cold snap coming next 2 days we are off to the races with temps in the mid 80's by this weekend.
I did save a sekka hinoki using heat tape recently, but have no heat mats. By the time an order was received
the temps will be ok and in the meantime, 2 stepping back into our sunroom for frosty nights.

I am using K-L-N (a liquid transplant starter with rooting hormone),
ProTekt (0-0-3 + silicone to aid in transpiration),
and Superthrive. I collected a good bit of mycorrhiza from the discarded soil/roots and added back in.

 

[Japonicus]

It's better to slowly reduce the root ball over several years than all in one go like you did. I hope your tree makes it.

Still going strong. I never put it in the ground and mulched it, but have been able to bring it into the sunroom
when the winds pick up. I have misted it a couple times a day as with juniper, and have had one shoot die.
That one shoot may've died regardless of repotting, will never know.
Candles are continuing to open on schedule.

Other than reducing 2 or 3 candles and removing maybe 2 candles, I've not touched the foliage.
Late Summer I will remove candle(s) where there are 3 or more at the terminal, reducing to 2.
In the meantime the extra foliage can speed recovery. No pinching candles this year.

 

[PA_Penjing]

Somewhat interested in giving strobus a shot in the future. I don't know if you've seen Vance Hanna's thread but he decandles his like a JBP and the result is very small needles. I'm not sure how vigorous this cultivar is (might take away the option) but the wild species is crazy tenacious

 

[Japonicus]

Somewhat interested in giving strobus a shot in the future. I don't know if you've seen Vance Hanna's thread but he decandles his like a JBP and the result is very small needles. I'm not sure how vigorous this cultivar is (might take away the option) but the wild species is crazy tenacious

Yes he's chimed in on this thread below...

EWP gets a new pot today

Yes this is the nebari from hell. I lost its sister from overworking it in 2019 :( had been in ground ~ 10 yrs on a tile. This one just always had that ugly appeal to it, and has been in a pot most of its life. Here in 2008 it was in the ground, but whether in a pot for the Winter I don't...

www.bonsainut.com

...a couple of times.
Note: the EWP I've worked with are dwarf forms of the species.
They can be overworked, so normal precautions.

That tall straight trunk on this one here, above the 2nd bend is sacrificial.
In the meantime it is helping blend the graft and adding girth fingers crossed.

 

[Japonicus]

While we were in Colorado our neighbor came over and watered my trees for me.
He's not old enough to drive yet, and got really worried this EWP was dying because
he did something wrong. I told him I just needed to clean out the old shed needles
so I did and sent him a picture to let him know it was in healthy condition and thank him again.
So he had a little extra prom spending money.

Most of the minor thinning will be held off till late Winter.
The last 2 feedings have been with Bloom Booster, hoping to prime any possible back budding.
Keep as much photosynthesis and energy draw for now, then remove by pruning and thinning
just before we start the next growing season.

 

[Japonicus]

Been reducing whorls today and cutting underneath needles. Put some #8 wire on and bent the trunk
to try and move the sacrificial top out of the way, but cannot decide what branch for sure yet to use
as the new top. If it were JWP, the 1st forward jin, 2nd pic, would have been the new trunk, but not for this tree.
There's a reason it's called Niagara Falls




We'll see where the new growth takes it for a couple of years, before I decide how many whorls to sacrifice
and what to do with the bar branch.

 

[Japonicus]

It lives

 

[TrevorLarsen]

If a nursery in Utah had that name it would be rather controversial. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_Massacre

 

[Japonicus]

If a nursery in Utah had that name it would be rather controversial. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_Massacre

Yes it would be. I found this nursery through @Bonsai Nut thread advocating it.

Mountain Meadows Nursery - why are you not visiting yet?

For me, bonsai is 50% tiny trees, and 50% the amazing people I get to meet. Today, I had the privilege of meeting Michael Balogh of Mountain Meadows Nursery. I happen to be a talker. Mike is also a talker. Two talkers meeting at a conifer nursery?! For me it was nirvana! Mike is super...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Japonicus]

Not only does it live, the candles have opened up, most of the needles still beginning their outward expansion,
but also a 2nd flush is underway before the 1st flush has completely opened up.












There is also adventitious back budding, but this 2nd flush is across the entire tree.
Seems to have taken to the new pot pretty well.


Plans for 2025-26 depending on percolation and vigour.