What is the optimal timing for re-injuring a scar on JM?

[0soyoung]

Doug fir experiment because I have many. One I have is world class and took 5 years to collect (chasing roots back towards the trunk by scarring heavy root, rooting hormone, spaghnum applications and delivering fertilizer several times each year).

You showed some of your collection in another thread and you've got Walter Pall's interest. Keep posting your bonsai porn! I am envious, but living this part of your life vicariously .... well, it just doesn't get much better than that.

 

[AlainK]

I grew up in eastern CO and am very familiar with the climate patterns. When I was a kid, January was always two weeks of 60-ishF highs and two weeks of -20F and it changed in one day. I am a CU alum.

Funny all these abbreviations for a non-native who learned a form of "BBC English"

 

[base797]

You showed some of your collection in another thread and you've got Walter Pall's interest. Keep posting your bonsai porn! I am envious, but living this part of your life vicariously .... well, it just doesn't get much better than that.

Thanks man, it means a lot to me. I work very hard to find good stuff.

 

[coh]

So I wanted to go off-topic a bit and ask about wintering trees in the Boulder area. Someone (Oso? Base?) mentioned the highly variable winter weather with "2 weeks of 60s and 2 weeks of -20". Does that create problems keeping trees dormant in late winter/early spring? I know it would around here!

Reason I'm asking is, the wife and I have been talking a bit about where we'll move to next. We've had enough of the western NY climate (here 13+ years now)...we'll be stuck here a while longer but never too early to start thinking about it. Torn between someplace much warmer overall (Carolinas perhaps) or out west. Always loved Colorado and have never lived in that part of the world. The Boulder area or someplace nearby would be a place I'd consider.

Chris

 

[base797]

Hey Chris,
I grew up in Pennsylvania and probably experienced similar conditions to yours currently. However, I was not into bonsai at that time. I can tell you this, all the winter that someone wants is an hour away, but here in Boulder, winters are relatively easy. Weather in the front range is ephemeral certainly, but agreeable.

For the trees, I have mostly collected local plants that do just fine wintering here. Can't recall the last one I lost over winter. The worst thing is the heavy (actual weight) of the spring storms. When we got 2 feet last week, I literally spent the day battling, knocking snow of trees to preclude broken branches and wired trees from getting deformed was all l did. Fortunately, I own my own businesses and work when I want for the most part. I first started collecting in 2008 and the trees I have from then are stronger than ever, so they certainly seem to be getting enough dormancy. Repotting is arduous because night time temps are still cold enough that I have to move everything I repot early in and out of the garage daily (but I'm moving other stuff anyway, so it's just a few more).

Non native trees are another story. My JM and other deciduous that winter in my garage have been being shuffled for about a month already, to some degree or another.

We get some hail here, but not very often.

Proximity to so many recreational opportunities and the collecting are the reasons I stay here.

Ask away if there is anything else you wanna know.

Patrik

 

[0soyoung]

Funny all these abbreviations for a non-native who learned a form of "BBC English"

Je suis desole, Monsieur.
Je ne parle pas, francais.
But, you are just like Parisians:
I stutter, Parlez englais, s'il vous plait?
Which is met with the response: Why not?
All, I can say is 'thanks, Je suis American', which probably doesn't need to be said, being so painfully obvious.

 

[AlainK]

Je suis desole, Monsieur.

Never say you're sorry, your French is quite good

As for "Parisians", since you seem to be interested in native cultures, here's what we used to sing to the kids who lived 350km ( 200 miles) up north when they came to summer camp in massif Central:

"Parigots, têtes de veaux, parisiens, têtes de chiens"

Well, OK, they had a funny accent. Then, when I was 6, I moved to the north (of the Loire).

When I was kid in the south, I was a bit uncomfortable when the others told me " You're old, your hair is white".

When I got to the north, the kids would admire my hair, but very soon, a group would ask me "Say "Jaune"!" and when I did, they would run away laughing out.

Boo hoo hoo, and now even aliens make fun of me.

Fortunately, I am an atheist, so I won't start any battle versus "evil"

 

[Shima]

Thanks so much, Oso, for for all the pertinent information. Do you think if I cut the branches back near the trunk on this trident that buds would pop near the cuts? I cut them all back to the last visible bud thinking that would trigger more back budding but so far, nothing.

 

[Shima]

Je suis desole, Monsieur.
Je ne parle pas, francais.
But, you are just like Parisians:
I stutter, Parlez englais, s'il vous plait?
Which is met with the response: Why not?
All, I can say is 'thanks, Je suis American', which probably doesn't need to be said, being so painfully obvious.

You're jiggling my Francophile (gallophile) nerve endings. Lived there 4 of the best years of my life. Never been the same. sigh

 

[coh]

Hey Chris,
I grew up in Pennsylvania and probably experienced similar conditions to yours currently. However, I was not into bonsai at that time. I can tell you this, all the winter that someone wants is an hour away, but here in Boulder, winters are relatively easy. Weather in the front range is ephemeral certainly, but agreeable.

For the trees, I have mostly collected local plants that do just fine wintering here. Can't recall the last one I lost over winter. The worst thing is the heavy (actual weight) of the spring storms. When we got 2 feet last week, I literally spent the day battling, knocking snow of trees to preclude broken branches and wired trees from getting deformed was all l did. Fortunately, I own my own businesses and work when I want for the most part. I first started collecting in 2008 and the trees I have from then are stronger than ever, so they certainly seem to be getting enough dormancy. Repotting is arduous because night time temps are still cold enough that I have to move everything I repot early in and out of the garage daily (but I'm moving other stuff anyway, so it's just a few more).

Non native trees are another story. My JM and other deciduous that winter in my garage have been being shuffled for about a month already, to some degree or another.

We get some hail here, but not very often.

Proximity to so many recreational opportunities and the collecting are the reasons I stay here.

Ask away if there is anything else you wanna know.

Patrik

Kinda figured the native/mountain trees (pines, spruce, etc) would be better able to handle the conditions than Japanese maples, hornbeams, etc. Here, I'm usually able to keep the deciduous trees dormant until early to mid April, but then the trees have to go out. Invariably, there are several late frosts/freezes that require a bunch of moving.

Right now, I've still got pretty much all the deciduous trees in storage. The conifers are out but we have a deep cold snap coming this weekend, so there will be some moving. It's what we do, I guess!

Curious, how far do you have to travel to get to good (and legal) collecting areas? I wouldn't think you could just hike up the trails behind NCAR and dig trees (or RMNP for that matter).

Unfortunately, I wasn't into bonsai back in the day when I was spending time in Colorado. Probably walked past some really awesome stunted trees without even realizing it.

Chris

 

[jquast]

I used to travel to Colorado for work and fell in love with the Boulder area. It is simply stunning there and the people are really nice.

 

[base797]

Hey Chris,
Legal, 15 minutes away. Arapahoe/Roosevelt national forest is close.

Best areas, I travel all over the state. That's something few people take into consideration when purchasing collected material. The research, travel, expense and effort are not always rewarded with a new great area and coming home empty handed is a very real possibility when exploring.

Patrik

 

[0soyoung]

Do you think if I cut the branches back near the trunk on this trident that buds would pop near the cuts? I cut them all back to the last visible bud thinking that would trigger more back budding but so far, nothing.

Yes. All branches started from a bud. So the base of every branch/twig is a node capable of producing more buds. With age, this area becomes a 'branch collar'. If you remove the branch collar in the process, the capacity to bud goes with it. The most distal apical meristem or bud winds up in charge. Remove it (i.e., prune or 'decapitate' the branch) takes away its auxin flow and the most distal bud remaining becomes the apical meristem = a new shoot. Bud release might be suppressed if you had a full, hardened canopy above, but you don't. So you ought to get buds. I speculate that you just need to be patient.

Reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut's "Cats Cradle" in which the scientist went to the mountain and after 3 months of study descended to tell every one how he had discovered what the already knew, isn't it . I mean, I am sure I didn't tell you anything you don't already know.

 

[Shima]

Yes. All branches started from a bud. So the base of every branch/twig is a node capable of producing more buds. With age, this area becomes a 'branch collar'. If you remove the branch collar in the process, the capacity to bud goes with it. The most distal apical meristem or bud winds up in charge. Remove it (i.e., prune or 'decapitate' the branch) takes away its auxin flow and the most distal bud remaining becomes the apical meristem = a new shoot. Bud release might be suppressed if you had a full, hardened canopy above, but you don't. So you ought to get buds. I speculate that you just need to be patient.

Reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut's "Cats Cradle" in which the scientist went to the mountain and after 3 months of study descended to tell every one how he had discovered what the already knew, isn't it . I mean, I am sure I didn't tell you anything you don't already know.

Thanks again. I was wondering if I should cut the branches back further towards the trunk leaving no visible buds?

 

[Shima]

Yes. All branches started from a bud. So the base of every branch/twig is a node capable of producing more buds. With age, this area becomes a 'branch collar'. If you remove the branch collar in the process, the capacity to bud goes with it. The most distal apical meristem or bud winds up in charge. Remove it (i.e., prune or 'decapitate' the branch) takes away its auxin flow and the most distal bud remaining becomes the apical meristem = a new shoot. Bud release might be suppressed if you had a full, hardened canopy above, but you don't. So you ought to get buds. I speculate that you just need to be patient.

Reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut's "Cats Cradle" in which the scientist went to the mountain and after 3 months of study descended to tell every one how he had discovered what the already knew, isn't it . I mean, I am sure I didn't tell you anything you don't already know.

Well I was and it didn't.

 

[sorce]

We "stall" growth on purpose do we not?

Hmmmmmm.

Growth is growth is growth.
Damage is damage is damage.

Sorce