Working on some forests...

[j evans]

Thank you for taking the time to share. They're great looking trees.

 

[Adair M]

That white pine clump reminds me of a much better version of this clump on yafuoku right now

or this one

Nice forests!

Yeah, it’s pretty nice. Once it gets settled in, it will be fun to style!

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Yeah, it’s pretty nice. Once it gets settled in, it will be fun to style!

Hi,
Really nice forests you have here, and the compositions are well created by Bill.
My question is a bit loaded so apologies etc.
- There seems to be a lack of girth between biggest to smallest on your bought forests so is this something that concerns you?
- Also regarding your forests there doesn’t seem to any dominant tree or parent tree. Are you going for the young look?
Charles

 

[Silentrunning]

My ONLY concern at this point) is to get it growing again after being quarantined and bare rooted.

@Adair M I thought pine roots were never supposed to be completely bare rooted. I think my lack of experience is showing here. Can you please straighten me out on this?

 

[Dav4]

@Adair M I thought pine roots were never supposed to be completely bare rooted. I think my lack of experience is showing here. Can you please straighten me out on this?

They aren't!! Bare rooting an old pine is incredibly risky and dangerous and should be avoided at all costs... unless you want to import one. Those trees have to be bare rooted to get into the country, just like this one. It's an extreme insult to any tree, never mind older ones like this, and many will not survive or will be significantly weakened/damaged in the process, which is why imported trees cost as much as they do. Any way, this one has as good a chance of surviving in Adair's capable hands. I've seen this one up close and it's a beauty so I hope it bounces back.

 

[Adair M]

@Adair M I thought pine roots were never supposed to be completely bare rooted. I think my lack of experience is showing here. Can you please straighten me out on this?

That’s generally true. Really young pines can tolerate being bare rooted better than older ones.

But bare rooting trees being imported is a requirement of the Dept of Agriculture to prevent invasive insects and diseases. They really don’t care if the tree dies. So, it’s a calculated risk.

The choice is: 1) Bare root the tree and take your chances when importing; or 2) Don’t import.

To mitigate the risk, I am misting the tree often. It gets early sun, and I’m applying bottom heat to spur root growth. I’m keeping it out of the wind. I’m hand watering. And I’m in a climate that JWP appear to like, based upon my other JWP.

 

[Adair M]

Hi,
Really nice forests you have here, and the compositions are well created by Bill.
My question is a bit loaded so apologies etc.
- There seems to be a lack of girth between biggest to smallest on your bought forests so is this something that concerns you?
- Also regarding your forests there doesn’t seem to any dominant tree or parent tree. Are you going for the young look?
Charles

There is a tallest and fattest tree in each. Granted they’re not twice or three times larger. There are different styles of forests possible. But yes, one of the challenges going forward when starting with seedlings is to develop differentiation between the larger and smaller trees. All the while keeping both healthy.

 

[LanceMac10]

Sure filled them benches pronto with some slick new talent! Holy cow!!

 

[Rid]

Let’s start with the Dawn Redwood. Bill Valavanis @made me an offer I couldn’t refuse” last December at the Winter Silohette Show. See the broken pot? He told me that’s what my knees would look like if I didn’t takI repotted it about two weeks ago.

Before:

View attachment 289032

This one was so “Redneck” it wasn’t even held together with proper duct tape!

After:

View attachment 289033

View attachment 289034
View attachment 289036
So, this forest was created about 12 years ago, and kept by one of Bill’s customers. Unfortunately, they allowed the tops to become knobly, which is hard to fix. I may end up having to chop out all the apexes and start it over. But, first, I’m going to let it settle into it’s unbroken pot. There was about two inches of solid matted roots with no soil on top of the broken pot.

Today:


View attachment 289039

it’s leafing out all over, even after I removed about 90% of its roots:

In about 2000 years, I expect it will look like this:

View attachment 289029

Adair, about how far apart are the trees spaced in your forests? Thanks Ridley

 

[Adair M]

Adair, about how far apart are the trees spaced in your forests? Thanks Ridley

The dawn redwoods vary between one inch and 5 inches apart.

the 9 tree Japanese Maple vary from 1/2 inch to 6 inches, most are one to two inches apart.

the 14 tree Japanese Maple forest varies from seven inches to one inch, mist are about one to two inches apart.

 

[Rid]

The dawn redwoods vary between one inch and 5 inches apart.

the 9 tree Japanese Maple vary from 1/2 inch to 6 inches, most are one to two inches apart.

the 14 tree Japanese Maple forest varies from seven inches to one inch, mist are about one to two inches apart.

Thanks!
Ridley

 

[Adair M]

Update on the first Japanese Maple forest:


It started leafing out a couple days ago. A couple times a day, I go thru it and trim out the center growing tips. They’re still tiny! This will produce very short internodes.

This year, I’m going to let a couple branches run in the apex of the main tree to fatten it up. I didn’t do that last year. I should have.

Bill V gets these seedlings from California. They’re great for forests since they make very short internodes. Not all Japanese Maples will. These will produce new shoots at the base of the two leaves I keep on each shoot. And I’ll have to take out the center of those, too! After a couple months, it gets really dense!

Then, in fall, it’s time to select branches.

It will be interesting to see what effect letting a central leader on the main tree produces.

I find these seedling forests are a lot of fun!

 

[JudyB]

Looks like they will certainly keep you busy! Such a nice spring leaf color too, is this a special variety?

 

[Oleg]

They look great Adair! Can you tell me what the size of the tallest redwood is and thanks for sharing.

 

[Adair M]

Looks like they will certainly keep you busy! Such a nice spring leaf color too, is this a special variety?

Well, they’re seedlings, so not a named cultivar. They do have dwarf characteristics. They come out reddish, but the mature leaves will be green.

Bill V gets these from a grower in California.

 

[Adair M]

They look great Adair! Can you tell me what the size of the tallest redwood is and thanks for sharing.

The tallest dawn redwood is 24 inches from the soil to the apex.

 

[Adair M]

Well, they’re seedlings, so not a named cultivar. They do have dwarf characteristics. They come out reddish, but the mature leaves will be green.

Bill V gets these from a grower in California.

Here’s a close up picture:



The edges are red while the centers of the leaves will turn green first. Eventually, the entire leaf will turn green.

 

[Gary McCarthy]

Update on the first Japanese Maple forest:

View attachment 292621
It started leafing out a couple days ago. A couple times a day, I go thru it and trim out the center growing tips. They’re still tiny! This will produce very short internodes.

This year, I’m going to let a couple branches run in the apex of the main tree to fatten it up. I didn’t do that last year. I should have.

Bill V gets these seedlings from California. They’re great for forests since they make very short internodes. Not all Japanese Maples will. These will produce new shoots at the base of the two leaves I keep on each shoot. And I’ll have to take out the center of those, too! After a couple months, it gets really dense!

Then, in fall, it’s time to select branches.

It will be interesting to see what effect letting a central leader on the main tree produces.

I find these seedling forests are a lot of fun!

NICE!!!

Who made the pot?

 

[Adair M]

NICE!!!

Who made the pot?

Lol!!! I have NO idea. It is Japanese, and stamped. I’ve had it sitting around since 1980 or so. But it’s nothing special.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Update on the first Japanese Maple forest:

View attachment 292621
It started leafing out a couple days ago. A couple times a day, I go thru it and trim out the center growing tips. They’re still tiny! This will produce very short internodes.

This year, I’m going to let a couple branches run in the apex of the main tree to fatten it up. I didn’t do that last year. I should have.

Bill V gets these seedlings from California. They’re great for forests since they make very short internodes. Not all Japanese Maples will. These will produce new shoots at the base of the two leaves I keep on each shoot. And I’ll have to take out the center of those, too! After a couple months, it gets really dense!

Then, in fall, it’s time to select branches.

It will be interesting to see what effect letting a central leader on the main tree produces.

I find these seedling forests are a lot of fun!

Hi,
I have another question which I am hoping your answer will help with my trees and their pruning regarding apical dominance.

The three right hand trees in the photo look rather “stumpy” at the top. Are you planning on shortening these below the stumpiness some time? Or do you think you need to reduce the number of shoots up there so you don’t get a big knobbly apex?
Charles