Alpineart's Blog

These are the new look grow beds that have been implemented as the stock continues to grow .I have made extra area’s to plant out progressing Trident Maples , Japanese Maples , Crab Apples , American Horn beams and  Flowering Cherries .Most of these are 2-3 year old seed grown trainers in various configurations and progressions . I have over 100 square meters of grow beds and approximately 1200 different  trainers in the ground at various stages of development .Keeping on top of these is a task and a half in its self , with and early Spring and major frost still occurring some will no doubt suffer from premature budding and leaf burn .Life in this yard is very busy even in winter when the new beds were established then there is the re-potting and root pruning of all my potted tree’s and trainers . All the work here is done with a little help from my 8 year old son .Yesthis is  one mans passion / operation obsession , no staff hiding behind the scenes doing all the work while i take the credit .Cheers Alpineart

This is the slow progression of my Big Nigra collected back in 2008 .The roots are emerging from the original single root produced in it first season after  collection .Still growing  in red scoria and composted aged pine bark as is most of my Tree’s and Trainers . I have repotted this for the third time n the same mix that has produced a healthy feeder root system from basically nothing . I have several hundred pines and conifers growing in scoria and the results are astounding .It can dry out on top however it is always damp underneath where it counts . The wire has been removed and all the needles were cut back by 50% ,this process does result in a shorter needle over time .I have managed to produced 18mm natural needles on Nigra’s which normally produces a needle around 50-70mm . As a trainer this tree has huge potentual, it will take many years to develop a good narebri and to fill out the foliage pads , but that’s what Bonsai is all about , taking time and Taking the time .There is still an issue with the bar branches ,but there is a lot of new shoots forming around the trunk and with the candle pinching i hope to redirect the growth to where it is needed. I have discovered this trunk is actually a chop top and the new leader has almost completely healed and covered the original  severed apex .This would have to be mother natures best effort at concealing a chop. Cheers Alpineart