introducing Wild Willy - P radiata

[Laurie J]

Sorry to have to seek clarification here.

I am new to pines and have been watching this thread to gain more information on what to do and when.

Gerald's post started with: Southern Hemisphere - After about the middle of November, selective candle removal is used on all the larger and stronger branches....

Bush Bunny, you're saying that the times of year he's put in his post are actually incorrect for the Southern Hemisphere?

Thanks!

[Boics]

Have you checked the Wiki Adabelbengals?

Make sure you look at Ryan Neils Lecture as well.

https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... Black_Pine

Hope he and I don't give you any wrong information though.........................

[rodm]

BB,
You are pretty correct about your altitude heights. Where I'm at we are experiencing high 20's to low 30's at the moment and it's spring. Bees and trees are doing what they do best in spring. Thing that I've noticed here is BB that you have to be a little patient with Wild Willy let him deal with his pollen then around November do some de candling and spent blossom removal. NB please donot cut or trim the needles with scissors or cutter ever. They will not return to full length needles and the cut needle tips turn brown and look unsightly. As they are more than likely to this years or last years needles you can't really afford to remove them as this will make the branches became leggy and very little back budding will occur
Cheers Rod
ps typers cramp

[kez]

BB,

They are blossoms, or will be once they develop. I'm also confident this is a JBP

[Bush bunny]

Am I not explaining my self clearly? Maybe I assume too much, sorry. The cape in RSA is southern hemisphere, same as Australia. But in Australia we also have many temperature zones and micro-climates And altitude has a lot to do with it and how far one is from the ocean, or lakes, and the monsoon regions of course and Antarctica.
From previous posts, Gerald explained the Cape had similar temps to Sydney. Well that is sub tropical, Armidale is temperate cool. We are slower to flower certain species, such as azaleas than nearer the coast. So our trees etc., are generally several weeks a month behind other warmer places. So we have a bit of a lea-way when we do things.

I had a friend in the Congo, and he told me that where he lived was really in between the two hemispheres. He was a geologist. But of course parts of Africa like the Congo are equatorial too.

With some regions and states in Oz, as you know, don't have much difference between day and night temps! Particularly in winter. We do, especially in Armidale. 24C today, and it will drop to 5-7 C tonight. If they have acclimatized fair enough, but often it takes a few years if they have be grown down Southern NSW or on the coast.

Anyway must dash, have a really good day, where ever you live. Must water me plants.

[Bush bunny]

Before I sign out, I did de-candle in spring last year. Those had regrown by winter this year, before our winter set in, and look OK. Shorter needle length though. And cut back some of the needles later in autumn. I don't think our Willie will ever be a regular bonsai, but I think it will make a good Christmas tree outside. And be part of my landscaping. I wouldn't get one again, for sure. I bought it from the ABS in April 2010, only 10 inches high and all it had was Pine labeled on it. From some of the ones I have seen on this site, that have been styled, they tend to favor long branches with just the top most with needles. I've dedicate this tree to my youngest son, Rick, thinking of about his once long wild hair, and being rather a free spirit by nature. Mind you Rick has some brilliant aqua-bonsai. I couldn't take the time and effort to create what he has done.

[Laurie J]

Have you checked the Wiki Adabelbengals?

Make sure you look at Ryan Neils Lecture as well.

https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... Black_Pine

Hope he and I don't give you any wrong information though.........................

Thank you so much! Very helpful information.

[Neli]

Neli, Gerald, not Gerard? He comes from near you on the Cape, RSA. November is here the end of spring, and very hot. But it is cold in the Northern Hemisphere. I plucked candles last year. And they sprouted well by the time our winter set in. That's June - September. We are mid spring now, and deciduous trees in the wild and in gardens, as well as in my pots, are breaking bud. Also I live in a temperate cool area, 3,500 ft about sea level on the Northern Tablelands of NSW. We have P. radiata growing here (plantation and recreation areas) and are a great timber tree.
Tamworth where RodM lives is a different micro-climate but they are warmer generally, and of course about only 900 ft absl, except the mountain parts of course. But even them, such as Mt.Duri, are not has high as 3,500 like here. Correct me Rod, I overlooked this mountain from my farm on the base of Mt.Cobla. 2,200 ft above sea level.

I still have my greenhouse thermometer moving around, to water the night time temps. And increasing watering now to my bonsai. They are drying out much quicker than two weeks or even a week ago. Daytime temps are reaching 20C, but plummet to 3C.

Thank you again Gerald for the advice.

BB,
Our climate and seasons is similar to yours...even in SA. I asked you which advise exactly did you follow from Gerald?

[kcpoole]

Am I not explaining my self clearly? Probably not
Well that is sub tropical,

Err No, Sydney is classed as maritime temperate. or oceaning temperate for coastal areas.
http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SW/teache ... /index.htm

BOM Climate zones are here
http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/climate_zones/map_1.shtml
http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/climate_zones/map_2.shtml

Wikipedia refer to it as subtropical on this page, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Australia , but as most of Sydney ( The western half get frosts) then that makes it temperate IMHO.The linked wiki pages for the Koppen Classification system show it as tropical too http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6ppe ... sification

. So we have a bit of a lea-way when we do things.

I would say you have less leeway to do maintenance tasks on your trees. Being cooler just means that your growing seasons will be shorter and start later. For Sydney timings, add on a few weeks for Spring work and and Autumn work start a few weeks earlier.

I had a friend in the Congo, and he told me that where he lived was really in between the two hemispheres. He was a geologist. But of course parts of Africa like the Congo are equatorial too.

Not quite sure what that has to do with growing JBP or Radiata in Armidale

With some regions and states in Oz, as you know, don't have much difference between day and night temps! Particularly in winter. We do, especially in Armidale. 24C today, and it will drop to 5-7 C tonight. If they have acclimatised fair enough, but often it takes a few years if they have be grown down Southern NSW or on the coast.

As trees imported from Japan ( when you could do so), only take a season to acclimatise, I fail to see why moving a tree from Sydney to Armidale might take 3 years As they are in the same hemisphere then I would not expect them to notice one iota!. trees move between Sydney and Canberra often and have no issues

The temperature difference for Sydney between night and day is on average about 8 deg deg or so, according to the buro of Stats
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf ... limate~143
The other capitals are similar too except Canberra which is nearer to 15 Deg. As the coastal cities' temps are moderated by the oceanic influences that does not surprise anyone
Armidale seems to quite mild compared to Canberra, yearly average Day to Night temps are 13.2 Deg according the the B.O.M.
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/ ... 6002.shtml

Ken

[Bush bunny]

Ken, Hi, Armidale has four micro-climates in the urban area. Those living closest to the creek that runs through the CBD, is the coldest. Even with the UHI effect. I live in the warmest one, where we can grow plants (like the common jasmine) that other micro-climates can not. One has to position them correctly so they get some protection from frost. Where I live on Soudan Hts, we are not hit as hard with frost for as you know, frost and the cold runs down hill and is impaired by trees, fences etc. But we have to watch out for heavy snowfalls and hail.

I bought a seven year old liquid amber, that did not shed its leaves for two seasons. When I asked an experienced horticulturalist about this, he told me sometimes they don't when young until they acclimatise. I have a big liquid amber in my garden, so this is what I was judging it by. It came up from Sydney from Norwood nurseries. My maple (trident) was five years old, and also did not shed its leaves for two winters. I can only go on my experience. The Chinese elm I bought recently and is now growing over the rock you advised me what to do. It was in full leaf when I got it, and other Chinese elm bonsais in the nursery, were dormant. Bunnings, these were nearly $20 year old trees. I am very much into studying micro-climates in my area. And where I place my trainer or pre-bonsai in pots.

Armidale is rather unique for a bush regional town. If you Google, it does remind me of an English county town. I fell in love with it from the first time I drove through it. We do have many deciduous trees and pines, even some palms, that grow well here. But don't down in Tamworth. Here's I pic I took in 2007. See what I mean?

Gerald told me that Cape Town was similar to Sydney. I've not been there, can only go on what he has said. I lived in Sydney and Tamworth. And Zambia where Neli lives, well that's Africa, I would say all tropicals would fare well there. And from what I have read, and studied, Japan has micro-climates that vary from Alpine (the snow monkeys R lovely) sub tropical and temperate. Tokyo is temperate.