Anniversary JBP (Anni)

[Jarad]

Hey All,

Long time no chat. My partner picked me up this little JBP from a local bonsai nursery in Perth. My intentions for this guy is slip pot it into a grow pot and fertilise to ensure it stays strong and healthy for the rocky road it has ahead

Down the road I'm intending to cut back at the red line and make the green line the new leader and the lowest branch at the back to be the first branch, and bend it out to the right.

Any input is greatly appreciated, as well as tips to keep this sucker alive as I haven't had the best track record with JBP

I don't have all my tools with me right now as I've had a bit of a hiatus, but they'll be coming home to me in the next few months.

231006_JBP Anni - Front.jpg

231006_JBP Anni - Right.jpg

231006_JBP Anni - Left.jpg

231006_JBP Anni - Back.jpg

231006_JBP Anni - Top.jpg

And finally the trim location. You have no idea how nervous my partner got when I mentioned the trim location. The jobs I see in my future is some needle plucking up top to help direct energy to my new leader.

231006_JBP Anni - Front Trim.jpg

[rodm]

Hi Jarad
Great plan, maybe you could air layer the part that you’re going to chop. At least you’ll gain an extra tree
Cheers RodM

[Jarad]

Hi Jarad
Great plan, maybe you could air layer the part that you’re going to chop. At least you’ll gain an extra tree
Cheers RodM

Cheers Rod! Excellent idea. Do JBP take well to air layers?

[shibui]

There appears to be a range of opinions on whether JBP layers or layers well. I suspect that some of the negative opinions are based on heresay rather than trial. I've seen way more that were successful than failed. Anecdotally, time to roots varies hugely from just a few months through to several years. We obviously need more trials with good records to get a better picture so if you try please take photos and keep notes of when it reaches each stage.

[rodm]

A few years ago I bought a tree from shibui with the plan to air layer. The plan worked really well but my impatience ended in disaster. Done well and patience you could have a good result
Cheers RodM

[Jarad]

There appears to be a range of opinions on whether JBP layers or layers well. I suspect that some of the negative opinions are based on heresay rather than trial. I've seen way more that were successful than failed. Anecdotally, time to roots varies hugely from just a few months through to several years. We obviously need more trials with good records to get a better picture so if you try please take photos and keep notes of when it reaches each stage.

Thanks Neil. I'll be sure to take a tonne of photos and chuck them on here.


Is there a recommended time of year to attempt air layers on JBP? I imagine Perth summers are a little too harsh?

[Ryceman3]

Is there a recommended time of year to attempt air layers on JBP? I imagine Perth summers are a little too harsh?

Full disclosure, I have no direct experience with this but it seems to be a topic with little documentation so I'll just give you my gut feel on it.
I would think the best time to create the layer would be late winter/early spring before the sap in the tree really begins to flow but as it enters an active period of growth. Right now I think sap flow would be too advanced, meaning that I think there is every chance of the tree "bleeding" when you ring bark it and for reasons I can't really qualify I think that might be detrimental to the development of roots. It just feels to me like the site would "gum up" with sap and inhibit any root formation maybe? Like I said though, I'm making this up.
With that in mind, the next best time to layer would then fall around early autumn, and I actually think in Perth this might even be the ideal time because you have a decent window for roots to form before winter (and a mild winter climactically at that), and with any luck this means you're ready to pot up at the generally accepted time to perform root work on pines, although I would err on the side of gentle when potting a layer for the first time so nothing drastic to be done until the following year.
Your tree looks pretty young so I feel like there is a good chance of achieving the above.
Interested to see how it turns out whenever you decide to give it a go. Good luck with it!

[rodm]

A gentleman by the name of Ray Mackaway at mackray@aanet.com.au. Has published some booklets on air layering for trident maples, Chinese elms and a supplementary document for JBP. Have used the info to good results, the only failure is me Maybe you could source him out, best of luck
Cheers RodM

[Jarad]

Your tree looks pretty young so I feel like there is a good chance of achieving the above.
Interested to see how it turns out whenever you decide to give it a go. Good luck with it!

Thanks for the tips mate! I'm thinking I might leave it till autumn in a grow pot to encourage more healthy growth. The nursery trimmed a lot of the needles and I want to make sure it's in tip top shape before the abuse starts. I was told it may have a pest (all the white growth, its a bit like spider web stickiness) so I'll be trying to clear that up too.

A gentleman by the name of Ray Mackaway at mackray@aanet.com.au. Has published some booklets on air layering for trident maples, Chinese elms and a supplementary document for JBP. Have used the info to good results, the only failure is me Maybe you could source him out, best of luck
Cheers RodM

Thanks for the reminder, I already have that book, but it's currently living interstate with all my other books and tools which I'll be picking up some time in the next few months. It was a surprise tree and I was caught unprepared.

What went wrong with your air layers? I had about 5 going on an old Hokkaido elm a few years back, they all failed because an infestation of curl grub ate all the roots of the tree over winter

[shibui]

The photos supplied are not clear enough to show pest and diseases so I can't confirm at this stage.
One of the common pests of pines is Pine Bark Adelgid. It's a bit like woolly aphid so looks a bit like tiny bits of cotton wool and usually found on younger stems in amongst the needles. Not sure if it is in WA. They can breed very quickly and trees suffer when numbers build up.
Can be difficult to treat as the woolly protective layer stops most contact pesticides getting to the bodies. Alcohol is effective but only kills the ones it makes direct contact with and eggs will also hatch to reinfest the tree. Systemics seem to be much more effective solution. It is also difficult to know if treatment has been successful as the white cotton covering persists long after the insect is dead and is quite difficult to remove.

We'll need good clear shots of the stems with white to make an accurate diagnosis but you'll probably have trouble getting a phone to focus on stems among the needles.

[rodm]

The JBP that I had started out well, I separated it too early and didn’t let the bottom section recover enough before I started to work on it. Impatience and a very good learning curve
Cheers RodM

[Albo]

That’s a great whisky you have there as well.

[Jarad]

The photos supplied are not clear enough to show pest and diseases so I can't confirm at this stage.

We'll need good clear shots of the stems with white to make an accurate diagnosis but you'll probably have trouble getting a phone to focus on stems among the needles.

No worries, see below. Thanks Neil. I'll be home all day today, so let me know if you need clearer photos.

20231011_075205.jpg

20231011_075242.jpg

The JBP that I had started out well, I separated it too early and didn’t let the bottom section recover enough before I started to work on it. Impatience and a very good learning curve
Cheers RodM

Bugger. We live and learn I guess. The main thing I'm worried about with mine is the sphagnum drying out on those 40°C + days.

That’s a great whisky you have there as well.

My only issue was that the bottle wasn't big enough

[shibui]

Still cannot find any references to Pine Bark Adelgid being in WA but that white fluff looks suspiciously like it. Check for something live and squashy under it if you like but I would treat as if it was to be on the safer side.

[Jarad]

When I rub the fluffy parts there's something underneath that gets squashed and leave dark we streaks on my skin.


::EDIT::

Would Yates Mavrik or Ultra from the big green shed be suitable?