AusBonsai

Update on this tree after an Autumn clean up, a bit of extra wire and some pruning and adjustment. Pretty happy with how things are filling out. I need to get on to my others as Winter approaches.

Repotted again, and into a new pot just to mix it up ...
The micorrhizae builds up so quick on the roots of this tree I have needed to repot every year in order to make sure there is proper percolation. If I was to leave it the bloom seems to almost repel water and makes moisture penetration very difficult.

Ryceman3 wrote: ↑August 19th, 2022, 4:13 pm The micorrhizae builds up so quick on the roots of this tree I have needed to repot every year in order to make sure there is proper percolation. If I was to leave it the bloom seems to almost repel water and makes moisture penetration very difficult.

Hey R3, have noticed this in some of mine as well. They are only still in plastic but very hard to water. On repotting need to really get in and loosen the rootball

Decandled today ... just to keep the progress up to date.

that's lookin a real treat! Good photo documentary R3.

Just about convinced me to have a crack at a pine or two. Great work Ryceman3. Cheers John.

boom64 wrote: ↑December 11th, 2022, 7:40 pm Just about convinced me to have a crack at a pine or two. Great work Ryceman3. Cheers John.

Pines are easy, particularly JBP… you’ll have them figured out in no time.

Love the taper and movement in the trunk. Great work.

Looking fantastic mate!

I’m going to spend some time reading over your threads on pines after Ian gifted me a shore pine. It’s one into the ground for now to give me one less pot to water but I love the softer looking needles of it

Ryceman3 wrote: ↑August 19th, 2022, 4:13 pm The micorrhizae builds up so quick on the roots of this tree I have needed to repot every year in order to make sure there is proper percolation. If I was to leave it the bloom seems to almost repel water and makes moisture penetration very difficult.

I'm very new to bonsai, so this post stems from curiosity (and not telling you how it should be done).

My understanding of mycorrhiza is that it forms a symbiotic relationship with the plant = it is able to supply water to the roots.

So - if moisture penetration is difficult, doesn't that mean there's sufficient water in the mycorrhiza, so it will repel further water? And when it's dry, it will absorb water?

Maybe this symbiosis works a lot better in the ground, whereas we keep the tree in a container meaning it's more difficult to control the moisture levels.

I wouldn't suggest "not" repotting - you know your tree better than I do, but I'd be curious to see whether you could go longer without repotting and whether the percolation improves once the mycorrhiza has dried out a bit more.

I also wouldn't personally risk it on such a beautiful tree. I might experiment with some of my young seedlings, but I don't know whether they'll form such a solid root mass to be comparable.

SuperBonSaiyan wrote: ↑December 12th, 2022, 7:45 am My understanding of mycorrhiza is that it forms a symbiotic relationship with the plant = it is able to supply water to the roots.

So - if moisture penetration is difficult, doesn't that mean there's sufficient water in the mycorrhiza, so it will repel further water? And when it's dry, it will absorb water?

Maybe this symbiosis works a lot better in the ground, whereas we keep the tree in a container meaning it's more difficult to control the moisture levels.

I wouldn't suggest "not" repotting - you know your tree better than I do, but I'd be curious to see whether you could go longer without repotting and whether the percolation improves once the mycorrhiza has dried out a bit more.

I also wouldn't personally risk it on such a beautiful tree. I might experiment with some of my young seedlings, but I don't know whether they'll form such a solid root mass to be comparable.

Mychorrizae does have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of the trees, and although the transition of water between the fungus and the roots might occur, it's the trace elements/nutrients that it can tap into and make available to the roots(pine) that make it beneficial. My experience with this pine is the mycchorizae build up is "too much of a good thing". In a containerized environment, as the myc. reproduces and increases in volume, it has nowhere to go. There is so much in there it forms like a soapy cake that doesn't seem to be receptive to water. The water in fact runs down the outside of the root ball along the walls of the pot and then out the drainiage... never penetrating this "cake", like the mix is hydrophobic. When repotting and removing this mycchorizal bloom, the mix inside is bone dry... I wouldn't want to have to get through another summer with that kind of situation in winter, although this summer wouldn't be such an issue given the pathetic weather.

TimS wrote: ↑December 12th, 2022, 6:55 am Looking fantastic mate!

I’m going to spend some time reading over your threads on pines after Ian gifted me a shore pine. It’s one into the ground for now to give me one less pot to water but I love the softer looking needles of it

Cheers Tim,
Welcome back to pines ... but remember Shore Pine is not JBP so just keep that in mind when you're working it/researching your next move.
Probably techniques more like a Scots Pine is a better strategy (single flush), but they do have nice needles. I don't have a Shore Pine so no direct experience, but good luck with it!!

I’ll just keep repeating to myself ‘single flush, single flush, single flush every time I walk near it haha

My quest for JWP with a graft that isn’t completely arse continues….

Ryceman3 wrote: ↑December 12th, 2022, 8:54 am
Mychorrizae does have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of the trees, and although the transition of water between the fungus and the roots might occur, it's the trace elements/nutrients that it can tap into and make available to the roots(pine) that make it beneficial. My experience with this pine is the mycchorizae build up is "too much of a good thing". In a containerized environment, as the myc. reproduces and increases in volume, it has nowhere to go. There is so much in there it forms like a soapy cake that doesn't seem to be receptive to water. The water in fact runs down the outside of the root ball along the walls of the pot and then out the drainiage... never penetrating this "cake", like the mix is hydrophobic. When repotting and removing this mycchorizal bloom, the mix inside is bone dry... I wouldn't want to have to get through another summer with that kind of situation in winter, although this summer wouldn't be such an issue given the pathetic weather.

Thanks for the detailed response, that aligns with what I suspected - the container environment changes things quite a lot.

I'll save a few of my plants from dying now that I don't need to run that experiment myself

You should harvest it and sell it, given how much it goes for... https://www.drgreenthumbs.com.au/produc ... -australia

TimS wrote: ↑December 12th, 2022, 6:55 am Looking fantastic mate!

I’m going to spend some time reading over your threads on pines after Ian gifted me a shore pine. It’s one into the ground for now to give me one less pot to water but I love the softer looking needles of it

Let's keep in contact about how that progresses. I've got a shore pine from Ian as well.