Collecting pines

[Scott Roxburgh]

...I have heard but cannot confirm that radiata have a distintive strong smell when you crush the leaves but that may be the case for more than the one variety...

Yeah smells like Christmas!

I think they can have three and two..

[Olivecrazy]

Howdy a quick up date on this pine i collected about 6weeks ago i noticed today that the candles have got a lot bigger so im hoping it has survived pines are all new to me as ive never had one as a bonsai before

[Edward Scissorhand]

Hello Olivecrazy, You probably already know this by now, but in case you havent. Its best to leave abit of the old soil when you collect pines. The old soil has important fungus which works with the roots in feeding the tree.

[Olivecrazy]

Didnt see much of that fungus stuff when i collected this tree it was in a sandy type soil but did manage to get a good root ball . Also im looking at doing a semi-cascade with this tree as the the trunk is realy straight with next to no taper but does have a good lower branch. But my problem with this is that it has a root that is about 50mm in size which goes from the trunk right to the edge of the foam box it is in, whats the best way to reduce this going to give it a full growing season before any work is done on the tree

[Edward Scissorhand]

Nice material by the way. I dont know how to say this any other way, but the Mycorrhiza is there even if you cant see it. If its dry and sandy, then theres probably more likely there's whole network of them working underground. Mycorrhiza exists even in sand dunes for coastal plants. Not many plants work without this fungus, Proteas are one of them that dont need it. But grab abit of that soil as theres probably spores in them and make sure not to keep it to wet as the Mycorrhiza cant live in that condition. I would water heavily once and let it dry out or slightly on the dry side in between waterings. In regards to that big root, wait for other feeder roots to fatten up before reducing. Good luck!

[anttal63]

OC i think its on its way, those candles look like they re pointing in the right direction and colour is good. are you feeding yet ??? if not give a little bit !!!

[Olivecrazy]

OC i think its on its way, those candles look like they re pointing in the right direction and colour is good. are you feeding yet ??? if not give a little bit !!!

Hi im not feeding it yet was going to wait for a little bit for good signs of growth . Its still in a shelted spot in my back yard when could i move it out into more sunny spot an what is good to feed it with

[Luke308]

Hi im not feeding it yet was going to wait for a little bit for good signs of growth . Its still in a sheltered spot in my back yard when could i move it out into more sunny spot an what is good to feed it with

I would leave it in a sheltered spot for a while yet. The pines I collected in October I moved into full sun in about March-April. As your finding out, everyone has their different theories, but like I said find someone who has great pine bonsai, and follow what they are doing. That's what I'm doing, and you can too. The pine guru I am referring too is giving a talk at the next SA bonsai society meeting on Tuesday. You should come along as it will be well worth it if you can make it, he studied under a bonsai master for 7 years ( I think) and was curator of the bonsai collection in Singapore botanic gardens.

Meeting starts at 8pm, but usually people are there from 7.15 onwards. Meetings held at the Goodwood community hall behind the Goodwood library on Rosa street at Goodwood. Be good to see you there, and any other Adelaidians that haven't been along to the club yet.

[anttal63]

Definately leave it where it is, when you see this kind of response. We were giving seasol (1/4 strength mix) once a week and grow better fert pellets on the surface of the soil about this stage. just start off with half hand full spread out and add to it once a month. I would grow mine out of direct sun for the 1st 3-6 months then introdrduce late afternoon sun and slowly move into more. @-3 yrs on mine are still only getting all of the afternoon sun and are very happy. Trust me between 5 of us that collected 50 odd older pines this method worked well. Providing the dig itself was done correctly Big root ball and no chopping too soon. I personally didnt do any trimming for the 1st 12 months and therefor had 12 ft trees in my back yard. they were the days !!!

[Dario]

Hi everyone!
anttal63, my radiata was collected 2 yrs ago and is doing great! I am going to do the first repot in spring.
At this stage what do you do?
I won't be cutting any roots, but I need to remove the clay/soil it was collected in... should I get the soil of half of the root ball (do the other half next repot), or get rid of all the old soil?
I would appreciate your advice. It is very healthy and has been growing strongly with minimal pruning although at the start of Autumn I removed some of the old needles and reduced to two buds at all of the branch tips.
Olivecrazy, yours is looking good and I wish you all the best with it!
Cheers, Dario.

[anttal63]

Dario i havent repotted yet, friends have and did the half at time method with great success. I have trees that are both 2 and 3 years since collecting. i wont know exactly what im doin till i see the root ball. Go for broke or play safe ??? I think it a good idea to clean up foliage and fert in autumn so you are not hacking too much or any at time of repot in spring. Dont go to early though wait for the candles to extend and then do it as the needles are opening.

[Dario]

Thank you very much anttal63
I really appreciate all your advice, especially exactly when to repot!
Best of luck with your radiatas
Cheers, Dario.
PS hope I didn't interupt your thread too much Olivecrazy, I hope the info will also help you

[Olivecrazy]

Thank you very much anttal63
I really appreciate all your advice, especially exactly when to repot!
Best of luck with your radiatas
Cheers, Dario.
PS hope I didn't interupt your thread too much Olivecrazy, I hope the info will also help you

Its ok i need all the information i can get ive collected pines in the past but none have made it this far before the things ive changed this time are keep in a shelted spot only water when needed an sealsol when collected an 2 weeks later i also misted the foliage 3-4 times a day ( well i was unemployed at the time ) first thing in the morning i would sit next to the tree misting it while i had my coffee

[Olivecrazy]

This tree is growing new needles now with a little bit of back budding it has a long way to go only keeping the the lower branch to make a semi-cascade at this stage as the trunk is dead straight with no taper an to thick to bend. Is there any one that been working on allepo pines need to know the best way to push the growth back closer to the trunk any tips, would be great to hear them

[shibui]

I had some collected p. halapensis like this many years ago. Tried everything to get buds closer to the trunk. Eventually resorted to inarch grafts. The branches are so thin and flexible you can bend then around and approach graft the tip somewhere near the base of the branch.