Establishing a small forest direct sown from seed

[ToddB]

I'm fairly new to the world of bonsai, so please excuse me if this subject has been covered before, but I was wondering whether anyone had attempted this technique for establishing a small forest planting, and if so, whether they'd they met with any success ?

Being a forester, I've quickly developed an affinity for bonsai-forest plantings, but good stock is really hard to come by where I live.The trees I wanted to experiment with are simply unavailable in nurseries over here, so I thought that the next best thing was to collect some seed, stratify it, sow it direct, germinate it, and then as the seedlings grew, thin them out into an arrangement reasonably reminiscent of a forest situation.

I collected seed from several species:

1) Calitris endlecherii...from a local arboretum
2) Chamaecyparis obtusa...from a street tree (alas cut down not long after)
3) Cupressus Arizonica...from the same arboretum
4) Cupressus macrocarpa...from an old forestry settlement (common over here as farm homestead specimens planted early last century. Not quite as common though, as they are as a windbreak tree in Vic.)

The seed was stratified (except C. endlecherii) and direct sown (March 2013) into seed-raising mix in Polystyrene boxes.

This is the result after 18 months of tending. I think they're coming along quite nicely, but it remains to be seen whether they'll amount to anything bonsai-forest worthy. They've still got a while to go before I pot them up. So far so good though !

Comments welcome

forest from seed_C endlecherii_2.jpg

Cupressus macrocarpa.jpg

forest from seed_Chamaecyparis_obtusa.jpg

[Ash]

Hi Todd - they look nice and healthy! I think it is fine to try and grow them up together and look forward to your progress. For things like Callitris which might not like big root disturbance latter on - well it makes sense to let their roots find their own space close together. One issue you may have is that the outer trees will probably get bigger than the inner trees which is a little bit the reverse of how most forest bonsai are arranged. That certainly does not mean it should be one way or the other! I am guessing by the look of your trays that you put the seeds in pretty much any which way rather than the 'foresters' grid? Ash

[ToddB]

Hi Todd - they look nice and healthy! I think it is fine to try and grow them up together and look forward to your progress. For things like Callitris which might not like big root disturbance latter on - well it makes sense to let their roots find their own space close together. One issue you may have is that the outer trees will probably get bigger than the inner trees which is a little bit the reverse of how most forest bonsai are arranged. That certainly does not mean it should be one way or the other! I am guessing by the look of your trays that you put the seeds in pretty much any which way rather than the 'foresters' grid? Ash

That's right Ash...I just sowed them at random and this is the result.

I take your point about the outer trees becoming larger. Not sure how to overcome that one yet...other than to do some selective 'thinning' to favour trees toward the centre of the group if they show signs of vigour. If on the other hand, the outer trees become too vigorous, then I might have to cull those. Thanks for your interest.

[Ray M]

Hi ToddB.
Just an idea. If you plant the trees in single pots. Use some small pots and some larger pots. This may help to develop some different size trees. Once you get a variety of sizes you could plant them out into your forest.

Regards Ray

[ToddB]

Hi ToddB.
Just an idea. If you plant the trees in single pots. Use some small pots and some larger pots. This may help to develop some different size trees. Once you get a variety of sizes you could plant them out into your forest.

Regards Ray

Hi Ray.

Thanks very much for the suggestion mate, I like the way you think, so much so that I did exactly what you've suggested.

At the time I sowed these, I also sowed some others in variable sized pots...just in case I need to use them as supplemental plantings within these larger groups when and if the need arises.

[Ray M]

Hi Ray.

Thanks very much for the suggestion mate, I like the way you think, so much so that I did exactly what you've suggested.

At the time I sowed these, I also sowed some others in variable sized pots...just in case I need to use them as supplemental plantings within these larger groups when and if the need arises.

Hi ToddB,
Good on you mate. Look forward to see how things develop.

Regards Ray

[trident76]

I have grown forest style bonsai from various species - ash, Japanese maple, trident maple, peppertree, pinus pinea etc etc, having started these 'forests' exactly the same way, random seed sowing in foam boxes.
The technique to create the overall asymetrical triangle so favoured (with smaller trees on the outer of the group) is to do the obvious and prune those trees you wish to stay smaller, whilst letting others grow freely.
Look forward to seeing the development of your forests

[ToddB]

I have grown forest style bonsai from various species - ash, Japanese maple, trident maple, peppertree, pinus pinea etc etc, having started these 'forests' exactly the same way, random seed sowing in foam boxes.
The technique to create the overall asymetrical triangle so favoured (with smaller trees on the outer of the group) is to do the obvious and prune those trees you wish to stay smaller, whilst letting others grow freely.
Look forward to seeing the development of your forests

trident76...thankyou very much. To hear that you've had prior success doing the same thing provides no end of encouragement for me