THE PINE PROJECT

[Patmet]

Looks cool what you've done with it. I'm finding that some of the trees that go on the back burner and get a bit neglected end up surprising me when I finally get around to them.

[Ryceman3]

Made a slightly unscheduled stop where my ground grown trees are living their best life, so since I was there I decided to dig a few up and see what is what. I have planned to leave them in the beds, so after they were dug and their roots trimmed a bit I put them all back to keep on keeping on for another 12 months or so.
Most likely the majority will then be dug out and ready to transition into a proper development regime as bonsai. I might leave a couple to continue and make them something other than shohin(ish) sized trees ... we'll see in a year!
Here's how a few of them are going to date for anybody interested.

GG-JBP 0824 AB_01.jpg

GG-JBP 0824 AB_02.jpg

GG-JBP 0824 AB_03.jpg

GG-JBP 0824 AB_04.jpg

GG-JBP 0824 AB_05.jpg

GG-JBP 0824 AB_06.jpg

[Ryceman3]

The repots keep coming. This is the big JRP from the original ground grown group. It was dug up in 2022 and spent the last 2 years in a black plastic pot where it got the big trunk chop and started growing out some primary branches.
It's going OK so I thought it was time for a pot upgrade and then move on to getting a bit more refinement in the branching, hopefully some decent needle reduction etc. from this point forward.
Doesn't look like much really at the moment but get back to me in a couple of years and with any luck it will be something to get interested in.
No good before shots unfortunately, but I did a reel showing the repot on Insta for those who wanna check it out (and are active there)!

JRP-RP_B AB_01.jpg

JRP-RP_B AB_02.jpg

JRP-RP_B AB_03.jpg

JRP-RP_B AB_04.jpg

[Promethius]

Very nice, as we’ve gotten used to seeing on this thread!
Did you wire those roots to improve their spread? I haven’t seen that before, innovative solution.

[Ryceman3]

Very nice, as we’ve gotten used to seeing on this thread!
Did you wire those roots to improve their spread? I haven’t seen that before, innovative solution.

Yeah, the middle root in that shot was off doing its own thing so I added a wire to rein it in somewhat. Not sure how effective it will be but better than nothing! Good news is the constraints of the new pot are also helping. Win/win!

[Ryceman3]

While I was out sowing JWP seeds I also put in a few more JBP.
In the spirit of hoping to add a bit of info to that already in this thread, I decided to do 2 batches.

Batch D : 75 seeds, sown as usual (soaked for a few days then cold stratified for just over 2 weeks or so.)
Batch E : 50 seeds, sown straight from storage. No soaking, no stratification.

I'm interested to see how Batch E turns out. I probably should have done a "soak only, then sow" batch too but I don't have room to keep adding more trays! I'm sure I did one like this at any rate and had some success, but I think that was an October batch ... need to check back in the archive and see.

[AndreasM]

Thank you R3. an amazing thread to have read through. and congratulations on the win. to this total beginner, throughly deserved!

I also want to say, please don't stop posting about them(it doesn't look like you are, but wanted to 'say it out loud') - sort of getting attached to seeing how they all develop!

[Ryceman3]

Batch D : 75 seeds, sown as usual (soaked for a few days then cold stratified for just over 2 weeks or so.)
Batch E : 50 seeds, sown straight from storage. No soaking, no stratification.

I'm interested to see how Batch E turns out.

Update on the above.
Batch E had pretty much the same germination rates as Batch D.
The only significant difference was that the timing of the seedlings was quite varied. Some came within about 3 weeks (normal) while others took almost 8 weeks before they popped up. Not really a big deal, but I like to have all the seedlings at the same progress level because they need to be at a certain developmental stage when I stem cut, and I like to do a lot of seedlings at once if I'm going to set up for that process.
In a pinch though, I would just sow seeds straight again if I had to, if you are not concerned about stem cutting I don't think there is much disadvantage. This is a single batch though, multiple trials over several years would probably be more definitive.

[Luke308]

I'll have to go back and look at the good PHUTU thread.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the PHUTU thread?

[Ryceman3]

I'll have to go back and look at the good PHUTU thread.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the PHUTU thread?

I think it relates to a bonsai blog that Eric Schrader used to post in before he began the “Bonsaify” business and all the YouTube/website stuff that has gone along with it.
I guess it’s still around, but I would assume the same info is available on his latest/more recent internet offerings. He does some good stuff that is worth looking at… if you haven’t already.

[Ryceman3]

It's that time of year again!
Started work on my JBP over the weekend.
An update on a few from the original seed batch...

JBP-01 0425 IG_01.jpg

JBP-02 0425 IG_01.jpg

JBP-03 0425 IG_01.jpg

[The Specimen]

These guys are tankers! Solid as..
Super impressive.. needles so small?