AusBonsai

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.

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.

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)!

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.

Promethius wrote: ↑August 16th, 2024, 9:29 pm 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!

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.

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 wrote: ↑August 19th, 2024, 12:34 pm 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.

MJL wrote: ↑June 9th, 2020, 6:08 pm
I'll have to go back and look at the good PHUTU thread.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the PHUTU thread?

Luke308 wrote: ↑March 8th, 2025, 5:45 pm

MJL wrote: ↑June 9th, 2020, 6:08 pm
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.

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...

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

Another one from the OG seed group after a clean up today.

Work done on the “winner” this morning.

Still at it!