AusBonsai

This is a Radiate Pine that I collected from a mates farm as he was culling them from his dam.

I have had it in rhis box for about three years and it seems fairly happy and gets little attention aside from water and liquid fertiliser.

I prune it hard every year as the candles harden and needle pluck to even out the energy and have today started to wire train it to seevwhat becomes of it.

So far, so good..

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Nice dig. I like Radiatas. Have a few from seed. I will be interested in the development of this one.

Stu wrote:Nice dig. I like Radiatas. Have a few from seed. I will be interested in the development of this one.

Cheers Stu

Being in the large box has promoted trunk thickening and some secondary branching and ramification. I am not sure on needle length reduction though, any thoughts?

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I sometimes just cut the needles shorter. They are thin so don't brown at the cut tips.
I am also beginning to treat them as multi-flush pines and so will follow a Japanese Black pine regime. This will begin this December with cutting back candles to promote a second flush. We will see if this helps with needle length.

how thick/big was this when your first collected it?

G'day Jeseepap

I can't remember how thick it was when I collected it from the farm, but it was probably about 4-5 cms. It had very few roots though, and went straight into this box about 3 yrs ago. The roots are now escaping the drainage holes so I have put it in the box back garden to continue developing the trunk. I don't want any more height though.. just ramification. I really only collected it to practice on, but now am beginning to like it.

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Quick update.

Tree is doing well, and have repotted out of the grow box and into a first pot.

Am waiting for summer to trim the new growth and will needle pluck in March- April.


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