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  1. Michael Milligan

    Fertilizer question

    It will work just fine. I would use very little at a time. Just sprinkle a little on the soil and scratch it in. if you have moss I would lift he moss and put he fert under it. Us a light hand because it is not slow release and in a pot the chance of "burn" is higher. But I would use it if...
  2. Michael Milligan

    Juniper live vein treatment

    Take a stiff brush and scrub the vein until it is nice and smooth. Then rub it with a cloth with a bit of vegitable oil on it. Also, of course, brush the dead wood with lime-sulfur. The veg oil is a temporary effect.
  3. Michael Milligan

    Am I mistaken to avoid grafted maples?

    Well, to reopen an old thread... rather than avoiding a grafted maple, an option is to air or ground layer above the graft. Then you get the variety you like on it's own roots. Plus the nebari will certainly be better.
  4. Michael Milligan

    Grafting pines.. does age matter?

    Terrific, thank you Brent. It sounds like my timing isn't bad at all. I had to get them out of the 4" pot they were in before the roots hardened and looked forever like the 4" pot (we've all seen this). Next year about this time I'll be grafting... finally. I can't think of any other hobby...
  5. Michael Milligan

    Grafting pines.. does age matter?

    Hi all, I haven't posted here in a really long time, but I have a question that I'm sure y'all can help me with. Does it matter at what age you graft white pine onto black pine stock? I'm asking because I have a number of seedlings of black pine and a larger white pine source plant. It's...
  6. Michael Milligan

    Black Pine Training

    Leave it until late winter and then cut it down to a couple inches above all those lowest branches. I suggest looking for one of those branches to become the new leader and another branch to be the first branch on the tree. If you already know which branches you are using then make sure no...
  7. Michael Milligan

    Acer Rubrum -taproot pruning

    Your trees should be outside. I think they are hardy to your zone, but you should give them some shelter to be safe. If they haven't woken up from winter yet you can cut the tap root off. I would take 1/2 off this year and then 1/2 off next year at repotting time. Take off the root, and...
  8. Michael Milligan

    Washing the leaves on indoor bonsai?

    I shower mine outside with a watering can filled with warm water. Good time to apply a liquid feed as well.
  9. Michael Milligan

    Fungicide for cuttings & seedlings (?)

    Threre are countless product names. Just look for or ask someone at the garden centre for something to prevent "damping off".
  10. Michael Milligan

    Not a masterpiece... not even a bonsai

    Who would have thought you could find emperor flowers in every garden center for $1.99/4" pot? ;)
  11. Michael Milligan

    Olive Forest

    Agreed. And the second tree from the left seems to be growing INTO the shadow of the largest. I don't see that. There are clearly three trees on two other plains behind the major tree. What is hindering the impression of depth is the lack of weight behind the major tree. I crave another...
  12. Michael Milligan

    Fix the deadwood challenge...

    I don’t get the sense that the wood and the foliage are parts of the same tree. I like the 3rd picture as the front. I also feel that the tree would do better a little shorter and with a lot less green. Have the weight of the heavy wood on the lower left and the foliage concentrated into the...
  13. Michael Milligan

    Growing Cacti?

    You have a very good point BNut! I had them in a window that didn't get tons of direct light. Any time it was being hit by direct light I would open the lid a little. A northern window or a shear curtain would help you, I just don't get the kind of sun you do. I let them grow until they were...
  14. Michael Milligan

    Growing Cacti?

    I would have snapped some for you all today... but alas, my camera bit the dust and I've been spending my money on bonsai stuff instead. But at least I'm posting in a place where people can't blame me for that! :)
  15. Michael Milligan

    Growing Cacti?

    That gravel is just a top-dressing for looks and to keep the perlite from floating up and sticking all over the plant. It's just for looks. All my succulents/cacti are in a mix of 50:50 store bought cactus mix and perlite. If you buy a big bail of it perlite is about the cheapest thing at the...
  16. Michael Milligan

    Growing Cacti?

    Cacti are actually very easy to grow from seed. You'll need a pot or pots enough to hold your seeds and regular cactus mix, straight out of the bag. Fill the pot and sprinkle the seeds. It will help to cover the seeds with a layer of sand or very small grit to hold the seeds in place. Don't...
  17. Michael Milligan

    Why Do We Use An Odd Number Of Trees In A Forest?

    Very nice and yes, convincing. However, I think we might not all be talking about the same thing. The rules of penjing are very flexible about what can go in the pot: rocks, sticks, rivers, sand, more than one type of tree in the planting, clay figures, etc, etc. Example, right away when I...
  18. Michael Milligan

    Why Do We Use An Odd Number Of Trees In A Forest?

    Why? Paint by numbers is a faux-art for little children. I would hate to think you meant anything of the sort. I thought the point about the mind's tendency to form groups was fascinating. I know this from psychology as the phenomenon of "chunking" where we break large groups into...
  19. Michael Milligan

    ? about a spuce and juniper

    Yes I've/do grow them but they are still young. Don't be in a rush to repot them. If you cut back it's roots it will take 2 years to regain vigor. Gently raise it up in the pot a little to help you style it but avoid disturbing the root ball. When wiring, watch for branches (large and small)...
  20. Michael Milligan

    Common Juniper

    Is it possible that this tree was once a full cascade and has been repotted into it's current position? Just tip it to the right, level out the green, and presto.
  21. Michael Milligan

    Experiments

    I'm still experimenting will making a bonsai. You know... when I first read about how if you haven't killed trees you haven't done bonsai I didn't realize that most of those deaths would be garbage can related--if you get my drift?
  22. Michael Milligan

    Tipping point cont'd

    You’ll forgive me Will if I use you as an example, but you have thicker skin than a rhino so I know you can handle it.  It is not possible to read what you want and not read the rest. Myself, I love to read your input on peoples trees and your ideas about bonsai, but could very well do...
  23. Michael Milligan

    Shohin Pinus Mugo

    Nice job Will. How many cans did you have to look through? How many did you get home before finding out just how bad they were. That is what normally happens happens to me. I love mugos but just chucked out 2 that were hopeless (well either the trees or myself were hopeless). The ones I see...
  24. Michael Milligan

    rooting japanese black pine from cuttings

    I glad to finally hear that you did it... even if just one took. If it can be done, then it can be done well. Like in most things, a little practice and you'll have it down cold. Are you at all worried that your hormone mix might be too strong and "cook" the cutting?
  25. Michael Milligan

    Little Japanese Maple

    It looks very healthy. Great work. What do you think the finished hight will be?
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