A couple small larch

plant_dr said:

THe stuff you have collected in your bag IS a fungus, but the fungus isn't called mycorrhizae. It is called a mycorrhizal fungus because it provides the symbiotic relationship between the plant's roots and itself. You can google it or look it up on wikipedia for more info.

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Ahh...so "mycorrhizal" is an adjective, describing WHAT the fungus does...rather than what the fungus is...I read that there are many types of mycorrhizal fungi, this clears it up considerably.

Thanks plant_dr!

I read and saved a few articles on the mysterious mycorrhizal fungus. I think science behind their relationship with pines makes bonsai even more interesting.

Klytus,

Although I'm not exactly sure how or why the fungus has spread, it does seem to thrive in cool/mild, damp(not wet), places where it can attach itself to plant material, specifically the roots of a tree.

I re-potted and removed some dead roots of a JWP in mid September after it arrived at my door in a ball of plastic. All the pine experts I contacted doubted its survival, but I guessed that the mycorrhizal fungus would help. I placed some chunks of the white stuff (found under a large Eastern White Pine in my yard) adjacent to the roots of my JWP. Since then the needles became more firm and green, and I noticed some new fuzzy surface roots a few days ago

I'm now a firm believer that the fungus will help trees deal with the stresses involved in bonsai. Pines, which are particularly sensitive to repotting, should have is incorporated in their roots during repotting.

Back to the FuTREES!!!!!

Ok, I've got a bunch of this little suckers, and access to MANY more. Being rather new to bonsai, I've goofed around a little bit to understand how the trees would respond. Well, This one ended up on it's way to shohin, so here it is so far. Still a long way to go... Not sure if I should leave it in the basket, or repot it to a training container. Shohin really hasn't been my thing, so any pointers would be well recieved. Thanks,


Dave

HotAction said:

Ok, I've got a bunch of this little suckers, and access to MANY more. Being rather new to bonsai, I've goofed around a little bit to understand how the trees would respond. Well, This one ended up on it's way to shohin, so here it is so far. Still a long way to go... Not sure if I should leave it in the basket, or repot it to a training container. Shohin really hasn't been my thing, so any pointers would be well recieved. Thanks,


Dave

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Very nice Dave. I'll take some of those off your hands, I've always wanted a larch

Isn't a pond basket technically a training container? If it were mine I would just leave it.

Ryan, Thankyou. My concern with the basket is that it may in fact grow TOO much

Ok, wired up one of the two from the original post. Keep in mind this is no where close to finished, if there is such a thing.

Updates on more of these little guys.

HotAction said:

Ok, I've got a bunch of this little suckers, and access to MANY more. Being rather new to bonsai, I've goofed around a little bit to understand how the trees would respond. Well, This one ended up on it's way to shohin, so here it is so far. Still a long way to go... Not sure if I should leave it in the basket, or repot it to a training container. Shohin really hasn't been my thing, so any pointers would be well recieved. Thanks,


Dave

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Ok, worked this one into a pot today. The pot is made by our own pjkatich.

HotAction said:

Ok, worked this one into a pot today. The pot is made by our own pjkatich.

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Nice little fatty. good pot too pjk.

Another first pot for one of these small larch.

really good lookin larches ..... very natural styling too.... wonderful...

Lookin good, Dave. Nice job!