6 year Pine Contest question

[Rodrigo]

I am interested in participating in the 6 year JBP contest. On the guidelines it says that you have to announce that you will be competing, however the thread is locked from further comments. Where is it that we announce we are participating?
Sorry if this is not the right place to post this, I am relatively new to Bonsai Nut.

Thanks,
Rodrigo

 

[GailC]

Go here and read through the contest rules then post your thread.
https://www.bonsainut.com/forums/the-six-year-japanese-black-pine-contest.73/

 

[M. Frary]

I was thinking of playing along on the sidelines with Scots pines.

 

[Quince]

I was thinking of playing along on the sidelines with Scots pines.

Ditto that, with Austrian Pine.
Got a bunch of Oregon Green seed rattling around in my fridge.

 

[plant_dr]

I collected some Scots and Austrian pine cones today. It will be interesting to compare the differences.

 

[Soldano666]

I was thinking of playing along on the sidelines with Scots pines.

Yup. I have about 15 that made it thru last summer of the 50 seeds started, and have collected about a metric shitton this fall so ill be running up the sidelines with you mike

 

[Rodrigo]

I currently have one Scots pine seedling that will be a year next spring that is in a pond basket doing very well. I also have another seedling, started at the exact same time, that I left in a terracotta pot to see the difference. As expected, the difference is very noticeable with the pond basket throwing out much more growth.
I'm interested in seeing if the JBP catches up/surpasses the Scots pine since it's really not much older.

 

[M. Frary]

Yup. I have about 15 that made it thru last summer of the 50 seeds started, and have collected about a metric shitton this fall so ill be running up the sidelines with you mike

I want to try the seedling cutting thing with them.
I'm going to order some seeds. (Can't even believe I said that!)
But I really like these things and they grow kind of fast. Not elm fast but not bristlecone slow. I'm looking to the future. I'm turning 54 in January so in 6 to 15 years I'll have some great trees.

 

[Soldano666]

I want to try the seedling cutting thing with them.
I'm going to order some seeds. (Can't even believe I said that!)
But I really like these things and they grow kind of fast. Not elm fast but not bristlecone slow. I'm looking to the future. I'm turning 54 in January so in 6 to 15 years I'll have some great trees.

Message me mike I should have a few hundred extra

 

[Soldano666]

And ef yess to the seedling cutting. I wanted to last year but was a baby. Ive done my homework now

 

[M. Frary]

And ef yess to the seedling cutting. I wanted to last year but was a baby. Ive done my homework now

There's nothing like pulling up the big girl panties and going for it.
I may have to get me some seeds from you.
I have a friend with 120 acres and will let me grow some in the ground.
Plus some in colanders and buckets. See who grows faster.

 

[M. Frary]

Message me mike I should have a few hundred extra

Never thought of collecting cones. Great idea!
There is one in my yard.

 

[Anthony]

Mike,

K is 56 in February and I will be 55 September - 2018, go for it.

Also that cut the seedling bit under the cotyledon, maybe for getting low buds on the
the J.B.pine, we use the technique for Tamarinds.

The J.B.pine grows surface roots without any encouragement.

Also you may wish to try hardwood cuttings on your Scots / Scotch pines, when they get
a bit older. We use the cuttings now, and get buds everywhere.
There is a stage where you grow out the J.B,pine to say 3 feet and cut back to 3 or 4 inches.
It will make the pine start all over in buds.

Then you grow new branches for placement [ the 1 , 2, 3 ] and further trunk thickening.

By the time you cut-back, your trunk should be around an inch to inch and a half.
Some seed can do this in 3 or 4 years, and in a 3 inch deep x 10 inch wide earthenware
,porous, pot.

I can transfer info, as we go. Also ask Mr. Valavanis as he grows Scots pine.
Good Luck,
Good Day
Anthony

J.B.Pines grow in zone 10 by the sea, we are so lucky.
Now how about we do some Caribbean or Caribbean / Honduran pine seed ?

 

[M. Frary]

so ill be running up the sidelines with you mike

Maybe I'll tell them they are northern black pine.

 

[Nybonsai12]

And ef yess to the seedling cutting. I wanted to last year but was a baby. Ive done my homework now

I did it for the first time two years ago with black pine, indoors, over the winter. Used a heat mat and grow lights and didn't even do the cold stratification. Even with less than ideal conditions, the success rate was really good. If you've done your homework as you indicate and have good seed, you should have a good time. Over and over I hear from experienced folks that fresh seed from a quality parent tree is the key. Jonas' blog helped me a lot as well.

That reminds me, i have to make my thread in the contest!

 

[plant_dr]

Message me mike I should have a few hundred extra

Are those JBP cones? Jonas writes in his blog that waiting to harvest until the cones are brown and open is too late. Probably because most of the seeds are already released by that point. He recommends getting the unopened ones that are green to purple colored and drying them yourself between two soil screens for example. It takes a week or two but you have much better chances of getting higher quality/quantity of seeds from the cone.

 

[Soldano666]

Are those JBP cones? Jonas writes in his blog that waiting to harvest until the cones are brown and open is too late. Probably because most of the seeds are already released by that point. He recommends getting the unopened ones that are green to purple colored and drying them yourself between two soil screens for example. It takes a week or two but you have much better chances of getting higher quality/quantity of seeds from the cone.

Scots cones. Most of the cones were collected from the tree as oppse to the ground just as they were barely starting to open. I went back every week since early Oct grabbing more as they ripened and started to open. Yes, once they hit the ground and or open all the way theres no seeds left.

 

[Soldano666]

I did it for the first time two years ago with black pine, indoors, over the winter. Used a heat mat and grow lights and didn't even do the cold stratification. Even with less than ideal conditions, the success rate was really good. If you've done your homework as you indicate and have good seed, you should have a good time. Over and over I hear from experienced folks that fresh seed from a quality parent tree is the key. Jonas' blog helped me a lot as well.

That reminds me, i have to make my thread in the contest!

I did a workshop with jonas this past spring and yes its seems like a pretty straight forward procedure, he showed us the whole process. As well as everything ive read online about making the cut. Now i wish I had already tried but my window was closed for the year. Now I'm stuck waiting til 2018

 

[Quince]

Never thought of collecting cones. Great idea!
There is one in my yard.

Do you have any other Scots pine nearby? I have found that pines grouped tegether produce a lot more viable seed.

 

[jeanluc83]

I had good experience with the seedling cutting technique on pitch pine. My main problem was keeping them from being disturbed. My boys were about 4 at the time and they thought it was great fun to play in the tray they were growing in. My success rate was still about 1 in 3.

I would encourage anyone who is on the fence about trying it to at least do a few seedling cuttings. It is really not as hard as it seems.