Any experiments for 2016?

Smoke

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Absolutely raw will take four or more years to start to decompose to the point where it begins to rob nitrogen from the soil. Composted bark, sold as such, is not truly composted to the point of being compost. True compost is to the point that it turns into granular material akin to worm castings. That is the point at which the "soil/compost" will stop robbing nitrogen from the soil. Raw will last the duration of repotting cycles with out much breakdown into unusuable crap.

I'm adding this as a moisture retentive component and so do not expect composting to be part of my experiment. I will still add my humates and fertilize with injector and Grow More.
 

wireme

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Not actually the first time using bark as a component against akadama. Have tried it in the past and had great results. Just going to repot some more finished trees in the mix to see what that does. All other experiments have been with training of new stock.

These pictures made me think that the roots know something I don't know.

View attachment 90611 View attachment 90612 View attachment 90613 View attachment 90614 View attachment 90615
Some similar pic of roots in my component after 3 years with a tree,the pics are from a spring of 2013 thread about a repot. The thread also showed a version of partial bare root procedure on an old conifer prior to having seen Adair bring it up here as a boon technique, homeschoolers like me were somehow doing it too. I started using humid acid around 2005 before I ever saw you write of it as well (not saying you hadn't, I just hadn't seen). Just mentioning those things since you show such a high regard for independent thinking you know;).image.jpgimage.jpg
 

parhamr

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My experiments and plans for 2016:

  • Build my first bonsai bench
  • Reduce my collection of ~70 sticks in pots down to 40 or so
  • Dig up a flowering quince that I’ve been preparing for two years; it had been a landscape plant and the soil might be clay-heavy, so it’ll need some time to move toward pre-bonsai material
  • First styling of a Pinus contorta and Tsuga mertensiana
  • Trunk chopping a Thuja plicata
  • Aggressive rootwork and repottings
 

aml1014

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I use 50/50 fir bark and pumice for all my trees. It works great since deciduous plants need dappled shade and the evergreens can be in full sun so that solves the whole "let the pines, and junipers dry out more" thing. I've also found roots to love the bark.
Not actually the first time using bark as a component against akadama. Have tried it in the past and had great results. Just going to repot some more finished trees in the mix to see what that does. All other experiments have been with training of new stock.

These pictures made me think that the roots know something I don't know.

View attachment 90611 View attachment 90612 View attachment 90613 View attachment 90614 View attachment 90615
 

watchndsky

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my experiment- if you want to call it one - is to take the work started below and figure out a way to have a climate controlled "greenhouse" of sorts that can easily be assembled/disassembled because im tired of breaking my back lifting these trees and bringing them into the garage when temps drop to the teens and below.

i needed to expand my bench space - so this was phase one. it gives me almost 90 feet of 2ft wide bench space for better display/access for my better trees. its still not quite complete - but close (work/weather gets in the way)

long term - i hope to play around with a retractable roof or something and test heating etc, so the larger ones can stay outside in place all winter. ive looked at some members winter quarters (like judyb's awesome setup) - but generally my winters are a little mild so overheating is a concern.

short term - id like to just finish making room for everything without worrying about finding a spot for new project trees.
 

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wireme

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Another option worth trying might be leaf mould. It will almost certainly add some fugal life to your soil.
Yeah, actually I always have added a wee bit of that kind of thing too, needle litter or forest floor hummus layer type stuff, more needly than leafy as I most have conifers so I used the stuff under them.
I'm glad you reminded me though because for years I have wanted to see how trees in pots might do planted entirely in that or mostly, maybe 20% aggregate, that can be my 2016 experiment!
 

Anthony

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Hee hee - under leaf mold, the fully decayed stuff is -- -compost ------- but I see the word - Humus - used because it is not man-made.

We have pine needle compost coming up for use with J.B.pines , with about 20% weeds to add in some other nurtrients.
Let you know if there is any big difference.
Good Day
Anthony
 

Adair M

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I already use a slight organic mix...curious what your out take will be using it.

As for me, being daring enough to maybe cut that maple I bought...back real hard. I know I can develop a nice little tree...or in time a sweet tree. Do I want to wait a year losing time to see how it does for me...or just do the deed and be done with it. Thinking, just do it already.
If you're going to cut back, do it NOW. When the sap is falling. Don't wait until the end of winter or spring. That's when sap is rising.
 

Cadillactaste

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If you're going to cut back, do it NOW. When the sap is falling. Don't wait until the end of winter or spring. That's when sap is rising.

We're already into winter now...single digits on Monday...dormant temps though. I can't cut it come spring? Or before spring hits fully? Hm-mmm
 
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thumblessprimate1

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Forgot to mention that months ago I received some European Hornbeam and Japanese Hornbeam seeds. Will see how they do for '16.
 
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Maarten,

[ what does Tenta....... mean ? a mouthful, English is normally so short / brief - laughs nervously ]

K sat down and hand rolled x 8 mm clay balls, fired them and then started a Ficus p. experiment using his version of Leca, and added a tiny % of compost.
Then remembered the ClayArt pottery list, to ask for a faster way to produce the balls - gave us much amusement.

Coco-peat breaks down for us in about 2 months, faster if exposed to compost.

Using the Ball Bearing idea has helped a great deal, getting the 3 mm glass spheres, allowed us to really observe, drainage, air space, and how compost
affects the tree.
As Osoyoung reminded me, Hydroponics does the same with inorganic fertiliser.
BUT we work from Rodale's organic ideas.

Plus making compost is easy, and sifting is enjoyable -------- also we are really cheap ------- it's the Chinese and Scottish bloods - :):):)

Have a great Day / Year.
Anthony [ now featuring on another topic as Igor ]:p:):)

* apologies toooooo jovial today.

Well, it's not really a word, but tentakel means tentacle (easy peasy) (I like octos a lot, as they are awesome). Laer is fancy for laar, which means -er (like in builder and stoner) and -tje is a Dutch word for making things smaller. Little table = tafeltje (table is tafel in Dutch).
Thought of it as funny, hope you do so!
Have a great year too!
 

M. Frary

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I only have 1 amur but it back buds profusely. It can turn into a bush in no time.
I don't cut anything back in fall or winter for fear of die back from the cold.
Maybe I'm wrong but I feel better playing it safe.
 

BrianBay9

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I'll be working on displays this year, both traditional and non-traditional. This one (MABA, Indianapolis this year) got me thinking about ways to control the background. Many places I'd like to display have no good backdrop.

photo (49).JPG
 

eferguson1974

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I already use a slight organic mix...curious what your out take will be using it.

As for me, being daring enough to maybe cut that maple I bought...back real hard. I know I can develop a nice little tree...or in time a sweet tree. Do I want to wait a year losing time to see how it does for me...or just do the deed and be done with it. Thinking, just do it already.
Choppy choppy. No fear!
 

eferguson1974

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Maarten,

[ what does Tenta....... mean ? a mouthful, English is normally so short / brief - laughs nervously ]

K sat down and hand rolled x 8 mm clay balls, fired them and then started a Ficus p. experiment using his version of Leca, and added a tiny % of compost.
Then remembered the ClayArt pottery list, to ask for a faster way to produce the balls - gave us much amusement.

Coco-peat breaks down for us in about 2 months, faster if exposed to compost.

Using the Ball Bearing idea has helped a great deal, getting the 3 mm glass spheres, allowed us to really observe, drainage, air space, and how compost
affects the tree.
As Osoyoung reminded me, Hydroponics does the same with inorganic fertiliser.
BUT we work from Rodale's organic ideas.

Plus making compost is easy, and sifting is enjoyable -------- also we are really cheap ------- it's the Chinese and Scottish bloods - :):):)

Have a great Day / Year.
Anthony [ now featuring on another topic as Igor ]:p:):)

* apologies toooooo jovial today.
Instead of hydroponic, try aquaponics. Use the fish water for your trees. Its orgánic fertalizer you can use everyday or every watering. Aquaponics and wicking beds for trees are my experiment for now. So far, so good. The ap will be in flood and drain beds with gravel. My peppers roots convinced me that it needs to be tried with trees. There perfect, no tap root and a wide, shallow spread all the way around. Potting later has worked for spinach, strawberries, and peppers. This year we will see how ficus and others do with being watered all day but with forced drier time for the roots. Its like a turbo for plants. Time to see about trees. There well so far.
 

vaibatron

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Air layer this ... Not a clue as to the type of prunus, but why the hell not..
 

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Adair M

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I only have 1 amur but it back buds profusely. It can turn into a bush in no time.
I don't cut anything back in fall or winter for fear of die back from the cold.
Maybe I'm wrong but I feel better playing it safe.
Ok, I know I'm not supposed to say, "you're wrong".

Let me just say that in the video that I posted in the General Forum, he cut back just a couple days ago. If you notice exactly where he cut back: just above an upward pointing bud. The little part of the stem between the cut and the bud will die back, but not past the bud.

Late winter, early spring when the days are beginning to warm, but the nights are still cold is the signal to the tree that spring is nie, and start sending up sugar for spring growth. As Frary said, that's when they tap maples for syrup. The thing is, those trees are in the ground with unlimited roots. Our little trees aren't. We don't want to lose that energy. Let the tree seal off the dead portion between the cut and the bud over the winter. It's not too late. Spring is the wrong time to do it.

It is important to do a procedure at the right time.

Will your tree die if pruned at the wrong time? Probably not. But you would get better results if done at the right time.

Darlene, you stated "it's too late". No, not yet. I happen to know there was a significant freeze at the location that video was made a week before the video was made. Those trees are fully dormant when the cuts were made.

Please go and watch that video again. There are lots of nuggets of information in there that you may have missed.
 
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