Bare root scots pine help

[Soldano666]

I scored a bunch of these today and need some help with a direction to take them in. The roots are a mess, so I was considering some fat wire at the base on attempt to layer some of them over the next few years. Orrrrr How much and should I be doing drastic root reductions now to assess the long tap roots. I have a hundred so I can definitely do a few techniques to several groups of them and monitor progress. But if anyone has some helpful advice on how to proceed I would be all ears to put these in the right direction. Thanks nuts

 

[parhamr]

Buy as many colanders from https://www.tigerchef.com/ as you can afford. Plant them in pumice with composted pine bark. Feed heavily. Copy the works of Jonas Dupuich. https://bonsaitonight.com/tag/black-pine/

 

[Paradox]

Scots pine won't respond to a ground layer.

If the roots have plenty of side roots, you can trim it back and plant them. How far you cut back depends on how many roots you have to leave.

Gold luck

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Hey Brian, I didn't see this right away, sorry about that.

That's a pile of work there. I have occasionally picked up bundles of pines, usually found a dozen was all I wanted to deal with.

I found you can cut the tap roots pretty short. As long as there are a few small side roots they usually make it. Especially done this time of year. I'd wire the trunks before you plant them. Get some twists and turns into some.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

You can get low branches to pop as low as you have needles. Chop a few low leaving only a half dozen needles.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Rest chop low second year after you have roots. When I pruned new bare root seedlings, not all liked the root & leader pruning, lost a few. I seem to recall loosing fewer if I reduced the leader the second summer. But I had a fair number of survivors either way, and don't recall details any more. Can't say with certainty which was better.

 

[CWTurner]

I don't know why you'd want to air layer them, they are basically rooted for you already.
I'll second @Leo in N E Illinois and say to trim the taproot. Me, I planted mine in the ground for maximum growth. That was last spring. I haven't decided whether to replant them with proper root distribution, but I may do it still this spring, or maybe next.
Good idea to wire some twists into them.
Don't do the same thing to all of them.
Good luck!
CW

 

[Soldano666]

Thanks leo.

 

[Soldano666]

I was not referring to an air layer when. I mentioned layering. I was thinking a tornequet at the base to encourage new radial roots. Anyway that problem is solved. I got a few wired up tonight after all my repotting chores were done. I will say its pretty tricky not doing the same thing twice when I have so many to wire up. Maybe I bit off a lil more than necessary, but it's all good fun.

 

[M. Frary]

The needles look a little off color in the pictures.

 

[Soldano666]

The needles look a little off color in the pictures.

Prob just the lighting in my garage at night Mike. I hope. They are a lil yellow in spots but I'm banking that on just coming out of winter, the buds haven't started to extend yet either. I hope theyr not duds.

 

[clive bennett]

pot them up after a very small root prune, leave to grow for this summer, feed like crazy, wire early autumn, let wire bite in you will get loads of buds , slowly grow a low branch letting the top go crazy and thicken the trunkyou can then chop the trunk and have some fine small trees with fantastic taper.
My 12 are at the two year stage the number of low buds is phenolminal

 

[wireme]

I was not referring to an air layer when. I mentioned layering. I was thinking a tornequetView attachment 141268 View attachment 141269 at the base to encourage new radial roots. Anyway that problem is solved. I got a few wired up tonight after all my repotting chores were done. I will say its pretty tricky not doing the same thing twice when I have so many to wire up. Maybe I bit off a lil more than necessary, but it's all good fun.

Nice! The more wee trees started off right from the beginning like this the better. Wish I'd started a bunch 10 years ago, I'll probably still be saying that ten years from now!

 

[Soldano666]

Nice! The more wee trees started off right from the beginning like this the better. Wish I'd started a bunch 10 years ago, I'll probably still be saying that ten years from now!

Yes you will. Best time to plant a tree was ten years ago. The next best time is now

 

[herzausstahl]

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/rootprsd.htm

What I think of when I see this. Not sure how much might apply. I've read @Smoke 's thread on yamadori style junipers, not sure if any of that would apply to these, or if your best off mimicking what bonsai nurseries do to train field grown pines for movement. Don't forget to treat these guys like Mugos.

 

[Soldano666]

I'm at about a 60% success rate of the near 40 I wired root pruned and potted up. Some started growing right off the rip, and some that I thought were goners seem to finally be bouncing back. I'm noticing new green where some of the candles diddnt seem to push and stayed brown.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Those are looking good bro.

Even the ones with brown, dead candles, if they don't decline further will pick up next year, and grow from new buds.b

 

[Wilson]

Beauty! Good on ya for starting a bunch of long term projects.

 

[Soldano666]

I have enough to make some mame and shohin to keep me occupied while the bulk of them grow out

 

[sorce]

I have enough to make some mame and shohin to keep me occupied while the bulk of them grow out

Have enough for @theta ?

Good to see!

Nice!

Sorce