Before I cut on my WP today...

[Japonicus]

Bryopsis..? Really? Whatever it is, is it really hurting the tree? Either way it depends on water to reproduce and function to a degree much higher than your tree.

Yes comparing the 2 hobbies (one below water), bryopsis is a difficult weed to eradicate.
I really don't know if it's hurting the bonsai. It has not even been ID'd as of yet.
I have tried the search feature on the forum, to no avail yet, looking for links to common diseases
and pests save for a thread in 2009 on pine diseases. Perhaps there's one I haven't lit on yet.
Anywho the Suns energy has peaked, am I'm back to weeding before it's too cold. Bit breezy too.

 

[TN_Jim]

Yes comparing the 2 hobbies (one below water), bryopsis is a difficult weed to eradicate.
I really don't know if it's hurting the bonsai. It has not even been ID'd as of yet.
I have tried the search feature on the forum, to no avail yet, looking for links to common diseases
and pests save for a thread in 2009 on pine diseases. Perhaps there's one I haven't lit on yet.
Anywho the Suns energy has peaked, am I'm back to weeding before it's too cold. Bit breezy too.

I think it is, Sagina subulata. If so, yeah that definitely needs to go. Check this out: http://mikobonsai.blogspot.com/2010/05/weeds-and-soil-compaction.html?m=1

 

[Japonicus]

Well that was refreshing.
Put on some Mark Maxwell and grabbed a good light and my turntable and a cup of hot tea.
I don't recall ever doing any Winter work on my trees
except to water anything not in the ground on occasion. But it was nice to search the
nebari and clean it some while tweezing this weed out whatever it is, then top dressing a bit.

I'm going to lift this tree and inspect the roots this Spring and see if I just slip potted this wanting to
reduce foliage last Fall more aggressively...I bet that's the case.
Best I remember, I think now the last time I repotted this was 3 yrs ago ~ 50% rootball reduction.
I remember running a spike through the roots prior to slip potting if indeed thats what I did.
The akadama has broken down significantly.

So, yes, this weed can cause damage to my tree (BP roots) by reducing available O2 with its densisty
and tiny roots. Weed will return if it reproduces by roots, and any missed tiny strands,
but wandering if (potting next Spring 2019 if strong) if I should remove some top soil to get at the weed better
and comb out the longer roots and snip...this Spring.

 

[Japonicus]

I think it is, Sagina subulata. If so, yeah that definitely needs to go. Check this out: http://mikobonsai.blogspot.com/2010/05/weeds-and-soil-compaction.html?m=1

Hah, yes Jim, that looks to be it exactly. A Scotch moss that's readily available for sale.
Too bad it doesn't freeze out hardy to zone 4.

Would be nice if BN had a sticky in the forums for disease, pests and weeds ID/control.

 

[TN_Jim]

It being a flowering plant is good in that you know it has to produce seeds to reproduce, algae and fungi spores are so damn tiny and numerous...

Assuming there are not seeds in your soil, I’m wandering if you could eliminate it by starvation via draping over pot / wrapped around trunk base, an opaque cloth for a couple of weeks.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Depending on your elevation, West Virginia is either a USDA zone warmer than mine or about the same as mine. I'm in USDA zone 5b. Right now is a bad time to prune your JWP.
My advice, stop, no pruning or wire until closer to spring. Don't prune until you are certain why you would prune. From the one photo, I would consider your back of the tree as the front, in which case you would need to keep the branch you wanted to cut off. I suggest drawing out what you see as the future of this tree. If you are not sure, share photos from all sides here.

#2 - JWP you almost never pull old needles. Pulling needles is a technique for JBP in refinement. On JWP when you pull needles off, you eliminate any possibility of back budding in that area. Needle pulling is a refinement technique, not a technique for young material like this JWP.

#3 - if you are planning on repotting this spring, do not do much of anything else before repotting. You want the tree to be strong and healthy before repotting, and you want to let the tree recover for a growing season or more after repotting. Otherwise you run the risk of sending the tree into a "death spiral", that steady slow decline that is difficult to turn around.

So key with Japanese white pine, is have a plan that maintains the health of the tree. Know what the plan is a year or two in advance. Don't do a technique, like needle pulling unless you know why and how your tree should respond.

 

[Japonicus]

Depending on your elevation, West Virginia is either a USDA zone warmer than mine or about the same as mine. I'm in USDA zone 5b. Right now is a bad time to prune your JWP.
My advice, stop, no pruning or wire until closer to spring. Don't prune until you are certain why you would prune. From the one photo, I would consider your back of the tree as the front, in which case you would need to keep the branch you wanted to cut off. I suggest drawing out what you see as the future of this tree. If you are not sure, share photos from all sides here.

#2 - JWP you almost never pull old needles. Pulling needles is a technique for JBP in refinement. On JWP when you pull needles off, you eliminate any possibility of back budding in that area. Needle pulling is a refinement technique, not a technique for young material like this JWP.

#3 - if you are planning on repotting this spring, do not do much of anything else before repotting. You want the tree to be strong and healthy before repotting, and you want to let the tree recover for a growing season or more after repotting. Otherwise you run the risk of sending the tree into a "death spiral", that steady slow decline that is difficult to turn around.

So key with Japanese white pine, is have a plan that maintains the health of the tree. Know what the plan is a year or two in advance. Don't do a technique, like needle pulling unless you know why and how your tree should respond.

Thank you Leo for your time and input here. Last Fall I missed John Romanos class at NEB, and relied upon
the Bonsai Today Master Series book for Pines to do this needle pulling/cutting in the WP section of the book.
I agree, the back budding issue...I am so lost and confused when I read this book and try to apply
the techniques to my own WP.
I feel confident with a couple aspects per its content, but not so much on many more aspects.
It does refer to Winter as the best time to remove the apex, so thought hard pruning would be equal.

I will not remove anything yet. I will reconsider your new front again and post pictures, but have always
liked the branching points and undesirable nebari clump facing as it is, but will post pics and try to get
a better set of eyes on it, both for pruning and for changing the front.

Scared to pot it up after reducing the foliage this past Fall. Would prefer more strength.
My understanding was I was reducing needle size in future growth.
When would you remove branches Leo? Same time as Fall pruning? Thanks again for having a look
at my tree and your input. Would really like to know if I should remove the growth in the crotch
pic #1 post #1 and if you know what it is? I should be able to get at it now that it's dried this week in
my sunroom.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Thank you Leo for your time and input here. Last Fall I missed John Romanos class at NEB, and relied upon
the Bonsai Today Master Series book for Pines to do this needle pulling/cutting in the WP section of the book.
I agree, the back budding issue...I am so lost and confused when I read this book and try to apply
the techniques to my own WP.
I feel confident with a couple aspects per its content, but not so much on many more aspects.
It does refer to Winter as the best time to remove the apex, so thought hard pruning would be equal.

I will not remove anything yet. I will reconsider your new front again and post pictures, but have always
liked the branching points and undesirable nebari clump facing as it is, but will post pics and try to get
a better set of eyes on it, both for pruning and for changing the front.

Scared to pot it up after reducing the foliage this past Fall. Would prefer more strength.
My understanding was I was reducing needle size in future growth.
When would you remove branches Leo? Same time as Fall pruning? Thanks again for having a look
at my tree and your input. Would really like to know if I should remove the growth in the crotch
pic #1 post #1 and if you know what it is? I should be able to get at it now that it's dried this week in
my sunroom.

- growth in the crotch of the branch & trunk in picture #1, post #1 - silly? You mean you have not removed it yet? Yes, remove it, use tweezers or your fingernails. What ever it is, it don't belong there. It does not look like anything other than moss, but what ever it is, get rid of it.

Repotting - on page one you mention you repotted 2 years ago and removed 50% of the roots. - That is borderline TOO MUCH at once - especially for someone who is not confident with their after care. Do not repot in 2018, unless there is a purpose to repot. If when you water, the water does not soak into the media in a few minutes. If drainage is clearly impaired. This is the only health reason to repot. Your tree looks sparse, this is probably in part because it still has not recovered fully from the removal of half its roots 2 years ago. You need to focus on allowing this tree to recover vigor. You need to pay more attention to the horticulture and less worry about ''trying every technique'' whether the tree needs it or not.

Other reasons allowed for repotting, one is to correct root issues, make the nebari more aesthetically pleasing. Another is to change the planting angle of the trunk. And last reason is to change to a more aesthetically pleasing pot. All these issues you delay the repotting until after the tree has shown signs of good health and vigor. NOT BEFORE.

It does not matter how many years have passed since the last repotting. If the potting media is still draining freely and the tree is growing, there is no reason you ''need'' to repot. The list of aesthetic reasons for repotting can wait until after the tree shows good health and vigor. So if it takes 10 years to get the tree to be vigorous - no problem, don't repot before as long as the potting media is still good. Many of the mostly inorganic media can last 10 years no problem. So learn to read this tree's state of health and use that to decide what to do, and when to do it.

Japanese white pine is notorious for being a tricky species for North Americans to grow well. So if you like your tree, it is really worth slowing down and being more cautious about what you do to it. Now some people have no problem with them, but the majority of us do have trouble. I have 3 right now. I have done nothing with them since I got them 2 years ago. Just let them grow. I have had at least 10 or more over the years. Every time I decide to ''style them'' or do things to them, that is when I loose them. They do not bounce back from techniques applied in the wrong season, or too much too soon without recovery time. I had an ''Arakawa'' JWP, it went 10 years without repotting. I finally moved it from the large diameter bulb pan it was in, into a bonsai pot, and 2 years later it was dead. Of course I wired and pruned the same year I repotted. Death spiral. You need to give JWP time to recover. Don't do the next thing until you have seen a nice flush of new buds and nice, well colored needles.

 

[Japonicus]

- growth in the crotch of the branch & trunk in picture #1, post #1 - silly? You mean you have not removed it yet? Yes, remove it, use tweezers or your fingernails. What ever it is, it don't belong there. It does not look like anything other than moss, but what ever it is, get rid of it.

Repotting - on page one you mention you repotted 2 years ago and removed 50% of the roots. - That is borderline TOO MUCH at once - especially for someone who is not confident with their after care. Do not repot in 2018, unless there is a purpose to repot. If when you water, the water does not soak into the media in a few minutes. If drainage is clearly impaired. This is the only health reason to repot. Your tree looks sparse, this is probably in part because it still has not recovered fully from the removal of half its roots 2 years ago. You need to focus on allowing this tree to recover vigor. You need to pay more attention to the horticulture and less worry about ''trying every technique'' whether the tree needs it or not.

Other reasons allowed for repotting, one is to correct root issues, make the nebari more aesthetically pleasing. Another is to change the planting angle of the trunk. And last reason is to change to a more aesthetically pleasing pot. All these issues you delay the repotting until after the tree has shown signs of good health and vigor. NOT BEFORE.

It does not matter how many years have passed since the last repotting. If the potting media is still draining freely and the tree is growing, there is no reason you ''need'' to repot. The list of aesthetic reasons for repotting can wait until after the tree shows good health and vigor. So if it takes 10 years to get the tree to be vigorous - no problem, don't repot before as long as the potting media is still good. Many of the mostly inorganic media can last 10 years no problem. So learn to read this tree's state of health and use that to decide what to do, and when to do it.

Japanese white pine is notorious for being a tricky species for North Americans to grow well. So if you like your tree, it is really worth slowing down and being more cautious about what you do to it. Now some people have no problem with them, but the majority of us do have trouble. I have 3 right now. I have done nothing with them since I got them 2 years ago. Just let them grow. I have had at least 10 or more over the years. Every time I decide to ''style them'' or do things to them, that is when I loose them. They do not bounce back from techniques applied in the wrong season, or too much too soon without recovery time. I had an ''Arakawa'' JWP, it went 10 years without repotting. I finally moved it from the large diameter bulb pan it was in, into a bonsai pot, and 2 years later it was dead. Of course I wired and pruned the same year I repotted. Death spiral. You need to give JWP time to recover. Don't do the next thing until you have seen a nice flush of new buds and nice, well colored needles.

Thanks Leo. Not long after I joined up here, I realized how foolish I've been by not tagging my trees history.
I've a few pics from over the years here n there throughout my pc, really have to organize that too.
That said, I think this was the thread I posted that I may've just slip potted this tree, because I remember
the soil "hard fired" akadama portion (maybe 20%) had broken down and I had ran a large nail (tent stake)
through the soil, and must have just slip potted into a larger pot filling the voids around the roots.
My apologies for that, I am learning to take better notes and keep a history on my trees.
Otherwise, I always did as you said, repot when it showed signs of needing it.
Jotting that history/info down never happened. I never conversed with anybody about my trees
so I just potted when needed.

Last Spring it had a good flush of shorter candles, quite uniform, and I made an attempt of carrying out the
techniques on WP in that book by Bonsai Today, which I believe Adair M sounded cautious about.
So rather than eliminating all but 4 or 5 bundles of needles per the book last Fall,
I left what you see, sparse indeed but much more than the book said to leave.

Leo, I plan on Spring time, to lift the tree and get a visual on the roots because of the poor drainage.
This akadama in this mix just doesn't hold up well or long enough. I will need good direction on
soils I'm reading about on here.
This is the soil the tree is in + an extra scoop of the same akadama that's in the mix >
https://www.nebonsai.com/premium-bonsai-mix-5-gallon/
Extra akadama was added due to my work schedule, and lack of proper shading.

Worry that the soil may drain ok from the slip potting till Summer then "clog up" when it's too late
to do anything other than spike the soil again with a nail. In this instance, would you not
lift the tree to have a look at the roots come Spring? Maybe an ify call, and I understand that.
I don't think looking under her skirt would be too invasive. I will find long roots spiraling about the pot
I'm sure, but hopefully not bound up. Peek or not to peek? If I find a performance issue with the soil
and or too many roots between the soil and the pot...then what?
I feel confident it will have another good Spring flush, but worry about soil performance due to akadama
breaking down.

 

[Japonicus]

Just moss and lichen, no need to panic.

Wilson, You answered my main concern (what the heck is this stuff) nearly immediately
and your answer has been resounded and I thank you. Nail on the head best I can tell.
There is indeed moss on the soil, I've just never encountered it looking like this before.

Before you cut anything , actually I wouldn’t probably cut anything at the moment , I would probably open it so everything receives sunlight for the season coming, rebuild strength, let the tree grow very strong , then make these decisions . IMHO

Again, another resounded bit of brilliant advice. I have a tree weaker than I thought.
Glad I didn't continue my needle reduction any further.

 

[jriddell88]

I had to learn the hard way, which is how I learned most of my life lessons, unfortunately , , wish I would have had someone to tell me lol

 

[Potawatomi13]

It being a flowering plant is good in that you know it has to produce seeds to reproduce, algae and fungi spores are so damn tiny and numerous...

Assuming there are not seeds in your soil, I’m wandering if you could eliminate it by starvation via draping over pot / wrapped around trunk base, an opaque cloth for a couple of weeks.

Plant can be killed this way but nearly a guarantee new seedlings will sprout when cover removed. If crown of live plant is not removed will regrow like dandelion but not from roots only. Never rake to remove just guarantees any seed present will fall on soil. Diligence to reach in to head of plant with minimum plant disturbance and pull whole thing at once helps get rid of these and keeping removed before any flowering will eventually eradicate. Very small plants also flower and season is no matter if not literally frozen. Like Tribbles these seem to be born with seed attached already. Really difficult to understand that garden stores sell these miserable weeds as any desirable kind of plant.

 

[sorce]

Kill that Irish Moss like Irish kill 5ths and pints!

Backwards world says removing the weeds...+1...will give you aeration you seek...+2 and you won't need to lift out and inspect the rootball...+3.

Does a soggy rootball on a weak tree need disturbance to fix soil?

Better to allow the other end of the spectrum to go to work......
Allowing more foliage, more health, more transpiration to dry out the soil....

Hmmmmmm....

I am not familiar with White pine roots..
(An education derived from "digging 'innappropriate' material"....ahem)

But everything else has roots that are stronger than Irish moss roots....

Which is to say....pulling it out will be safe+beneficial.

I use a fine pointed tweezers and get each one individually at the base.

Once eradicated they don't come back easily....then again....I usually find them before they grow past the real moss.
ATD!

Sorce

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Thanks Leo. Not long after I joined up here, I realized how foolish I've been by not tagging my trees history.
I've a few pics from over the years here n there throughout my pc, really have to organize that too.
That said, I think this was the thread I posted that I may've just slip potted this tree, because I remember
the soil "hard fired" akadama portion (maybe 20%) had broken down and I had ran a large nail (tent stake)
through the soil, and must have just slip potted into a larger pot filling the voids around the roots.
My apologies for that, I am learning to take better notes and keep a history on my trees.
Otherwise, I always did as you said, repot when it showed signs of needing it.
Jotting that history/info down never happened. I never conversed with anybody about my trees
so I just potted when needed.

Last Spring it had a good flush of shorter candles, quite uniform, and I made an attempt of carrying out the
techniques on WP in that book by Bonsai Today, which I believe Adair M sounded cautious about.
So rather than eliminating all but 4 or 5 bundles of needles per the book last Fall,
I left what you see, sparse indeed but much more than the book said to leave.

Leo, I plan on Spring time, to lift the tree and get a visual on the roots because of the poor drainage.
This akadama in this mix just doesn't hold up well or long enough. I will need good direction on
soils I'm reading about on here.
This is the soil the tree is in + an extra scoop of the same akadama that's in the mix >
https://www.nebonsai.com/premium-bonsai-mix-5-gallon/
Extra akadama was added due to my work schedule, and lack of proper shading.

Worry that the soil may drain ok from the slip potting till Summer then "clog up" when it's too late
to do anything other than spike the soil again with a nail. In this instance, would you not
lift the tree to have a look at the roots come Spring? Maybe an ify call, and I understand that.
I don't think looking under her skirt would be too invasive. I will find long roots spiraling about the pot
I'm sure, but hopefully not bound up. Peek or not to peek? If I find a performance issue with the soil
and or too many roots between the soil and the pot...then what?
I feel confident it will have another good Spring flush, but worry about soil performance due to akadama
breaking down.

Sorry, I was just working with what I read in your post page 1 post #7., That when you repotted you removed 50% of the roots. If you had not actually done so, mis-remembered, that is fine. If the tree had a nice flush of small buds that is good. A sign of better vigor would have been a flush of normal size buds. This tree is in middle stages of development, you want growth, you don't want to be focused on reducing foliage size just yet. Because on Japanese white pine needles only live about 18 months, you do not need to worry about needle length more than 24 months before an important exhibition. Concerns for the health of the tree should take priority over concerns for needle length.
**********

The potting media from New England Bonsai is a pretty good product. You should not be having a problem with it. Do you sift your media before you use it? Even the best media will have dust and fines that might not have been removed at the producer. Use a set of sieves, or even a piece of window screen to eliminate fines from your potting mix. This will improve any mix you purchase pre-mixed or make yourself.

The fine feeder roots are the most important part of the root system in terms of keeping a tree healthy. At least 80 to 90% of all water absorption is done by the very fine tips of the roots. The thicker roots absorb almost nothing by comparison. When you disturb the outer fine feeder roots, you are breaking the very part of the root system that does the majority of water absorption. This leads into ''Slip Repotting''

Slip Potting - I hate this term. Repotting is the most traumatic activity one can do to a tree. More than wiring, pruning or just about anything else repotting a tree can really set a tree's growth back. Even the gentlest of ''slip potting'' will break far more fine feeder roots than you will notice. No slip potting is really ''gentle'', When you slip pot, it counts as repotting, and all the cautions about allowing a tree to recover afterwards apply. I have been raising bonsai for 40 years, and have learned the hard way, there is NO SUCH THING AS A GENTLE REPOT. Repotting is trauma for the tree, plan for it. Never slip pot and assume the tree won't be set back by it. You need to observe the tree's actual reaction over time to gauge how injurious the repotting was. Never assume it was gentle.

 

[Japonicus]

Sorry, I was just working with what I read in your post page 1 post #7., That when you repotted you removed 50% of the roots. If you had not actually done so, mis-remembered, that is fine. If the tree had a nice flush of small buds that is good. A sign of better vigor would have been a flush of normal size buds. This tree is in middle stages of development, you want growth, you don't want to be focused on reducing foliage size just yet. Because on Japanese white pine needles only live about 18 months, you do not need to worry about needle length more than 24 months before an important exhibition. Concerns for the health of the tree should take priority over concerns for needle length.
**********

The potting media from New England Bonsai is a pretty good product. You should not be having a problem with it. Do you sift your media before you use it? Even the best media will have dust and fines that might not have been removed at the producer. Use a set of sieves, or even a piece of window screen to eliminate fines from your potting mix. This will improve any mix you purchase pre-mixed or make yourself.

The fine feeder roots are the most important part of the root system in terms of keeping a tree healthy. At least 80 to 90% of all water absorption is done by the very fine tips of the roots. The thicker roots absorb almost nothing by comparison. When you disturb the outer fine feeder roots, you are breaking the very part of the root system that does the majority of water absorption. This leads into ''Slip Repotting''

Slip Potting - I hate this term. Repotting is the most traumatic activity one can do to a tree. More than wiring, pruning or just about anything else repotting a tree can really set a tree's growth back. Even the gentlest of ''slip potting'' will break far more fine feeder roots than you will notice. No slip potting is really ''gentle'', When you slip pot, it counts as repotting, and all the cautions about allowing a tree to recover afterwards apply. I have been raising bonsai for 40 years, and have learned the hard way, there is NO SUCH THING AS A GENTLE REPOT. Repotting is trauma for the tree, plan for it. Never slip pot and assume the tree won't be set back by it. You need to observe the tree's actual reaction over time to gauge how injurious the repotting was. Never assume it was gentle.

Awesome! Very nice to have more experienced eyes and wisdom on this tree.

I do, I have a sieve set and always sift the fines if nothing else. The Soil was moist when I got it in the 5g bucket.
I've never experienced this with any soil I've ever bought...called describing the concern, and was blown off.
When the lid was removed the humidity hit me in the face/nostrils hard. I assume it had not been protected from weather.
The akadama in it, behaved poorly in hand...going to mush between fingers when pinched a bit.
So Anyway, I have my own 2 Line hard fired I added in. I guessed that akadama being mud itself, that it
would be safe to go ahead and use their mix since I wasn't getting a return authorization.

So, if the soil behaves poorly, the foliage will echo that. Would you continue shoving a nail through to
open it up a bit, and tamp the void full with a different mix lower in akadama or river sand or other aggregate?
Thanks again.

 

[Japonicus]

Really difficult to understand that garden stores sell these miserable weeds as any desirable kind of plant.

Like the parasite mistletoe, except that's usually on the street corner at Christmastime LOL.
I did find it on the web for sale, mostly like Irish moss, to fill in between stones.

 

[Adair M]

Awesome! Very nice to have more experienced eyes and wisdom on this tree.

I do, I have a sieve set and always sift the fines if nothing else. The Soil was moist when I got it in the 5g bucket.
I've never experienced this with any soil I've ever bought...called describing the concern, and was blown off.
When the lid was removed the humidity hit me in the face/nostrils hard. I assume it had not been protected from weather.
The akadama in it, behaved poorly in hand...going to mush between fingers when pinched a bit.
So Anyway, I have my own 2 Line hard fired I added in. I guessed that akadama being mud itself, that it
would be safe to go ahead and use their mix since I wasn't getting a return authorization.

So, if the soil behaves poorly, the foliage will echo that. Would you continue shoving a nail through to
open it up a bit, and tamp the void full with a different mix lower in akadama or river sand or other aggregate?
Thanks again.

Actually, the premixed soils like Clay King and Akoi tend to have too much akadama! I add about 25% more pumice! For pines. White Pines are mountain trees, and prefer dryer conditions.

 

[Japonicus]

Actually, the premixed soils like Clay King and Akoi tend to have too much akadama! I add about 25% more pumice! For pines. White Pines are mountain trees, and prefer dryer conditions.

Unfortunately we're left to guess at the % in this mix. By sight I guess 15% then I added a portion
that was appealing, per my schedule and environment. So, it makes sense to me to alter the
environment, which I'm not sure I can do but have one idea that may help. I only have an uncovered porch
that is SW facing, so my plants are exposed to most of the arc of the Sun save for what shade the railings
and grill provide. A couple larger trees on adjacent properties provide very limited help none mostly.

So I'm thinking of adding a lattice from the top railing (~waist high) down to near deck level.
This would shade the pots particularly mid afternoon on. Hopefully this can help with providing
a more desirable environment for the trees both in soil components and in harsh heat.
It would also be nice to build a raised floor for them elevating above the radiant heat of the deck.
It's just my deck is in need of replacing badly, and do not have the $ to do so ATM.
Hope to finish the fireplace this Summer, very limited funds.

 

[River's Edge]

Hah, yes Jim, that looks to be it exactly. A Scotch moss that's readily available for sale.
Too bad it doesn't freeze out hardy to zone 4.

Would be nice if BN had a sticky in the forums for disease, pests and weeds ID/control.

I do not usually add other liquids to scotch. But Scotch Moss deserves a small paint brush application of straight white vinegar on the leafy portion. Works like a charm when i get tired of tweezers.

 

[Japonicus]

I do not usually add other liquids to scotch. But Scotch Moss deserves a small paint brush application of straight white vinegar on the leafy portion. Works like a charm when i get tired of tweezers.

Cheers Riversedgebonsai. If it comes back I will do that whilst doing the same to the bark.
Tweezing the bark is ridiculously tedious. Worse than the soil indeed.