Chinese Pistachio experience

[Maiden69]

Morning, this spring I am re-arranging my above ground beds and will be moving all my deciduous trees to a different location in order to provide better sun for my JBP. Out of all of them, I can not find much information on the Chinese Pistache. It was moved into a grow bag late spring 2021 without working the roots, so I want to take this opportunity to work them out and remove any organic soil left in the bag and place it on top of a tile before moving it into a slightly bigger bag. The soil shouldn't be too bad as it is in Bonsai Jack Organic blend with pine bark/pumice/lava. Moving it into Bonsai Block/Monto Clay/Pumice and probably add some Lava depending on availability. It will be moved into solid akadama with some kiryu when it goes into a pot.

My question is, has anyone worked with one or know someone that has done so and can provide some advise on how much root work can be done? I will try to provide better pictures tonight, the one at the bottom is from mid/2022 and the tree base has expanded considerably. I also reduced the main leader after post flush late spring and it developed a nice collar where I plan on chopping the main trunk at. At this pace I think I may be ready for a pot spring next year 2024, maybe 2025 depending on how well I can manage the growth and any surprises I may find while cleaning up the nebari.

The plastic cup at the base was an attempt to ground layer by constricting the base right above the top roots. That failed as the aluminum wire became loose, but it created a nice flare right at the surface line. Will see how it looks once I clean up the soil.

Mid Spring 2021


Late Spring/Early Summer 2022

 

[Maiden69]

Pictures from today.

I have no idea what kind of update Apple did to the iPhone12Pro camera, but the perception of the pictures sucks. They used to be so much better.

I am hoping to use the 3 branches below the collar as part of the tree. I'm reducing the main trunk upon repot, and depending on the strength/die back if any I may reduce the rest of the leaders to new growth. I really think that I am ok with the thickness of the main trunk now, just got to get the secondaries up to par this year if possible before I move it into a bonsai pot.

I would love to have a much bigger tree, but I think with the BC's my big pot budget will be exhausted. Right now depending on the angle I have between 3 - 3.25" of nebari not counting whatever is buttied under the soil line.







Both sides of the collar on the main trunk where I plan to chop it when I work the roots as soon as buds start to swell.




The tree is 8.5' from the soil to the tip. The top of the collar where I am cutting it right at 8".

 

[Maiden69]

Off with its head!


That leader is almost 10' tall...

Still undecided if I want to transition to the small piece to the middle, or the leader to the left. The two small branches below the cut should serve to thicken below it for a while, and depending on how the roots look when I move it into another bag, or potentially a pot I will probably transition to the 2 small branches right above the chop.



Sucks that I am restraint to this side for growing them, taking pictures without them looking like a huge green glob is near if not impossible.

 

[ChristianDGreat]

Morning, this spring I am re-arranging my above ground beds and will be moving all my deciduous trees to a different location in order to provide better sun for my JBP. Out of all of them, I can not find much information on the Chinese Pistache. It was moved into a grow bag late spring 2021 without working the roots, so I want to take this opportunity to work them out and remove any organic soil left in the bag and place it on top of a tile before moving it into a slightly bigger bag. The soil shouldn't be too bad as it is in Bonsai Jack Organic blend with pine bark/pumice/lava. Moving it into Bonsai Block/Monto Clay/Pumice and probably add some Lava depending on availability. It will be moved into solid akadama with some kiryu when it goes into a pot.

My question is, has anyone worked with one or know someone that has done so and can provide some advise on how much root work can be done? I will try to provide better pictures tonight, the one at the bottom is from mid/2022 and the tree base has expanded considerably. I also reduced the main leader after post flush late spring and it developed a nice collar where I plan on chopping the main trunk at. At this pace I think I may be ready for a pot spring next year 2024, maybe 2025 depending on how well I can manage the growth and any surprises I may find while cleaning up the nebari.

The plastic cup at the base was an attempt to ground layer by constricting the base right above the top roots. That failed as the aluminum wire became loose, but it created a nice flare right at the surface line. Will see how it looks once I clean up the soil.

Mid Spring 2021
View attachment 468204

Late Spring/Early Summer 2022
View attachment 468205

@Maiden69 I have these experiment as well.
Im testing US Pistache and Chinese Pistache, from what im seeing US pistache grows faster.
and based on my research this is a very invasive plant(roots). So I assume this tree are very vigorous.

Will post some pictures soon

Thanks
Chris

 

[ChristianDGreat]

@Maiden69 how long did you let the trunk grow?

 

[Maiden69]

@Maiden69 how long did you let the trunk grow?

I didn't do anything special, placed the tree in a Root Pouch and into the grow bed, then last year late spring/early summer I cut one of the two trunk extensions. The one I didn't cut just took off, the other one ramified a little but stayed almost the same size as it was before.

 

[Maiden69]

This tree is one of the very few that were affected this year by the excess heat. I also noticed an area where the trunk died back, not sure if it was due to the trunk chop in April, or some bugs... I noticed a few red ants in the area and just sprinkled pesticide to take care of them. Will follow up tomorrow with something else to treat all the mulch beds just in case as I had a landscape oak killed early this year by some kind of borer. No other tree in the bed seems affected, this is the same bed I have my JM, Seiju elm, cherry, peach and trident so I don't want to take any chances.







Leaves right now.

 

[Maiden69]

The tree is doing better since I placed the shade cloth. I am undecided if I should completely defoliate it, since almost 60% of the leaves are toasted at this time.



The canopy continued to puch new growth through the heat, the very last leaves to emerge looked as if they were going through fall, so I think they are sun damaged as well.



On a side note, the azaleas like the shade cloth and started pushing new growth, hopefully the Pistache will follow suit. And I know... I've been lazy not removing the spent flowers.

 

[ChristianDGreat]

The tree is doing better since I placed the shade cloth. I am undecided if I should completely defoliate it, since almost 60% of the leaves are toasted at this time.

View attachment 506283

The canopy continued to puch new growth through the heat, the very last leaves to emerge looked as if they were going through fall, so I think they are sun damaged as well.

View attachment 506284

On a side note, the azaleas like the shade cloth and started pushing new growth, hopefully the Pistache will follow suit. And I know... I've been lazy not removing the spent flowers.

View attachment 506285

Thanks for the update, I was surprise that this tree struggle in the heat, In my area here in Central Valley theres a ton of Pistache tree in the Road and Park. Maybe thats US Pistache vs a Chinese One. Have you ever tried Air Layer?

 

[Maiden69]

Thanks for the update, I was surprise that this tree struggle in the heat, In my area here in Central Valley theres a ton of Pistache tree in the Road and Park. Maybe thats US Pistache vs a Chinese One. Have you ever tried Air Layer?

No, not tried to layer this one yet. There are tons of pistache here, they do fine unless they get too dry. This one has been watered regularly.

 

[Maiden69]

DOA as well, probably the removal from the grow bed... blah!