Cjr Virginia pines

Cajunrider

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These two were destined for the dumpster. You can say that I chose life for them. Potted pine by happen stance. Whether they become bonsai remain to be seen. Right now they are in pots. The big one in NAPA floor dry & coconut husk top. The little one in pumice & coconut husk top. They were both in boggy soil.

1. Trunk 2.5 inch. Have some really low branches that I try to develop once the top is cut off.20190222_170031.jpg
20190224_180546.jpg

2. Trunk .5" just a sapling with some movement on the trunk.
20190224_180640.jpg
 
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Cajunrider

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In all honesty, I don't have expectation for these to become worthwhile bonsai. Yes I know they take away my time that can be focused on more worthwhile subject but I'm in this for fun. In a few years, they likely will be put into the ground in some spots on my land. The key thing for me is that they live on and their roots hold my land together. I'm hoping to turn my land into a mini forest in 10 years. :)
 

GGB

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I have had incredibly poor luck with this species. they make great bonsai in the right hands but I kill everyone I touch. I will never buy one again because of how fast I kill them. I have never had trouble keeping a tree alive until pinus virginiana. So naturally I bought a bunch of seed and I'm trying some that way. Finding loopholes in my own rules, my mind is a harsh place. anyway..

John Geanangel has some absolutely terrific specimens. They have naturally short needles that reduce to nothing. if im not mistaken they are a double flush pine that supposedly has strong root growth. I wish you better luck than I have had. The first tree pictured didn't look like a survivor to me but maybe you'll have the green thumb and get it going
 

Hyn Patty

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We have some gorgeous Virginia pines up here on our mountain. They have short needles in snug tufts. Very dainty compared to the White pines that grow a bit lower. I haven't tried collecting any yet.
 

Cajunrider

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I have had incredibly poor luck with this species. they make great bonsai in the right hands but I kill everyone I touch. I will never buy one again because of how fast I kill them. I have never had trouble keeping a tree alive until pinus virginiana. So naturally I bought a bunch of seed and I'm trying some that way. Finding loopholes in my own rules, my mind is a harsh place. anyway..

John Geanangel has some absolutely terrific specimens. They have naturally short needles that reduce to nothing. if im not mistaken they are a double flush pine that supposedly has strong root growth. I wish you better luck than I have had. The first tree pictured didn't look like a survivor to me but maybe you'll have the green thumb and get it going
I collected another one 45 days ago. I totally bare rooted it and cut off the huge tap root. It is alive and trying to send out candles. The most encouraging thing is that the weak branches near the base are coming to life. Crossing my fingers for all of them.
20190113_153430.jpg20190227_050924.jpg
 

GGB

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goodluck, I had one hang in all winter once with slowly swelling buds only to die instantly right before bud burst. And I was nice to that one! To be fair the one pictured above looks nice and green, mine looked pretty hagard. hagard with a hope
 

Hyn Patty

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My suggestion would be when you collect, do no wiring. Just collect them, cut them back some but not harder than you must and SEAL those cuts! Then bag (not quite sealed, some air flow is good) them or otherwise shelter them from wind in lightly damp but NOT WET soil, or even better sphagnum moss around the roots. Then put them in a bright shady spot and leave them for at least a month. There's really no point in trying to train and wire them when you first dig as the wiring will only stress them even more. Wait and start training the following YEAR after they have had a chance to do strong growth for a while. That's advice I have been given and read over and over again so you lower the risk of killing your trees. Others here who have been at it a lot longer than I have, especially working with pines, can give you better tips based on their own experience.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Virginia pine

Louisiana is a good climate to take advantage of their capability to double flush, like Japanese black pine. If I were you, read all the various posts and blogs about growing JBP seedlings for bonsai. In each of your trees, one of the branches from the lowest whorl of branches has potential to become your ''bonsai tree'' the rest of the seedling is let grow to thicken the trunk. The sacrifice branch, or the main trunk which gets sacrificed can be allow to grow to 10 or more feet tall. Adair has many posts on this technique also BVF.

But your location brings up another thought, the ''big flaw'' with Virginia pine is the twisting of the needles. This give a disheveled look to an otherwise decent bonsai, why not use a pine that grows very well in your area, JBP? Japanese black pine also has the benefit of being somewhat salt resistant, much more likely to survive a brush with a hurricane. With all the water I see in the background of your photos I assume you are in an estuary environment, and salt spray during a bad storm could be a problem. JBP should tolerate this better than Virginia pine.

So if I were you, I would start a fairly large batch of JBP from seed, because in as little as 8 to 10 years you can have fairly decent looking smaller sized bonsai trees, and in 15 years have decent looking medium to larger size bonsai trees. JBP grow fast in your climate.
 

Cajunrider

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Virginia pine

Louisiana is a good climate to take advantage of their capability to double flush, like Japanese black pine. If I were you, read all the various posts and blogs about growing JBP seedlings for bonsai. In each of your trees, one of the branches from the lowest whorl of branches has potential to become your ''bonsai tree'' the rest of the seedling is let grow to thicken the trunk. The sacrifice branch, or the main trunk which gets sacrificed can be allow to grow to 10 or more feet tall. Adair has many posts on this technique also BVF.

But your location brings up another thought, the ''big flaw'' with Virginia pine is the twisting of the needles. This give a disheveled look to an otherwise decent bonsai, why not use a pine that grows very well in your area, JBP? Japanese black pine also has the benefit of being somewhat salt resistant, much more likely to survive a brush with a hurricane. With all the water I see in the background of your photos I assume you are in an estuary environment, and salt spray during a bad storm could be a problem. JBP should tolerate this better than Virginia pine.

So if I were you, I would start a fairly large batch of JBP from seed, because in as little as 8 to 10 years you can have fairly decent looking smaller sized bonsai trees, and in 15 years have decent looking medium to larger size bonsai trees. JBP grow fast in your climate.

You are right. The salt spray in my area is atrocious. Cars, trucks, equipments, and tractors rust away fast in this area. Faster than at the coast of Florida even because the nightly west wind blows salt air on the land when the sun is not around. Lots of trees I tried to plant have died but the 3 JBPs I have for the last 3 months seem to be thriving. You have me convinced with JBP.
 

Cajunrider

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I did a V notch and make a new apex out of a branch. The other branch is in paracord training :) Another larger branch below will also be bent down with a turn buckle. Next year I plan to put some grafts on it.

I am slowly developing a vision of what I want to make this thing to be. I hope it survives all my experiments.

Playing with salvaged trees is fun.
20190315_090835.jpg
 
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Cajunrider

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I collected another one 45 days ago. I totally bare rooted it and cut off the huge tap root. It is alive and trying to send out candles. The most encouraging thing is that the weak branches near the base are coming to life. Crossing my fingers for all of them.
View attachment 229472View attachment 229473

It's coming along.
20190405_102805.jpg
 

Cajunrider

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All dead courtesy of hurricanes.
 
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