Maiden69
Masterpiece
Second pine that will get an individual thread.
This is pine number 2 of the 3 bareroot Mikawa I bought from Matt O February 2021. As the #1, I wired the trunk, and planted into 4" pot. Moved into a 1 gal Rootpouch in spring 2022 with minimal root work, left to grow the entire year. End of February 2023 was moved into a 2 gal Rootpouch.
This pine grew stronger than #1, for this reason I moved it into a 2 gal pouch instead of the smaller 1 gal. I think this will allow me to keep it in the pouch for 2 seasons. Both pines, but this one specially, filled the 1 gal rootpouch with roots in one season.
September 2021
April 2022
June 2022
March 2023
Root ball, this pine has always been in inorganic soil, Bonsai Jack Monto Clay, Bonsai Block, pumice and black lava. I think when it was on the 4" pot it was on akadama/pumice/lava... I no longer use akadama for trees in development. The mix now is 50/50 Monto Clay and Bonsai Block. On both trees I sifted and used some of the old soil at the bottom of the bags with new soil sorrounding the root ball.
I reduced most of the shoots that were located on the inside curve of the trunk. At first I tried to save a few that were at the bottom, but I think they were way too low to be of any benefit to the tree.
I am considering continuing the tree trunk from that shoot right in the middle of this picture, but the trunk above it is full of new buds so only time will tell. In the mean time I could use it as a sacrifice once I start transitioning strength below.
This is pine number 2 of the 3 bareroot Mikawa I bought from Matt O February 2021. As the #1, I wired the trunk, and planted into 4" pot. Moved into a 1 gal Rootpouch in spring 2022 with minimal root work, left to grow the entire year. End of February 2023 was moved into a 2 gal Rootpouch.
This pine grew stronger than #1, for this reason I moved it into a 2 gal pouch instead of the smaller 1 gal. I think this will allow me to keep it in the pouch for 2 seasons. Both pines, but this one specially, filled the 1 gal rootpouch with roots in one season.
September 2021
April 2022
June 2022
March 2023
Root ball, this pine has always been in inorganic soil, Bonsai Jack Monto Clay, Bonsai Block, pumice and black lava. I think when it was on the 4" pot it was on akadama/pumice/lava... I no longer use akadama for trees in development. The mix now is 50/50 Monto Clay and Bonsai Block. On both trees I sifted and used some of the old soil at the bottom of the bags with new soil sorrounding the root ball.
I reduced most of the shoots that were located on the inside curve of the trunk. At first I tried to save a few that were at the bottom, but I think they were way too low to be of any benefit to the tree.
I am considering continuing the tree trunk from that shoot right in the middle of this picture, but the trunk above it is full of new buds so only time will tell. In the mean time I could use it as a sacrifice once I start transitioning strength below.