Mikawa's from Meehans

[cmeg1]

I made the three hour drive today to Meehans in hopes to purchase some Pine starters.I seen online they had Mikawa.
I arrived and was looking around and out pops Owen Reich from a work shed.He was very helpful the instant we met.He gave me tips about buying slightly larger stock they had at Meehans.I thought I needed the immature stock to be able to give the bend successfully.He said the larger stock won't lag after the wiring as they are more vigorous.So,I bought ten starters that chopped about 5 years of time needed to create some pine bonsai.
Ok,so here are the photos.I did the best I could on the first two trees and got the bend as low as possible.Then my hands got tired.There were a few tears in the bark,but I bet they live.
These are getting planted in 11.5" colanders and set on the ground and staked to my fenced in area to let the leaders take off.
We'll see how many I get done tomorrow.
Martha and Owen were a huge help and I greatly appreciated it.I even got to see Owen put a low bend on one he was doing for the workshops.

 

[cmeg1]

Potted up in colanders.

Well,hopefully in a month or so I can post a picture of happy pine trees full of new needles.I wired and slip potted all ten trees in 11.5" colanders.
I really want to see a thirsty pine tree growing with a pot full of roots and a good leader on it,staked to a fence and the trunk swelling into the wire that is wrapped around them now.That is goal.
I am going to over winter in the earth by wrapping the pots in landscape cloth or something.

 

[edprocoat]

.
I really want to see a thirsty pine tree growing with a pot full of roots and a good leader on it, staked to a fence and the trunk swelling into the wire that is wrapped around them now..

Ok, please explain ...

ed

 

[cmeg1]

Ok, please explain ...

ed

Here is a link. http://bonsaitonight.com/?s=Pines+in+colanders&submit=Search
When I was at Meehans, Owen said that in Japan they tie the pines in colanders up to fences.
Also, I like to let the first wiring cut into the pine to accelerate trunk thickening before removing it.You can let these leaders go pretty long,as long as you remove the growth from the center portion of leader and preserve growth at the top and also at the bottom where your developing bonsai is
I just hope mine survive.