More secret lives of plants. Research article on stress response.

Velodog2

Chumono
Messages
950
Reaction score
2,065
Location
Central Maryland
https://www.sciencealert.com/plant-damage-response-defence-calcium-ions-glutamate-fluorescent

Above article is another in a series I’ve been taking note of lately. Our trees are seemingly more “aware” and responsive than we might imagine. I think no one else in the world stresses plants as regularly and intentionally as we do. Someone should use these methods to study our plants reactions to our work. Regardless, I’m not sure this has much practical value to us. We will continue to do what works.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,384
Reaction score
10,586
Location
Netherlands
I think no one else in the world stresses plants as regularly and intentionally as we do.
Just take a look at any psycho-active plant forum..
What we do is what the people on those forums call '(ultra) low stress training' or LST, and they call it so for a reason ;-)
Bending cannabis for instance, means you crush the stem, then bend it to just below the breaking point, and repeat it weekly to have an even canopy. Bohne practices that technique on his pomegranate and I think he calls it soft bending.

I'm all for putting theoretical data to practical use. As a matter of fact, I'm collecting tissue culture data on most plants I own, with the aim of doing some experimentation. Sure it's fun to cut a plant to produce backbuds, but what if we don't have to lose that energy? What if we can fix it some other way? We can. Of course we can.

I'm testing hormonal procedures as well with varying results. I need more space and more seedlings, and more time.
 

Velodog2

Chumono
Messages
950
Reaction score
2,065
Location
Central Maryland
Wow WGW! Next level stuff. How does repeatedly bending to near breaking point produce an even canopy I wonder.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,384
Reaction score
10,586
Location
Netherlands
Wow WGW! Next level stuff. How does repeatedly bending to near breaking point produce an even canopy I wonder.
You bend every shoot that sticks out, then prune the tip. It doesn't look pretty and it isn't aesthetically pleasing, but it produces a good yield.
That technique has nearly no use in bonsai other than.. Setting design up to the leaf level; if you want to go as far in refinement to even position individual leafs, with the 'crush and bend' technique, you can. It will produce an elbow in the leaf stem, but I've used it a few times to allign foliage on my tiny cherries.
For soft shoots, it can be used to set very strong bends, before one is able to wire such a shoot. If I would own maples, it would be the first thing I'd apply with the runners produced after a trunk chop.
But those 'elbows' are a risk: they don't always go away and could leave pretty heavily protruded bends. Wiring doesn't do that, but it also usually doesn't allow for very sharp angles. With this technique, you could create zig-zag patterns if you'd like.
I like to believe the ancient bonsai masters have used such techniques before wiring became common practice.
 

M. Frary

Bonsai Godzilla
Messages
14,307
Reaction score
22,116
Location
Mio Michigan
USDA Zone
4
20180616_093611.png
real pain,
How about wholesale death.
I leave it parked in the woods so they can think about what's going to happen shortly.
It cuts them off so fast ,they dont even know they dont have roots for a couple of hours.
Bonsai is the least stressful thing I do to trees.


Every tree has the potential to be a stump.
 

Anthony

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,290
Reaction score
8,386
Location
West Indies [ Caribbean ]
USDA Zone
13
Gogerrah,

when folk ask about Bonsai trees being tortured or starved,

Response - Mow lawns, trim hedges, and prune trees.

If we did not save the stumplings by the road, death would
be soon, very soon.

So we keep the " children" healthy and protect them.
Good Day
Anthony
 

bonhe

Masterpiece
Messages
4,147
Reaction score
8,752
Location
Riverside, CA
USDA Zone
11
First of all, I thank you for presenting this very interesting subject here. I will do a new experiment soon :)

Just take a look at any psycho-active plant forum..
Bohne practices that technique on his pomegranate and I think he calls it soft bending.
.
Yes, I have been applying this knowledge on my broad leaf trees for a while with good result. I use this technique based on the effect of the wind to the tree girth.
Thụ Thoại
 

TN_Jim

Omono
Messages
1,972
Reaction score
2,442
Location
Richmond VA
USDA Zone
7a
Wind in the beechwood

The glorying forest shakes and swings with glancing
Of boughs that dip and strain; young, slanting sprays
Beckon and shift like lissom creatures dancing,
While the blown beechwood streams with drifting rays.
Rooted in steadfast calm, grey stems are seen
Like weather-beaten masts; the wood, unfurled,
Seems as a ship with crowding sails of green
That sweeps across the lonely billowing world.

O luminous and lovely! Let your flowers,
Your ageless-squadroned wings, your surge and gleam,
Drown me in quivering brightness: let me fade
In the warm, rustling music of the hours
That guard your ancient wisdom, till my dream
Moves with the chant and whisper of the glade.

by Siegfried Sassoon
 

Wilson

Masterpiece
Messages
2,353
Reaction score
4,383
Location
Eastern townships, Quebec
USDA Zone
4
Just take a look at any psycho-active plant forum..
What we do is what the people on those forums call '(ultra) low stress training' or LST, and they call it so for a reason ;-)
Bending cannabis for instance, means you crush the stem, then bend it to just below the breaking point, and repeat it weekly to have an even canopy. Bohne practices that technique on his pomegranate and I think he calls it soft bending.

I'm all for putting theoretical data to practical use. As a matter of fact, I'm collecting tissue culture data on most plants I own, with the aim of doing some experimentation. Sure it's fun to cut a plant to produce backbuds, but what if we don't have to lose that energy? What if we can fix it some other way? We can. Of course we can.

I'm testing hormonal procedures as well with varying results. I need more space and more seedlings, and more time.

Hearing this was a trip down memory lane! I will always remember my good ole redneck neighbour showing me how he would crush his pot plants with his huge mitts! Like you said it Is all about canopy spread, like when we wire out branches to get light in. Here's some old 35mm shots from a couple of decades ago.20180915_231234.jpg20180915_231305.jpg20180915_231327.jpg
 

green_emi

Sapling
Messages
36
Reaction score
24
Location
Valladolid, Spain
USDA Zone
9a
Just take a look at any psycho-active plant forum..
What we do is what the people on those forums call '(ultra) low stress training' or LST, and they call it so for a reason ;-)
Bending cannabis for instance, means you crush the stem, then bend it to just below the breaking point, and repeat it weekly to have an even canopy. Bohne practices that technique on his pomegranate and I think he calls it soft bending.

I'm all for putting theoretical data to practical use. As a matter of fact, I'm collecting tissue culture data on most plants I own, with the aim of doing some experimentation. Sure it's fun to cut a plant to produce backbuds, but what if we don't have to lose that energy? What if we can fix it some other way? We can. Of course we can.

I'm testing hormonal procedures as well with varying results. I need more space and more seedlings, and more time.
This technique is called super-cropping and it is a HIGH STRESS technique. Doing this makes the plant respond vigourously to make up for the possible loss of a blanch.
Low stress trainning (LST) is bending a branch down with a guy wire to let more light into the canopy so more buds can get light to develop, this is very similar to what is done in bonsai. Marihuana growers don't wire a whole branch like in bonsai because the wire would bite in very fast and there is risk of damaging the precious flowers. And let's face it, the plant will not be long for this world, so why bother?
Doing high stress training on bonsai might work if you chose a sacrifice branch at the top that you dont mind being ugly with a big knuckle or scar. But my guess is that over time it would weaken the plant
 

Wires_Guy_wires

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,384
Reaction score
10,586
Location
Netherlands
Yes, thats why I said what we do is low stress training compared to what cannabis people do. ;-)
Some bonsai trees respond vigorous to stress as well; response after root pruning or repotting, vigorous growth after pruning.
Constant exposure to stress weakens every plant, but a good shake up every now and then can benefit a plant as well.
It's all about dosage and timing I think.
 

green_emi

Sapling
Messages
36
Reaction score
24
Location
Valladolid, Spain
USDA Zone
9a
Yes, thats why I said what we do is low stress training compared to what cannabis people do. ;-)
Some bonsai trees respond vigorous to stress as well; response after root pruning or repotting, vigorous growth after pruning.
Constant exposure to stress weakens every plant, but a good shake up every now and then can benefit a plant as well.
It's all about dosage and timing I think.
Sorry, i misread! All those cannabis forums have a huge wealth of horticultural information. Like you said, an occasional big stress can be benificial and redirect energy to where you want it. All with a healthy plant of course
 
Top Bottom