My Christmas Came Early amazing ponderosa pine CANT WAIT

[johng]

I think I would send the pine to Boon's also...it's too nice to risk trying to keep it where you live... They die in Charlotte, north Georgia, Atlanta, and in most, if not all, of South Carolina. I can't imagine your area would be much different. Arthur has a couple in Asheville that he has had for a while but I don't think he would tell you that they are thriving. Randy Clark brought several with him when he moved From Minnesota...all dead in 3 seasons.

Do you know anyone in your area that have kept a ponderosa more than 2-3 seasons without a steady decline?

its definitely a sweet tree and I am not really a fan of PP. I just don't want to see you disappointed in the long run.

The RMJ is awesome as well...can't wait to see it in a decade or so!


best of luck,
John

 

[larlamonde]

I can't wait for this thing to get here. Its huge coming via crated freight 47" W 36"H. I got this and an amazing big RMJ from back country Bonsai that I will get hopefully this spring. I have had a good luck run on landing the larger material this year. oh can forget the Chojubai he's not as big but he's a looker. Unfortunately at Nationals all I can do is window show unless Im going put trees on the roof.

Beautiful material, must have cost a pretty penny.

 

[Adair M]

Paul,

I have a Pondy, and it's surviving here in NE Ga. I wouldn't say it's thriving...

But I had a thought... Mind you, it's just an idea, and I have not tried it out, but it makes a bit of sense to me...
The trees declining over the years in the South, I am wondering if they're not getting and staying "dormant enough" for long enough. So, in an attempt to simulate that, I'm wondering if covering the soil surface with crushed ice , and laying it on pretty thick, would keep the roots dormant. I'm thinking that in Colorado where I used to go ski, there was significant snowpack completely covering the ground. When it snowed, the foliage would get covered, when the sun came out, that would fall off. But the roots were covered. So...

Maybe from mid-December to mid-to-late-January, if you would dump a couple inches of crushed ice on the soil every night. You wouldn't have to worry about watering it! Maybe even put a little Styrofoam around it to keep it from melting so quickly, but it would keep the roots cold.

Has anyone ever tried something like that? I have heard of folks putting their trees in the freezer or refrigerator, but never an ice pack. Dave said he used to shovel snow on his bonsai when he lived in Mass., and that's kinda similar approach.

 

[yenling83]

Geez that RMJ is insanely nice! I hope they charged you and arm and a leg for that tree, because I would have paid it if not you Take it slowly with that bad boy, I'm a little surprised it was sold so quickly after collection, but if it's alive now it's a good sign. The Pondy and Chojubai are great trees as well, nice work buying those. Best of luck to you with them!

 

[Paulkellum]

Geez that RMJ is insanely nice! I hope they charged you and arm and a leg for that tree, because I would have paid it if not you Take it slowly with that bad boy, I'm a little surprised it was sold so quickly after collection, but if it's alive now it's a good sign. The Pondy and Chojubai are great trees as well, nice work buying those. Best of luck to you with them!

Oh yes a tree of RMJ caliber is not a cheap tree. I won't get it and complete the full transaction until next spring after ist been boxed for over a year.

 

[Paulkellum]

Paul,

I have a Pondy, and it's surviving here in NE Ga. I wouldn't say it's thriving...

But I had a thought... Mind you, it's just an idea, and I have not tried it out, but it makes a bit of sense to me...
The trees declining over the years in the South, I am wondering if they're not getting and staying "dormant enough" for long enough. So, in an attempt to simulate that, I'm wondering if covering the soil surface with crushed ice , and laying it on pretty thick, would keep the roots dormant. I'm thinking that in Colorado where I used to go ski, there was significant snowpack completely covering the ground. When it snowed, the foliage would get covered, when the sun came out, that would fall off. But the roots were covered. So...

Maybe from mid-December to mid-to-late-January, if you would dump a couple inches of crushed ice on the soil every night. You wouldn't have to worry about watering it! Maybe even put a little Styrofoam around it to keep it from melting so quickly, but it would keep the roots cold.

Has anyone ever tried something like that? I have heard of folks putting their trees in the freezer or refrigerator, but never an ice pack. Dave said he used to shovel snow on his bonsai when he lived in Mass., and that's kinda similar approach.

It wouldn't hurt but if we get another winter like last it will get plenty cold..lol

 

[Paulkellum]

I think I would send the pine to Boon's also...it's too nice to risk trying to keep it where you live... They die in Charlotte, north Georgia, Atlanta, and in most, if not all, of South Carolina. I can't imagine your area would be much different. Arthur has a couple in Asheville that he has had for a while but I don't think he would tell you that they are thriving. Randy Clark brought several with him when he moved From Minnesota...all dead in 3 seasons.

Do you know anyone in your area that have kept a ponderosa more than 2-3 seasons without a steady decline?

its definitely a sweet tree and I am not really a fan of PP. I just don't want to see you disappointed in the long run.

The RMJ is awesome as well...can't wait to see it in a decade or so!


best of luck,
John

I would step out on a ledge and say a lot dead trees may have more to do with the grower than anyone wants to take credit for.

Interesting poll out of all the dead ponderosa pines how many had pine park in soil or organics. How many went cheap and use pumice substitutions. Turface , Oil Spill Stuff, Dry Stall. I am brain washed into thinking that the Japanese are better and figured the soil thing out and people buy a 3k tree and then so cheap on soil and pot.

I really think it would be good poll on here if your tree died what was your soil blend if the cause of death is unknown.

I think you can grow anything anywhere if you want to. If I give it the best soil and every chance to do great and I get no where I will move it to a home where it will. most people from my understanding don't have the patience for these trees. you might only do one small thing a year to them and even then they need a year off.

 

[fourteener]

I would step out on a ledge and say a lot dead trees may have more to do with the grower than anyone wants to take credit for.

Interesting poll out of all the dead ponderosa pines how many had pine park in soil or organics. How many went cheap and use pumice substitutions. Turface , Oil Spill Stuff, Dry Stall. I am brain washed into thinking that the Japanese are better and figured the soil thing out and people buy a 3k tree and then so cheap on soil and pot.

I really think it would be good poll on here if your tree died what was your soil blend if the cause of death is unknown.

I think you can grow anything anywhere if you want to. If I give it the best soil and every chance to do great and I get no where I will move it to a home where it will. most people from my understanding don't have the patience for these trees. you might only do one small thing a year to them and even then they need a year off.

Good soil is only part of the equation. Dormancy needs are another part of the equation. Doing one well doesn't mean the other is unimportant.

 

[Dav4]

Mine lasted less then 5 years in N GA...100% inorganic soil, though turface made up maybe 25%. I did nothing to it other then watch it slowly die. It was a magnet for needle cast, despite preventative copper spraying, and slowly lost one branch after another year until it didn't bother to bud out this spring. The soil size may have been a factor, but the rest of my trees do well in it here. I'm sure Adair's tree is in Boon Mix, and he is further north and at a higher elevation then me, which is probably a good thing for his tree. Fwiw, Rodney Clemons advised me to leave the Pondy in MA when I moved here. Any way, I've got too many trees to jump through hoops to keep one or two alive, let alone thriving. Ponderosas are a no go for me as long as I live here.

 

[Adair M]

Sorry to hear about your tree, Dave.

Russell Baggett of the Atlanta club has a nice one that seems to do ok in the City. He's looking to sell it. You saw it, he had it for sale at the show last spring. It's too big for me.

He has his so that the pot is shaded most of the day, but the trunk is long enough it reaches out into the sun, and stays in the sun most of the day. I'm thinking this keeps the roots relatively cool, and the foliage in full sun. In the wild, these trees would have their roots under the rocks, where they would stay cool.

But, I'm certainly no Pondy expert. I have the one I have just to see if I can keep one. JBP do great here, so that's my primary species.