New to Bonsai from NJ

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
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on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
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Shore pine this year is going to be let grow unobstrubstucted mostly. Ill be removing a couple branches that cross my intended front. Need to do some research on further care. I need to chase back some foliage if possible. Needs to get some strength in it.

Sun, full sun is the main key ingredient for a healthy shore pine.
 

Orion_metalhead

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I think the original location for this tree was too shady - it was low on the ground, surrounded by other plants and trees. I'm not confident it got more than maybe 5 hours of sun a day.
 

Johnnyd

Shohin
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Odds and ends:

My shore pine looking happy:
View attachment 280624

Anyone recognize the species of this crystallis?
View attachment 280625

My spinach seedling experiment indoors
Odds and ends:

My shore pine looking happy:
View attachment 280624

Anyone recognize the species of this crystallis?
View attachment 280625

My spinach seedling experiment indoors going well:
View attachment 280626
Nice trunk movement on the shore pine.
 

Orion_metalhead

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Repotted some crabapples today. I had these three that grew well from seed last year and instead of planting them all separately I combined them into a three tree forest planting.

The three trees:
20200215_172350.jpg

Removed from their seedling pot:
20200215_172359.jpg
They were planted in 100% Napa 8822. This image gives a good idea as to how airy the soil is. The roots are mostly at the bottom of these pots because I used sphagnum as a base underneath. In hindsight, I wouldnt do this again; too much growth low.

The grow box I made for these three trees. I have a bunch of scrap wood around so Im making a bunch of grow out boxes.
20200215_172405.jpg

Planned position of trees for later reference if I want to separate the trees and so I know which is which.
20200215_191249.jpg

Stupidly didnt take any pictures of the root pruning. I always get too into it and forget to take pictures. All three trees had a decent root structure to work with and two had interesting bases. They may be separated out in the future because at least one tree has a better future as an individual tree.

Finished product:
20200215_181040.jpg

I then added the repot information and image of the layout to my collection spreadsheet in google sheets. If anyone wants viewer access to my collection notes, feel free to let me know via pm and Ill send an invite if youre interested in my organization and seeing how I set up my spreadsheet.
Screenshot_20200215-194045_Sheets.jpg
 

Woocash

Omono
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Repotted some crabapples today. I had these three that grew well from seed last year and instead of planting them all separately I combined them into a three tree forest planting.

The three trees:
View attachment 283898

Removed from their seedling pot:
View attachment 283899
They were planted in 100% Napa 8822. This image gives a good idea as to how airy the soil is. The roots are mostly at the bottom of these pots because I used sphagnum as a base underneath. In hindsight, I wouldnt do this again; too much growth low.

The grow box I made for these three trees. I have a bunch of scrap wood around so Im making a bunch of grow out boxes.
View attachment 283897

Planned position of trees for later reference if I want to separate the trees and so I know which is which.
View attachment 283895

Stupidly didnt take any pictures of the root pruning. I always get too into it and forget to take pictures. All three trees had a decent root structure to work with and two had interesting bases. They may be separated out in the future because at least one tree has a better future as an individual tree.

Finished product:
View attachment 283896

I then added the repot information and image of the layout to my collection spreadsheet in google sheets. If anyone wants viewer access to my collection notes, feel free to let me know via pm and Ill send an invite if youre interested in my organization and seeing how I set up my spreadsheet.
View attachment 283904
Nice. I really do need to get some organisation together like this.
 

Orion_metalhead

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Finished my cold frame this weekend. Using it for spinach now as a test crop so I threw some spinach transplants in. Total cost was $25. I used reclaimed free pallet wood and only spent money on a piece of 1/8" acrylic plexiglass. Might need to insulate slightly more, but for now, im happy with it. Its holding moisture really well. I want to get a thermometer I can mount on the lid to tell me interior temps. Size is 48"x30"x16"

20200216_125721.jpg
20200216_125728.jpg
20200216_125734.jpg
 

Orion_metalhead

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Think it would work really well in summer for rooting cuttings now that I think about it. I can throw shade cloth over it.
 

Orion_metalhead

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Not much bonsai going on lately but a lot of vegetable garden prep. Did a major overhaul this weekend now that all my trees are out of their winter holding pen:

1. I added another 12 feet of length to the garden by removing the back fence and pushing it to the shed 12ft. Gives me another 144sqft of garden area. We are using the very end for strawberries and asparagus, but it still gives us a nice amount of extra planting area. The fence is lined with poultry netting. It keeps the groundhogs out. Just too much work for them to get over the fence when they can just eat other crap.
20200321_111649.jpg

Halfway done with the border... cut up pallets have pockets for herbs along the whole length of the garden.
20200321_175615.jpg

Finished. The two sections of dark soil roughly correspond to the area of we added. Cedar mulched the main aisle. Have about 4ft on both sides for vegies. On the left is where i overwintered the trees heeling them in. Worked out well. Didnt have a single loss that I can tell yet. Will probably do the same thing again next year, but with some better squirrel protection.
20200322_165819.jpg
 

Orion_metalhead

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Some recent pictures.

Trees first:

Osage Oranges beginning to leaf out again. Started from seeds last year. First year hopefully getting good growth on these.
20200329_132359.jpg

Pitch pines are all starting to extend and green up. This was from seed last year and is one of the better growing of the bunch. Nice buds extending on the main branch. Will see if the other snaller branches do anything also.
20200329_132226.jpg

Shore pine is looking good to go as well. The candles have really started to become active this past week.
20200329_132008.jpg

Pruned up this Zelkova today. Before:
20200329_132716.jpg

After:
20200329_133223.jpg

And some non-tree pictures. Put some seedlings outside since we are getting some overcast days to harden off before planting.

Lettuces for the garden:
20200329_134810.jpg

Two types of onion20200329_134807.jpg

Kale...
20200329_134818.jpg
 

Orion_metalhead

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Uppotted some more pitch pine seedlings today and also cleaned off my bench for all the upcoming pruning and summer work.

Bench before:
20200403_192226.jpg

Bench after:
20200403_193723.jpg

Seedlings before... this was one of two trays of seedlings I had.
20200403_210609.jpg

Waiting for transplant:
20200403_211148.jpg

Finished trees.. now have a total of 17 pitch pines from seed... a good number to grow and learn from.
20200403_220149.jpg
 

Orion_metalhead

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A little white oak started last year looking like its going to flush out soon. Wasnt sure if it was going to make it. Going to let it grow out this year.

20200408_074814.jpg
 

Orion_metalhead

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Weather says 36ish tonight with wind. Wanted to protect the trees from the wind mostly. The temp is warm enough for me to not be too worried overall. Didnt want to move everything into protective shelter to improvised:

Trees under benches, with tarps on top.
20200410_182558.jpg

Nestled nicely underneath
20200410_182605.jpg
 
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