Ponderosa Pine

JasonG

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Hello Everyone.

This is my first visit to BonsaNut. I like it, I think it is going to be a good forum to contribute too in what ever way that I can. I like the fact that it is a fairly small community right now and hope that the future growth doesn't make it political like some of the others.

Ok, back to bonsai.... Here is a nice little ponderosa pine that I worked on a few weeks ago. It has a 5" trunk and is about 20" tall. The bark is very thick and rugged even on some of the branches. It was collected in spring of 2005 and grew very well this past year.
This is the intial styling and by no means is finished. Over the next 2 years I will focus on the roots so I can get it into a nice pot then refocus on the styling. This has potential to be a very nice powerful pine and one of the better ones in the collection.

I think between RList and I (both new members here) we will be able to post a few yamadori here as we have a few of them....

Thanks for looking and any comments or ideas are welcome.

Jason
 

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Bonsai Nut

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First of all, Jason, welcome! One of these days I will get around to creating a nice little animated "welcome" GIF, but until then you will have to accept this note :)

I love that pine. That trunk is insane. Oh, to live by the mountains. I think my wife would never see me.

Could you share some general care info on ponderosa pines? I have never owned one. Are they similar to black pines, for example?
 

plantaseed

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Repositioning in Autumn?

Hi, Jason,

Beautiful ponderosa, and I like what you did with the canopy. One question- is it generally a safe practice to reposition a tree in its pot outside of the Spring buds-coming-on season?
 

JasonG

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Thanks for the comments guys,

Ponderosa can be treated the same as JBP for the most part. They grow slower than JBP as far as candle elongation goes. Root work and timing is the same but pinching is a bit different. I have about 15 old ponderosa where the branches have pretty heavy bark and I have yet to get a bud pop on the older bark. I don't think it will ever happen but we have got buds on the edge of the heavy bark.
In a nut shell, they are fairly similar to JBP. If you have more specific questions I would be happy to answer them.

Plantaseed, In the before picture the pot was tilted on an angle with a 2x4 under it. In the after pic the pot is sitting flat. I would only take the tree out of the pot in spring time and never anytime other than that. Like all pines the new root growth is very fragile and you don't want to compromise those fleshy white tips. Here in Oregon we get root growth into late Nov. early Dec. on all our pines. Ponderosa need a very cold winter (lots of frozen time) to be truley dormant. That is why spring is the best time to perform any work with the roots, even repositioning in the pot.

I hope this helps. I will be posting some more trees in the days to come....

Jason
 

Bonsai Nut

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I have about 15 old ponderosa where the branches have pretty heavy bark and I have yet to get a bud pop on the older bark. I don't think it will ever happen but we have got buds on the edge of the heavy bark.

How do you get the buds to pop on the edge of the older bark? How have you been most successful pushing buds into the oldest bark possible?

How do you generate a branch where you need on older bark? (i.e. do you graft and if so, is there anything you do differently?)
 

JasonG

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Hi Nut,

So far the buds breaking further down the branches have just been a result of good feeding and proper care. I typically put a nice layer of fish fertalizer pellets on top of the soil then fertalize with the miracle grow hose attachement every 3 or 4 weeks. But everytime you water you are getting the nutrients from the fish fert.
So far I have yet to really prune back the branches pretty hard. I do have a ponderosa that will recieve a good prunning this winter. I will be taking it back to younger shoots to start to try and compact the tree as much as possible.

As for getting branches on heavy bark, grafting will be the only way to go with that. Infact I have a huge ponderosa that will get grafted this coming spring. Fall is actually the best time to graft pine but I am going to wait until spring to give the tree an extra 5 months or so.
I wish there was a way to get natural bud break on older wood.... but since these grow pretty slow grafting will really be the only option.

See Ya,

Jason
 
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yamadori ponderosa pine

hey jason
merry christmas to you !
what an excellent ponderosa you got there.
i like it !
art rodriguez
vancouver, wash state
 

Tachigi

Omono
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Jason, when you do your grafting on the big Ponderosa maybe you could do a photo album of the graft. Might be interesting for people who haven't grafted before.
 

JasonG

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Hi Art,

Good to see you here on BonsaiNut! Thanks for the good words on my pine. Now you just need to come out and see it in person!

Hey Tom,

I have only been serious with bonsai for a little over 2 years so I have yet to learn to graft. I have a very large ponderosa that will get grafted this coming fall, Oct of 2007. For this I will hire either Gary Woods, Mike Hagedorn or Boon, which ever one of them is closest at the time. From what I have been learning on grafting is that fall is the best time to graft since the scions are full of energy reserves at that time. I can't get into detail because I just don't know it yet!! :)
But when we do end up grafting I will make detailed notes and pictures for a future article.

Hope everyone had a good Holiday!!

Jason
 

John Hill

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Hi Jason,
Have you ever tried cutting the needles short in late winter early spring? I have done this the last few years and the one and (only ponderosa I have) popped buds nicely. But by the following winter the needles on the new growth elongate back to normal size and the process starts all over again. With JBP reducing the needles are much easier and more predictable IMHO.
I look forward to following your ponderosa experience and good luck on the grafting!

A Friend in bonsai
John
 

Taylor Brown

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I have a small ponderosa also. I love it, I looked at pictures in the New England Bonsai books and went online to look at some pics just to style it. My Ponderosa doesn't have very thick bark yet and it sprouts buds now and then, but when it does I can usually use them. :)
 

JasonG

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Hi Taylor,

Good luck with your ponderosa!!! Can you post a picture of it here so we can see it? I would like to see what it looks like. Also, to see more check out the link in my signature, I just updated the site with new trees and added some to the inspiration page. Maybe you can get your old man to give you a front on your allowance and I will make you a really good deal on a nice little barked up pine......LOL!!!

Lets see your pine!!

Jason
 

Tachigi

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Maybe you can get your old man to give you a front on your allowance and I will make you a really good deal on a nice little barked up pine......LOL!!!

HEY!!!!! no work'n the kid :)
 
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Jason, once again your trees and work have blown me away. We have to work something out for me to acquire a couple from you. How I envy those who live within collecting distance of these beauties! Good luck and keep up the great work!
 

rlist

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Chris-

Are you doing any more intensives in the near future? Short and inexpensive flight from SFO to PDX...
 

cbobgo

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alternatively, as Brent and I get up there pretty regularly, we could bring one down for him. Of course, getting it back to kansas would be the challange.

- bob
 

rlist

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hey Jason, there are a few friends missing from your friends page . . . -bob

Jason doesn't have any friends...


alternatively, as Brent and I get up there pretty regularly, we could bring one down for him. Of course, getting it back to kansas would be the challange. - bob

That might work. But if Chris comes out, then we can simply ship back what he picks out.
 

JasonG

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HEY!!!!! no work'n the kid :)

LOL, I wasn't really working her to sale her a tree but to get you to cut loose with some cash for the kid, lol!!!

Rich, you are right..... LOL!!

Bob, The site is fixed now, but I do need to add Brent to the friends page..... Next update I will do that....

Chris, you are more than welcome to fly up next time you are out on the westcoast. heck, I can even put you up for a night... and you can check the tree or trees you buy on the plane which is cheaper than sending UPS. Thanks for the nice words, it means alot coming from you!

Will, Thanks so much for the good words, I appreciate it! Although I have been here a while :)

Thanks again, Jason
 
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