SD Ponderosa Pine

[Brian Van Fleet]

While the weather has been mild here, it is still too early to do root work and repotting. However, the wooden box finally gave up the ghost yesterday, and I needed to shift it to a more stable pot. The original box was the right length and width, but it was about 15″ deep, so we made a false bottom with blocks of styrofoam, and only the top half of the box actually contained soil. After 2 years in the sunshine, the wood was warping and soil was leaking out of all four corners.

Here are some photos of the repotting.







Roots removed to fit the narrower pot:


Anchored in the pot, it was surprising that the roots filled as much of the pot as it did, I was prepared to pack more styrofoam into the voids, glad it wasn't necessary.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

After a small amount new soil was worked in to top it off, which was no more than 25% of the total volume.



This will be its third growing season after collecting, and it will be allowed to grow freely at least this year and likely next year as well before any work is done on the top. This was the strongest of all the trees I collected, and I firmly attribute it to growing in a wooden box after collecting.

 

[Dav4]

That's a great looking ponderosa. Healthy looking canopy and roots, too. How long has it been in 'Bama"?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

That's a great looking ponderosa. Healthy looking canopy and roots, too. How long has it been in 'Bama"?

Thanks, it was collected in May, '10, and brought to Bham in March, '11. So far so good. Brussels has had some for quite a few years, and Kathy seemed to think they would do fine here, so I am hopeful.

Next time I go SD collecting, we are looking at an area known to have more RMJ. Last time, we were just in an area that was 10000:1 pines. Your RMJs seem happy in this region...which is encouraging. Also good knowing that no winter down here can touch what these have survived for decades, so they can just sit on the benches!

 

[Dav4]

Thanks, it was collected in May, '10, and brought to Bham in March, '11. So far so good. Brussels has had some for quite a few years, and Kathy seemed to think they would do fine here, so I am hopeful.

Next time I go SD collecting, we are looking at an area known to have more RMJ. Last time, we were just in an area that was 10000:1 pines. Your RMJs seem happy in this region...which is encouraging. Also good knowing that no winter down here can touch what these have survived for decades, so they can just sit on the benches!

I certainly hope your pondies do as well as my RMJs...It's touch and go with my lone ponderosa...the best thing I can say about it healthwise is that it is still green. And I absolutely agree about the inherent cold hardiness these trees bring with them...I'll admit to taking my RMJs and Pondy off the benches and placing them on the ground when temps are threatening to hit the single digits, but that's it. Looking forward to watching this one, and feel free to throw an extra RMJ for me in your backpack the next time your in SD.