What are some signs of life of a collected/yamadori Virginia pine? I have a small one that is probably 5 or 6 years old that is very green but not pushing any noticeable growth and a larger one about as big as a wrist at the base that has some browning needles but some candles seem to be growing.
Signs of life?
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Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
Picutres would be a big help here.
Sometimes trees sulk so the smaller one might just be sulking or delayed in its growth for this year. No reason for alarm at this point if its still all green.
If the buds are starting to swell, thats a sign its alive. As to what is causing the brown needles, hard to say. As I said, pictures would help.
Sometimes trees sulk so the smaller one might just be sulking or delayed in its growth for this year. No reason for alarm at this point if its still all green.
If the buds are starting to swell, thats a sign its alive. As to what is causing the brown needles, hard to say. As I said, pictures would help.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Needles not turning brown is a very good sign. I've had newly collected pines go a year or more without new growth. Not to worry, but no styling, no pruning until the growing season after a summer of good growth. You need to allow enough time for normal growth to return before major styling work.
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
Green needles not drooping is good. Perked up and green is good. Any growth is great sign. Encourage with lite fertilizer. How long since collected? Do these grow epicormic branches?
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Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Don't get to excited about signs of life in collected trees. Conifers can bud up and produce healthy looking new shoots before turning brown and dying in summer. I never count on a tree having survived until it is still healthy in mid summer. The larger the trunk the longer a tree can survive on stored energy even though it has not grown new roots.
There is nothing you can do now except care for these collected trees so stop worrying and just keep caring for them as best you can.
Epicormic buds are the ones that sprout from bare trunks after some trauma like wildfire or drought.
There is nothing you can do now except care for these collected trees so stop worrying and just keep caring for them as best you can.
Epicormic buds are the ones that sprout from bare trunks after some trauma like wildfire or drought.
MaciekA
Shohin
For a pine that's been collected in either fall or spring, for me the most reliable indicator is that it then goes on to make it through the following summer, autumn, and winter to produce healthy shoots the spring after that. So basically one full cycle of post-collection warm + cold seasons.
By then, if there were issues with re-establishing roots that somehow remained hidden or obscured by preexisting momentum (as mentioned by Shibui above), they'll have become very obvious. This is assuming the tree somehow makes it through the heat of summer without showing those signs first, but some may be blessed with exceptionally mild summers.
But in all cases of conifer collection I think it's better to simply wait until you have the kind of outstanding vigor and growth that could only be explained by drawing copious amounts of water from the soil. Regardless of whether there are signs of growth early in the recovery process, you're still ultimately waiting for this to do any work or significant movement (i.e like physical transport of location) of the tree.
By then, if there were issues with re-establishing roots that somehow remained hidden or obscured by preexisting momentum (as mentioned by Shibui above), they'll have become very obvious. This is assuming the tree somehow makes it through the heat of summer without showing those signs first, but some may be blessed with exceptionally mild summers.
But in all cases of conifer collection I think it's better to simply wait until you have the kind of outstanding vigor and growth that could only be explained by drawing copious amounts of water from the soil. Regardless of whether there are signs of growth early in the recovery process, you're still ultimately waiting for this to do any work or significant movement (i.e like physical transport of location) of the tree.
Bu-Jetjet
Mame
It looks like the majority of the needles are in good health. It's hard for me to tell the substrate you have it in... not sure if it's native soil? The four collected Ponderosa Pines I have, I potted in pure pumice, and they're recovering quite well.
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
Small one looks to be excellent Literati candidate. Great lower movement and bark developing. Bigger one seems to have some epicormic growth down low. Continue good care . Beware not to overwater as substrate looks to be water retentive.
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