Some Changes Made -

[Anthony]

Well after reading last year about the -

[ 1 ] Two weeks needed for root recovery after a repotting.
not- Bare Rooting - mind you.
And seeing how a ficus p, reacts -week 1 - no response
week two - tons of roots.

This year features - two weeks of bright light as the recovery period.

[ 2 [ Cold from Europe since last week in November and continues
through December ------- 65 to 69 deg,F [ 18.3 to 20.6 deg,C ] from say
10 p.m until 8 a,m --------- may not seem like much, but it is
disrupting the cycle.

Had to re-enter the oldest Gmelina into a mica pot. Plastic pot was killing
it. And the Gmelina handles 0 deg,C [ memory here - correct please ]
Mica seems to shield [ must be the tire rubber ]

Normally we get a high 60 once a week, not every night.
Odd.

[ 3 ] In Bonsai - The Art and Technique - D.S. Young 1983
Is a listing of why we use - silica based gravel and so on.
She was pulling on University information.
If the book has a weakness , the designs are not great.

She also speaks about roots and destroying soil ingredients.

Seems a lot of that information has been forgotten.

[ 3 ] Put 1 and 3 together it explains why we don't need tp tie
trees into pots.
Mix outweighs the tree by at least twice, plus no bare rooting.

[ 4 ] Repotting when the air temperature stays abve 70 - 75 deg,F
[ 21.1 to 23.9 deg,C ] and not just late Spring.
Used to happen naturally for us, 2nd of January.
Now reset for March / April by observation.

[ 5 ] From - Bonsai - Trees and Shrubs - K.Murata and Lynn Perry 1964
needle reduction on J,B,pines once every two years.
Tried the information on Bnut, lost fine branches.
Will go to every two years.
Let you know how that is 2 years later plus.
Happy New Year
Anthony

 

[Adair M]

That information you have about shortening JBP needles is dated 1964? Over 50 years out of date???

Your issues with JBP is your climate. Murata didn’t grow JBP in your climate. You’re sending yourself down the wrong path, once again. I have told you before that you should find someone who lives in a similiar climate and has success with JBP. If I were in your situation, I’d try to find someone in Hawaii to converse with and compare notes. I have told you this before, but you would rather read out of date books.

 

[JudyB]

Seems a lot of that information has been forgotten.

Maybe for good reason...

 

[rockm]

Um, yeah, you need to tie trees into pots. Reading decades old books to rationalize skipping a relatively easy and essential repotting step is--well-- lazy . just wire the damn tree into the damn pot. IT WON'T HURT THE TREE. THE BENEFITS FAR OUTWEIGH SOME SILLY IDEA THAT WIRING IS SOMEHOW BAD. IT TAKES ABOUT 30 SECONDS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD....

As for the "don't bare root" crap. That's demonstrably false with MANY species, has been common practices for many species here in the U.S. (elms, hornbeam and about a dozen or more other native species) for literally 25 years...

BTW, I've always considered Young's 1983 book one of the weakest on a number of bonsai subjects, from design and horticultural practices, published back then.

 

[Anthony]

Hey Sifu,

Hawaii, the climate is listed as 85 during Summer daytime and
winter as 78 deg.F seaside daytime

We match the Summer but our Winter is still in the mid 80's. daytime.

Also lowest is under 55 deg.F Hawaii seaside our lowest is 65 deg.F
inland at over 200 feet,
So not a good option as I have mentioned to you before.

Rockm- 40 years growing this year.
Thus far no diseases, only 2 pests and trees at 40 years plus and
most from seed / cutting or collected stumps.
A few way older from purchased Chinese stock.
Hopefu;lly still learning.
No topples from heavy breezes and the two houses sit in a wind
Channel.

At least we agree that the designs in the book are not the best.
But the information is University research sourced.
Happy New Year
Anthony

 

[Adair M]

Hawaii is orders of magnitude closer to your climate than Japan.

Stop making excuses.

University resource researched??? For bonsai???

You must be smoking the export quality stuff today!!! Lol!!!

 

[Anthony]

Sifu,

The J.B.pine is rated for zone 10 and sea breezes.
The seed has the ability to adapt to zone 13b.
Thus far the older ones have been treated as more Tropical.

However we have observed that the zone 7 Sagretia t, can
adapt to Tropical conditions.
But it rests from October to February, as it dies if intereferred
with, during that period.
No new growth from Christmas until February.
Suspect dormancy by shorter days.

This year we tried to move Chinese elms in October.
All died.

So caution is used with the J,B,pine.

One set was worked on for August -September, and another
for October.
The Septembers grew short needles.
The Octobers did nothing.

So we will focus on September.

We have no problems with ramification, just shorter needles.
Let you know how it goes.
[ Apologies - never smoked anything in may life - no alcohol either ]
Thanks for taking the time to respond jovially.
Respectfully
Anthony

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I did inhale.

 

[Smoke]

Anthony.
It seems you are working out the bugs and having great success. Keep up the good work, your on the right path.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

Considering JBP, I keep reading that timing of decandle plus lack of fertilisation afterwards determines needle length. Try decandling later?

I also remember listening in one of mirai’s videos (can’t remember which though) that in some situations, (I think Ryan mentioned Hawaii here) JBP can be de candled twice a year. Try searching associated timings and fertilisation schemes.

I might have a similar problem although my winter temperatures are a bit colder than yours. there’s no noticible growth since November or so

 

[It's Kev]

Anthony, remember that if you stick a tree in a pot, it knocks the tree back about 2 zones. So your potted trees are all potted up are chilling in zone 11, give or take.
I think your research is great though, you can adapt trees to a new climate, but within reason too. I don’t think you can have apples or cherries or grapes.
I myself am trying to grow A.Palmatums that don’t look roasted
Good luck

 

[amatbrewer]

Hawaii, the climate is listed as 85 during Summer daytime and winter as 78 deg.F seaside daytime
We match the Summer but our Winter is still in the mid 80's. daytime.
Also lowest is under 55 deg.F Hawaii seaside our lowest is 65 deg.F

Having grown up in Hawaii (Hilo on the Big Island) I can say with confidence that those temps are a gross generalization. The weather conditions can vary tremendously depending on where one is. For example the windward of the island (e.g. Hilo) is cooler it rains like crazy, while the leeward side (e.g. Kailua) is hot and very desert like (including sand and cactus), while the higher elevations can be cold and range from very dry to very wet. There were winters where we would drive up to Mauna Kea to ski in the snow and then be body surfing at Hapuna beach a few hrs later. FYI The tourists loved taking pictures of us making snowmen on the beach.

Coincidentally, I note that Hilo's daytime highs range from 80F (Jan) to 84F (Aug), while the nighttime lows are between 64F (Jan) to 70F (Aug), which seems to be really close what you say your temps are.
Fuku-Bonsai is located just a few miles south of Hilo and might be able to provide some good information on what does or does not do well in that clime.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Anthony]

@amatbrewer,

Thank you, very much. To explain, the only question I had was on
getting the needles of the J.B.pine smaller.

Essentially, which month might work for us. Miami had something
around July / August.
We also tested a few other ideas on Bnut.
So far seems August / September might be our time.
Will keep testing.

Other than that. nothing else.
Happy New Year
Anthony

* I think we would need some 10,000 feet or so like
Venezuela to get snow.
Max height down here is around the height of Caracas,
3000 feet or so.