What's going on in Smokes NEW BACKYARD

[Adamski77]

Well...last girlfriend after my Wife died, had a heart attack during Covid and died too. Only 58 years old. Back to online dating, found the love of my life. We meshed from day one and never looked back. We got together in Sept of 2020, and did the dating thing during covid. Not an easy thing to do with a mask on..

By the second week in Dec, I told her I had to go home one Sunday early to water. She said why dont you put your trees here so you dont have to go. I explained to her that that was not an easy thing like pack up trees move them across town, spend the weekend here and then move them all back. She said, " no silly, move your trees here and leave them". I cocked my head and said do you understand what that means? It means that they would be here "permanently"...she said "I know" Hmmm...Al is wondering what he did right. I never had a person latch on so hard so fast. I told her that I would need quite a lot of room, would have to build benches, and all that. She said you have the whole back of the property to do what ever you want. She is on an acre. I had half an acre to do what ever I wanted.

So I made a plan, started doing ground work and built benches. Put in underground water on timers, lots of electricity, full flood lights for evening viewing, water falls, landscaping, the works.

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Truly amazing... congratulations... perfect set up! ... including all later posts and updates...

 

[Smoke]

Great looking pots - do you have a specific plan for the one with the yellow crackle glaze?

Not yet...but something will turnip

 

[Orion_metalhead]

The layers should be started after the spring push has concluded. Spring growth will only make the tree try to bridge the gap with new cambium rather than make roots. The cuts were allowed to dry for two days to make sure cells were dead before wrapping in moss and plastic.

1. Congrats on life taking a turn in your favor after so much heartache. I hope that it continues that way for a long time.

2. I have never heard someone mention letting the layer dry before wrapping. Great advice. Will try that for sure on a few trees im working on layering.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

It is awesome go see you back! It has not been the same without you.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Not for my price.....

What’s that, like half a tank of gas out there?

 

[Smoke]

What’s that, like half a tank of gas out there?

Two gallons....or liters.. .I forget

 

[HorseloverFat]

D'ya remember Cucksai?


(I actually had something KIND of interesting to say here... but the last handful of posts had me laughing up a storm.. and I forgot the point)

 

[Smoke]

D'ya remember Cucksai?


(I actually had something KIND of interesting to say here... but the last handful of posts had me laughing up a storm.. and I forgot the point)

I see that a lot around here.....

 

[Smoke]

Some people were wondering about the pots I'm getting from Japan. First you find an auction site, put lots of money up front, you have to have a bank to bid, then play the game and hope you win. It's dicy in Japan because, the good pots move very fast there and are scarfed up by the people that resale on ebay.
Then you load more money into your bank to get them out of the country. Then they show up here a few weeks later. Today I got load number three. This is a big box, a couple larger pots for big air layers I plan on removing later. I have tried to share some of the unpacking so you can see how well they are packed. It's funny, the box comes via FAT (Fresno Air Terminal). I can just hear some Japanese guy...."hey these are going to F-A-T". I'm surprised they fly here.
Hattori, Kokien, Sachi, Hattori, Senzan, Tosui, Bunzan, Shibakatsu, Teizan.

 

[Smoke]

Hattori, Kokien, Sachi, Hattori, Senzan, Tosui, Bunzan, Shibakatsu, Teizan.

 

[Smoke]

Trident repot. This tree was purchased in 2002. Long story but I got the tree and started to do my thing. I planted this tree for decades in a very shallow pot tied in hard and no soil under the roots. While many are now talking about the Ebihara method, Keppler was doing his own method without the stupid board and in a showable pot while building nebari. I will call it the Keppler method. I think the nebari is looking pretty damn good after 21 years. The root base was moved down about three inches. Pot by Kakuzan.

 

[Adamski77]

Trident repot. This tree was purchased in 2002. Long story but I got the tree and started to do my thing. I planted this tree for decades in a very shallow pot tied in hard and no soil under the roots. While many are now talking about the Ebihara method, Keppler was doing his own method without the stupid board and in a showable pot while building nebari. I will call it the Keppler method. I think the nebari is looking pretty damn good after 21 years. The root base was moved down about three inches. Pot by Kakuzan.

It’s obviously not bad… and I’m nobody to judge… but seems little bit shaded by mass of the tree in the upper side… maybe with the smaller canopy would look more “proportional”

Btw… awesome thing to take it from the first picture to the second… in terms of upper part… awesome!

 

[Smoke]

It’s obviously not bad… and I’m nobody to judge… but seems little bit shaded by mass of the tree in the upper side… maybe with the smaller canopy would look more “proportional”

Btw… awesome thing to take it from the first picture to the second… in terms of upper part… awesome!

I agree. I think the pots too small for the canopy. I don't think the canopy is too large for the trunk, just overall too large for the pot.

 

[Smoke]

I agree. I think the pots too small for the canopy. I don't think the canopy is too large for the trunk, just overall too large for the pot.

I will post a picture in a larger pot I have and you tell me what you think. later tomorrow.

 

[Adamski77]

I agree. I think the pots too small for the canopy. I don't think the canopy is too large for the trunk, just overall too large for the pot.

Could as well be… pout of view depends largely on where you sit

 

[Smoke]

It’s obviously not bad… and I’m nobody to judge… but seems little bit shaded by mass of the tree in the upper side… maybe with the smaller canopy would look more “proportional”

Btw… awesome thing to take it from the first picture to the second… in terms of upper part… awesome!

BTW, this tree came by way of Benny Kim and is a import directly from China.

 

[Adamski77]

BTW, this tree came by way of Benny Kim and is an import directly from China.

Great to see Chinese imports are possible. I’m currently in Shanghai but quite possible I’ll be moving at some point of time to US… so can bring some pieces with me Will keep this though in mind… and your contact point

 

[Vali]

Night time at the Bunker. I am especially proud of the ceiling of the Tokonoma. I wanted to do something never seen much outside of Japan or national parks.
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So....what going on now...well taking multiple layers off a large maple in the front yard. All the trees are from the pollarded ends of the limbs and each is about 35 years old. The trees are all about 10 inches across at the layer and all less than a foot tall....true Sumo's.
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Hi, @Smoke, I'm curious how the airlayers worked for you, if they rooted. I have started a prunus spinosa monster airlayer this year, that's where my interest comes from.

 

[Smoke]

Hi, @Smoke, I'm curious how the airlayers worked for you, if they rooted. I have started a prunus spinosa monster airlayer this year, that's where my interest comes from.

They sorta did. They rooted in some places, but I cut too deeply into the trunk and I think I lost some hydraulics to the top. Some started to die back, and two died completely. I will start over this year and try to save a few.

 

[Smoke]

Great to see Chinese imports are possible. I’m currently in Shanghai but quite possible I’ll be moving at some point of time to US… so can bring some pieces with me Will keep this though in mind… and your contact point

Good luck bringing any plant material into the USA, on your own. Benny Kim and Vicky Lee both had their own quarantine station in the San Bernadino mountains. I don't think either import any more due to the mountains of restrictions.