Japanese Black Pine Seedlings

[mtarros]

Hi,

I though I would post some of my Japanese Black Pine Seedlings that have come up.

I have more Black pine seed that i'm going to plant up also and lots of Japanese Red Pine and Just wanted to know if there is anything I need to look out for?

I dont want to kill them as It took me over 1 year to get my hands on this seed.

Thanks
Michael

[squizzy]

Hi Mtarros,

I was very aprehensive with my first lot of JBP seeds last year as well and I wasnt too keen to try anything fancy ( just keep them alive for the first 12 months) However there is a technique which you might find on this site called taking cuttings of JBP seedlings. I had done this to a few of my seedlings but not properly. What I beleive you do is pull out the seedlings at quite an early stage and cut all the roots off up to the white part of the stem, dip it in rooting hormone and then re plant it. what this does supposedly is develope a more attractive radiating root system ( nebari). Please note this is just verbal and visual instruction I have seen but not had enough experience in to know for sure that it works. Like I said I only half done it because I cut off all but 2 roots and my seedlings are only a year old but they seem to be growing well enough.

Another thing you might experiment with in a few months is wireing your seedlings with a fine wire to get an interesting shape into them aswell as allowing the wire to cut in and cause the trunk to have exagerated swelling.

If I were you I would probably choose a few batches of your seedlings and experiment a bit.

I am sure there is more info on here about these 2 techniques


Happy black pineing?

Squizz

[mtarros]

Yea I have seen the seedling cuttings technique done before and was thinking of trying it out with a small batch of the seedlings.

I have been told to also just cut the tap root off and leave some of the roots there and it will give you a better chance of survival.

I want to wire some up and also leave the wire inside of the tree.

Going to plant everything up then try and sell some off later one they are a bit bigger as bonsai starters.

I ended up with 100 grams of black pine and sold off a bit under half and hae around 90 grams of Japanese red pine that will be getting planted up.

I may have bitten off more than I can handle. . Lots of repotting to be done

[Luke308]

Yea I have seen the seedling cuttings technique done before and was thinking of trying it out with a small batch of the seedlings.

I have been told to also just cut the tap root off and leave some of the roots there and it will give you a better chance of survival.

I want to wire some up and also leave the wire inside of the tree.

Going to plant everything up then try and sell some off later one they are a bit bigger as bonsai starters.

I ended up with 100 grams of black pine and sold off a bit under half and hae around 90 grams of Japanese red pine that will be getting planted up.

I may have bitten off more than I can handle. . Lots of repotting to be done

Where did you get the 100gm of JBP seeds from?

[mtarros]

I got them from a relative that has a propery with mature Japanese black and red pines.

He was lucky to get a decent amount of seed this year but he lost a lot of seed a couple of years ago to parrots.

[Bretts]

There are so many ways to create Pine from seed, the important thing is don't be scared to try.

"If the time is right, You scared me scared, no bonsai" John Naka.

I thought for sure I messed up the seedling cuttings but not one died from the technique. Ok maybe my memory is not so good and one or two died? Some may not have excellent roots but they are also probably no worse than if I hadn't tried.

You can also not do this and just cut the tap root next year or use the roots to make a exposed style. Ray Nesci showed us some exceptional examples of this. The list is endless. Search the internet and go for broke.
Your biggest fear at the moment will be dampening off. Some say it can't be helped others have many different remedies. My first batch I lost heaps, second batch none. There was no difference in the care schedual.
Good luck.

[Hackimoto]

From experience, my only advise is to harden them off to sun and fresh air as soon as possible. Too much humidity and still air will result in fungal problems and sappy, soft growth. Look where any pines come up in the wild,sun, wind and usually just moist conditions. And don't over fert, weak and often is best.

[mtarros]

I was a bit worried about keeping them in the greenhouse for too long.

I was going to move them out on the weekend to somewhere with a little bit of sun then slowly move them out.

I open the greenhouse up everyday to let new air in and the soil seems to be almost drying out every day now.

I have just been using the mist setting on the hose to water them don't want to over water them.
Cant wait to get them to a bigger size cant stop thinking about them at work.

I also got some chamomile tea to spray them with a very weak tea to try and stop any fungal stuff.
Will they be ok using that on them??

Thanks
Michael

[Hackimoto]

I also got some chamomile tea to spray them with a very weak tea to try and stop any fungal stuff.
Will they be ok using that on them??
Thanks
Michael

I don't know about stopping fungus, but they should sleep well Seeing you are in Brisbane the temperatures should be fine to harden them off (although they are from Japan and its cold weather) I would not only open the greenhouse in the day but leave it open all night as well. I can't see how deep that tray is, if it is 6 cm deep or more it wont dry out too quickly.

[mtarros]

I was reading up about how to try and stop seedlings from dampening off and found that some people are using Chamomile tea.

Chamomile tea contains anti-fungal properties so it might help??

The trays are 6cm deep so it might just be the surface that is drying out.

[Damian Bee]

The chamomile tea will act as a desiccant to the fungus,
http://organicgardening.about.com/od/di ... ingoff.htm
I have not tried this before but what I have read in the past appears fairly solid. I was growing crab apple from seed and found that they had damping off trouble, I was watering too much causing the stem to rot out at the base. After some sound advice from Ausbonsai members the problem was solved.
As has been recommended, trial with some techniques and see what results you come up with, just don't give them beer as a treat. I was going to get some black pine seeds to grow but decided not to, now I wish I had gone the other way
For now I will have to settle for Allocasuarina and Leptospermum petersonii.

[mtarros]

Hi,

I might try the tea if i get any issues but have just opened the greenhouse up to keep it under control.
I planted out another 2 trays of black pine and 2 trays of red pine on the week end.

I'm starting to look for pots now, does anyone know where to get around 4000 40mm square squat pots from at a good price??

Thanks
Michael

[billa]

Hi gang!!

I know that at least some of my seeds have 'popped' not sure what the term is but a big thank you to Scott !! Will have many jpb seedlingsvvery soon!

Now I know how happy expectant mothers feel!!

And...great work Mtr!! Looking good...I read that seedlings may need some sort of fungicide as they prone to fungus early...will try and find out...I will need some too soon

[Bretts]

You can try fungucides but the best bet is to germinate in full sun.

[Scott Roxburgh]

I have always germinated seeds in foam boxes in full sun, and never had problems with damping off....

Michael,

I'd be very keen to get some JRP seeds, if you have any spare?

Billa,

Good to hear some of the JBP seeds that I sent out are growing, mine haven't popped yet but ongoing weeks of minus temps will do that!

Scott.