Japanese black pine 2

[Amanda]

That is rather nice

Looks like an afternoon spent well and another tree with a bright future.

[craigw60]

Hi Jamie, you should definitely start to feed today even if its just some weak liquid food, but I reckon in your climate the pines will almost never stop growing so you would probably be more aggressive with your feeding.
With regards to the repot it would depend on how much root work you want to do. It could be a good plan to just tease out the root ball a bit without too much disturbance and drop it into a larger pot, them deal with the roots in more detail once its really growing strongly.
I have always repotted pines when the new foliage begins to harden off in late spring early summer, or in mid autumn.
Craig

[Jamie]

cheers craig! i had a bit of a chat with a mate about it this morning, we both reckon getting it back up to scratch is a good idea, and that will be done with feeding! i have given it a good dunk feed as it is possible that water and feed from the surface wont penetrate completly, once its colour comes back nice and green which shouldnt take too long with some good food, an then once the candles have elongated enough repot will be on!

jamie

[Bretts]

G'day Bretts, I was under the impression that they never really go dormant. they slow down a lot but never really stop. I have potted in late spring, winter and Autumn all with success.

Thanks Bodi and the others that chimed in.
I gathered from Leong that it was Winter by his dormant comment. I was planning on watching the pines closer this year to establish their growth periods so I was just taking his opinion that they actually went dormant. Maybe he is seeing something we haven't yet?
Well if Late spring is an ok time to repott pines then I would have to go back to my original guess that it was too rough a treatment that killed my Dwarf Scotts pine last year?
Some at that time stated I re potted at the wrong time of year?

If repotting in late spring do you wait for some movement in thy candles or before any movement at all?

[Hawaiian77]

Howzit Jamie,
Nice find mate but IMHO, I would have waited and repotted it into a larger grow box or even better back into the ground and let it get healthy and strong and then style it as you wish. As you know if you leave it in the pot it's going to take a hell of a long time to get where you want it to go. For now I would hit it some superthrive and let it come up to speed. I don't know if you remember the "Mikawa" JBP I had ordered from ebay I had shared with you, well I had planted it in the ground and let it grow to it's own device. It's doing well and the only thing I did to it was pinch back two candles because I didn't want the branches to get to "Leggy". Don't get me wrong Jamie, it's a nice tree and a good find. It's just something I would do if it was my tree.

-Tim

[Jarrod]

I like to repot JBP mid to late spring because I feel that dormant repotting of pines will lead to root rot. Once the sap starts to flow and you see candles starting to extend I find is the best time. I did some early and some really LATE (open candles) last year. The late ones weren't as happy as the earlier ones.

I think scots prefer autumn but that is just something I think I read somewhere so I can't be sure.

[anttal63]

sorry quoted insted of editing.

[anttal63]

I like to repot JBP mid to late spring because I feel that dormant repotting of pines will lead to root rot. Once the sap starts to flow and you see candles starting to extend I find is the best time. I did some early and some really LATE (open candles) last year. The late ones weren't as happy as the earlier ones.

I think scots prefer autumn but that is just something I think I read somewhere so I can't be sure.

This springs, Candles are swelling and elongating right now as we speak. Spoke wheel buds poppn everywhere. So far from dormant right now! Good mix and full sun this time of the year should take care of root rot. The problem would be if you have taken too much off the top during the autumn clean up. Scotts, mugo's and whites prefer Mid dec. I wouldnt decandle though. While you're at it check ya inbox, it might be full.

[Grant Bowie]

G'day Bretts, I was under the impression that they never really go dormant. they slow down a lot but never really stop. I have potted in late spring, winter and Autumn all with success.

Thanks Bodi and the others that chimed in.
I gathered from Leong that it was Winter by his dormant comment. I was planning on watching the pines closer this year to establish their growth periods so I was just taking his opinion that they actually went dormant. Maybe he is seeing something we haven't yet?
Well if Late spring is an ok time to repott pines then I would have to go back to my original guess that it was too rough a treatment that killed my Dwarf Scotts pine last year?
Some at that time stated I re potted at the wrong time of year?

If repotting in late spring do you wait for some movement in thy candles or before any movement at all?

Hi all,

I used to say you could pot Black Pine 364 days a year, and on the one day you couldn't (when it was in full spring growth) you could cut off all the new growth and repot it as well anyhow. (Sydney and nearby)The more extreme the climate the less latitude you have though.

Also most of my repotting of Conifers became more and more autumn for pressure of time. (Sthn Highlands NSW)

Climate, skill level, aftercare,pressure and needs of repotting etc may change when you repot.

Canberra is different again!

Grant

[Jamie]

thanks guys, this is giving me plenty of great information!

gday tim! i do remember that mikawa you showed me great to hear it is taking off! this is how i got the pine in this pot, and in a bit of a hungry state too, hence the yellowish tips on the needles. it has had a hit with ST also a good dose of seasol and a feed of good fert as soon as the needles green up, and the candles elongate enough it will definately be geeting a repot, this one i am happy with trunk size and movement, and it has a good network of branches to work with, basically what i want to do is get it to back bud some and fill in nicely, so it will get a repot, maybe into something bigger, not sure yet, as soon as the roots have some space to grow it will be a lot happier to but i need to get some strength back i plan on having this as the finished pot, it has meaning to the tree and myself

[Hawaiian77]

Right on Cuz!! Sounds like you have a solid plan for your pine. The only thing about pines is that it takes so darn long to grow!!

-Tim

[Jamie]

yea bro! i know what ya mean! thats one of the reasons i bought this one though is that it had the branching ready to go, just a matter of getting the tree healthy and backbudding, a three to five year plan with this one, if things go according to plan it will be three years strength is a major factor in them i am learning. i have also been reading a fair bit on them and from what i have read that 3 years on a tree that is ready is usually a good time frame to balance and develop ramification and budding.

im no pine master, but i am hoping to have a few nice ones eventually

jamie