AusBonsai

Radiata Pine - Monterey Pine. Believe it or not we had one in the back yard - discarded after Christmas 2006 and left to die. Out of sight out of mind.

Here are some photos - Any suggestions on what to do next????
I want it to look like the one that Ken showed from his club. That one has inspired me.

Jon

I would check the root ball and see how healthy those roots are. Clean up the dead stuff and i would just start getting it healthy and vigorous again.

You might get away with some trunk bending for movement.

Jon Chown wrote:
I want it to look like the one that Ken showed from his club. That one has inspired me.

Jon

I think you mean the one Anttonio showed from his club trees! I agree, that tree is a beauty!

Your Radiata...what to do with it...mmmmm take it out to the forestry, plant it and drive away. Sorry Jon but i reckon you would be better off getting a small tube stock plant from the nursery and planting it out and looking after it for a few years then working with this one. I know where to get them if you need some, let me know. Sorry for the negative feedback buddy, just my opinion though, its your tree.
Regards
Peter

I think you mean the one Anttonio showed from his club trees!

Oops!! Sorry Antonio and Ken, but yes Peter that's the one.

No need to worry about the nagative thoughts, I'm a big boy and can take constructive critisism. I was showing my wife the photo of the one Antonio posted and she said - Oh, we have one of those out the back, you can have that one. I'll see what it looks like cleaned up but would be interested in talking to you Peter about your source.

Jon

i think with the right bending, you could get a nice literati out of it.
It would give you a good insight into its care.

i am inclined to take peter's advise. i would also suggest you find one to collect plenty out there. BUT if you wanna save this one simply for the girth it already has cause it has nothing else going for it. slip pot now into a larger pot 50/50 pine bark and scoria or into the ground. cut all the dead stuff off. leave only 1 candle on top, preferably the lowest one on the trunk. water and feed like there's no tomorrow. then pray that it breaks buds way lower down to start a tree from scratch. i love a challenge.

I think you have a problem Jon!

I counted 91 bonsai pots in the background of your picture Potaholics anonymous?

S.

AusBonsai wrote:I think you have a problem Jon!

I counted 91 bonsai pots in the background of your picture Potaholics anonymous?

S.

Good spotting Steven. Jon.....you gotta get more trees!

Thanks everyone for the genuine advice. As this tree owes me nothing, I am gioing to use it as a learning experience and see just how much it will tolerate.

Can anyone suggest the best fertilizer for this species please? Do they back bud on old bark or must I treat them is a similar fashion to Black Pine?

If only I only had 91 spare pots, I wouldn't feel so guilty but unfortunately my collection is a lot more. However after Pups post on tiny bonsai, he has renewed my desire to have a few of those - so that will take up a little slack and now that I am looking seriously at some natives - perhaps this might take a few more.

Any Queenslanders, I'm willing to trade.

Jon

Jon Chown wrote:As this tree owes me nothing, I am gioing to use it as a learning experience and see just how much it will tolerate.Jon

Good idea Jon. I do the same with some of mine from time to time. I struggled to fined a tree within this Shore Juniper that i bought for $5 from a landscaper going out of business a few years ago, after seeing how much it will bend and various other procedures being tried out on it, it still lives and actually has become a reasonable little tree!

Jon, after seeing Peter's tree there is definitely a future in yours.

I love seeing before and after shots! How can we encourage more people to post progression shots? Competition? Reward with Tensuu?

Steven

That would be good Steven but what about us silly old buggers.
That did not have a camera back in the dark ages and I have never been able to draw. Pup
I am away to the post office now. So exspect your bribe in the mail soon

Hi Jon,

I think PeterW and anttal63 have covered it. I could not add anything useful.

I would just like to say that radiata pine does root from cuttings. I have done so successfully several times.

I'm not sure what this has anything to do with your tree though

Regards,

Viet.

Hi Jon. Pinus Radiata will back bud on old wood. Cut off the top section to the lowest branch or growing point, pot it in a growing box and once it's settled, fertilize it. Don't break of any candles until Autumn, then in Spring, it will bud back on old growth. If you cut the candles in Spring or Summer, you will only get new growth from near the cut.
Penny.

Hey Penny, that is very useful information, thank you immensely for taking the time - can you advise the type and strength of fertilizer that I should use.

Jon