AusBonsai

This was done in a flash literally . In ten minutes flat , I hit these like a tornado and and returned home in less the 20 minutes . A local authority has given unprecedented permission to collect the noxious weeds prior to the excavators moving in to clean up the drainage channels .These were in 4 inches of water over the last week and the ground is like soup . I simple plunged the shovel into the ground on 3 sides and levered them out . All but the 3 smallest were trunk chops and are doubtful in the survival area however i potted them up all the same .Not a bad result for such a short time in the fieldTomorrow is another day , however i have several tree's to prepare for the week ahead . Cheers and happy hunting . Alpineart

Worth a shot, especially since they were definetly going to be toast! And at less that 1 minute per pine, you don't lose out at all in my opinion.
Anyway, maybe they will all survive? Nothing ventured...
Nice work, I hope they all make it Alpine!
Best of luck, Dario.

Hi Dario , the quickest pines i have dug in a long time .Out of all these 2 are doubtful and both were not chopped at the top so they only have a single tap root , never no they just may have enough energy to throw a few feeders out at take up some moisture .Dug and bagged in less than 1 minute , way to go .Cheers Alpine

Hi Alpine, Nigra seem to be incredibly tough. Have you ever collected ones in similar condition to the 2 that are doubtful, and had them kick on and live? I was also wondering if you scored the bark and applied rooting hormone on those 2 that were not chop topped and only had taps.
If they make it, then that is like what a deciduous tree can do in the same condition just from stored energy in their trunk (or olives etc)!
I will be very interested to see if they survive, please keep us updated.
Cheers, Dario.

Hi Dario , if it fails it fails , i have collected hundreds with no feeder roots and most die although i do have a 80mm trunk here that had a tap root 50mm thick and 1 stay root 40mm thick . It was growing in a side cut batter on a main logging road . It was severed at the base of the tap and stay and placed in red scoria .This basically had NO roots at all .In the first year it grew 1 needle thin feeder root around 600mm long . I wrapped this root quite firmly , {as firmly as one can wrap a 1-1.5mm root}around the base to fuse against the trunk .It did and it began to throw dozens more feeder roots as the thin root grew on and tightened around the base .It is in its 3 yea rof being potted in red scoria and its still growing with many new shoots .i would not have believed this would survive but it has .

I have spoke to Shibui about this and he considers the air flow through the scoria may very well have contributed to this scenario , i have hundreds of pines in scoria and the root growth is far beyond my previous attempts to get Yamadori to survive .I believe there may very well be a mineral content in the scoria that also aids root growth . In the last 3 years i have blended in excess of 3 tonnes of scoria for Bonsai and Trainers and the fines go into the grow beds . Most pines will turn yellow within 8-10 weeks of collecting if the are certain failures .

Everything growing here is in some kind of soft red scoria blend and it can be reused time and time again .Currently in the process of testing some Natives , 50 mixed tube stock plants , well the tubes are here , the mix is here , just cant seem to find the time to plant them .

Cheers Alpineart

Hi there alpine. isn't scoria a derivitive of lava? If so, there may very well be some minerals contained within it that aid the development of the trees?
I use diatomite blended with various things depending on what species I am using. It certainly makes for a light absolutely airated, free draining mix but I haven't been at this for long enough to be able to get long term results from trialing certain products/methods etc. But you have to start somewhere (usually at the beginning ), and I will get there...and from early on too ( meaning that even though its early days for me I believe that I am starting off with a good well airated soil mix).
So thanks to individuals such as yourself, I can see the importance of trying different ideas etc and testing various methods simultaneously to find what works best in my micro environment/conditions...so thanks!
I will have to add scoria to my list...so many things to do!
I like your attitude Alpine..."if it fails, it fails", move on, take stock of what didn't or did work and try again. Replicate what worked (possibly adding new dimensions next time) and eradicate what didn't work and try to understand why.
Growing with/through your own personal experience. Trial and error etc. But get in there and have a go and always be open to new ideas and try them for yourself and take it from there.
Books (theory) is good and well but not to neccessarily be taken as gospel. Experience (practice) is paramount and that is the foundation to build on (don't be narrow minded though/ stay open to all ideas).
I am not trying to put words in your mouth by stating the above, that is just my take on what I perceive you attitude in this area to be. So please correct me if I am wrong. However I think/believe that this is the way to proceed and agree with the above. It is certainly a proactive/hands on, active/positive way of being and I appreciate it and identify with it.
That is very interesting re the description of the pine with stuff all roots that you nursed back from the brink! Top work, plants are incredible!
Cheers,Dario.
PS So is life...off topic, but my brother and his wife just had a healthy baby boy all of 2 mins ago!! WOOO HOOO!!