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Author Topic: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South  (Read 6696 times)

Dano

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Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« on: June 26, 2009, 03:12 PM »
About a year back I was lucky to acquire this beautiful ponderosa Pine from a retiring bonsai enthusist. The age has been verified by the Wyoming Department of Forestry to be around 300 years old. From what I understand, it was collected in the high country of Wyoming about 25 years ago. I really enjoy the Ponderosa Pines but have to watch them getting to much water in the south. After about 4 years, since my first Ponderosa, they all have survived. I have to keep the needles clipped back as I have not been able to reduce them in size.

Dano
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andrew

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2009, 10:35 PM »
Thats a really nice tree, Dano.      and Book em Dano....



I couldnt help it.

                                                     andrew



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John Kirby

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2009, 10:55 AM »
Hi,
Nice tree. I have about 40 or so in Fayetteville, AR. The best way to get the needles in to scale is to remove the old needles by cutting them off at the fasicle in August or early September and to not fertilize them until August or September as well. After I start fertilizing in the fall I don't take the fertilizer off until we start to get some bud growth in February or March (we keep them under poly during the winter. You will find that a number of folks in hot or wet or hot and wet climates tend to plant them in a high pumice mix. I think Jason in Oregon is using almost pure pumice. See Larry Jackel's "Ponderosa Pine as Bonsai" Book it has a good deal of useful information in it.

John
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akeppler

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2009, 12:39 PM »
Dano, congrats on recieving a tree from someone that felt strong enough about you to trust you with it. As I get older and with the untimely death of Micheal Jackson my own mortality makes me wonder about my own trees.

I have a question though. Were you friends with this person over a few years before you aquired the tree? If you were, was there a goal in mind as to it's future look? I am left wandering about the shape of some of those branches in the upper portion as they border on un-natural. Not that they look bad, just that they stand out against the base of the tree.

Thanks for posting and also a warm greeting to John Kirby...I have missed your encouraging words.

Al
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Dano

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2009, 02:56 PM »
Good question. Several people have said that it has an unnatural curve at the top. The following virtuals were supplied by Walter Pall and Bonsai Nut. Their thought is to move the apex back over the base somewhat.

It is something I am going to consider and ask many opinions on before I do anything. The old addage, measure twice and cut once, is very appropriate in this tree.

P.S. I believe the previous owner considered this tree in its finally styling.
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John Kirby

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2009, 09:21 PM »
Interesting to see that this tree is doing pretty well in SC.

Al, good to see you to. Too much work, but you know that one too well. Hopefully you can post some of your great wok o get the conversation rolling again.


John
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Dano

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2009, 09:34 PM »
John,
What has been your experience with Ponderosa pines?

Dan
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John Kirby

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2009, 03:52 PM »
Very good. It has been a challenge getting them to respond in a uniform manner to work (Decandling, etc), but over the past decade or so they have gotten better. I have found that getting the trees into good fast draining soil so that you don't have to worry about flooded or oxygen deprived roots has been the single most important thing we do. Walter Pall really helped me get beyond the fear of overwatering and overfeeding. However, in my climate (much like yours), you need to fertilize much later than folks who live in cold climates. I don't put fertilizer on till much later than I used to, I used to fertilize all spring/summer, now we don't even think about putting fertilizer on until August, but then I don't take it off until March or so.

John
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Dano

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2009, 10:19 PM »
John,
Thanks for the fertilizing tips. I just started fertilizing the Ponderosa's this week. I also ordered the book on Ponderosa care by Jackel. Take care

Dan
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Dave Murphy

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #9 on: July 10, 2009, 08:28 AM »
Hey Dano, very nice pine...I'll be following this one closely to see how it develops for you.  I recently moved to the Atlanta area from MA and I brought one ponderosa with me (sadly I had to leave a very large one...too big for the move).  Hopefully, it will acclimate to our new climate.  Good luck with yours,

Dave
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ken duncan

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2009, 12:33 PM »
Hi Dano, I like your Ponderosa. The curve at the top of the tree is interesting to me, I do not see how you could change it and make the tree any better.
It seems to like it here in South Carolina.
Good luck.
Ken
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Dano

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2009, 03:02 PM »
Hi Ken. I am just up the road in Spartanburg. I hope to join you and John one day collecting cypress. I have permission on both the Pee Dee and the some land on the Congaree to collect. Hope to meet you soon. I probably have already meet you either at the Bonsai Leaning Center or in Asheville at the arboretum.

Dan
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ken duncan

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2009, 07:44 AM »
Hey Don,
The Congaree is in my back yard and the Little Pee Dee and the Great Rivers are a little far but I would love to travel down them in a boat someday, what a beautiful rivers, they full of old Bald Cypress as well as other rivers we have in South Carolina.
Ken
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Dano

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2009, 02:12 PM »
Ken,
Sounds good. I believe Wayne F is trying to get something together where we can all meet and greet one another. I am down at Wild Dunes right now. Any bonsai places around Charleston???

Dan
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ken duncan

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Re: Ponderosa Pine Adjusting to the South
« Reply #14 on: July 24, 2009, 08:59 AM »
Don, There was at one time a place on Ashley River Road she also had a sales area at the old slave market downtown.
Ken
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