名媛直播

名媛直播 forum

How borked am I?

  • chashock
  • chashock's Avatar Offline Topic Author
  • New Member
  • New Member
  • Posts: 2
  • Thanks received: 0

How borked am I? was created by chashock

Posted 2 years 4 months ago #77690
Good day to you all! I am brand new to working bonsai art, so please excuse my ignorance. I have been reading multiple books on the care of bonsai, and just recently found this forum and been reading a lot of past posts. I am in technology by training and trade, so I take pretty seriously RTFM and "search before you post" mantras. Hopefully this post is not too annoyingly noobish.

I realized as I'm reading many posts, I've borked up my first attempts, and I'm looking for validation or rejection of my assessment. I got a seedling kit from the kids, containing Blue Jacaranda, Japanese Black Pine, Black Spruce, and Silver Wattle; like an idiot, after reading a bunch of stuff (though clearly not enough) I planted some of the seeds according to the instructions included in the kit.

I have 4 Black Pine and 2 Silver Wattle saplings growing quite well in my pots at the moment. It was a palm to forehead moment to realize I got them growing completely out of season. Noob mistake, but one I won't make again if working from seeds.

Additionally, I'm concerned, after reading the seemingly infinite number of posts saying "get it outside" that I should have these outside and not in my "growing window" in my kitchen. If you're unfamiliar with these, they are windows that extend out beyond the face of the house, mine by about 2.5 feet to provide a shelf where herbs and house plants can be grown, and they get a lot of sunlight during the day. I get the reasoning behind "put them outside" so they can cycle naturally through the seasons (they're trees after all), and while I WANT some indoor plants I work into bonsai, I also respect the idea of these being outside plants. The pine is definitely one that can grow where I'm at (NE Kansas, USDA zone 6a), and the Spruce should be able to handle the climate, but the concern is how out of cycle I am. I planted about 2 weeks ago. I don't have anything showing in the Jacaranda or Wattle pots yet, and don't know those plants well enough to know what they'll do in the cold (though I'm researching).

The question I'm asking myself right now is whether I should just keep these inside through the winter and let them hopefully grow, putting them out in the spring, or just put them out now? I'm considering taking some of the remaining seeds and come fall planting them in separate pots to be placed outdoors, but I hate to just basically throw these away.

Thoughts for this rookie? TIA
by chashock

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Tropfrog
  • Tropfrog's Avatar Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 4567
  • Thanks received: 1498

Replied by Tropfrog on topic How borked am I?

Posted 2 years 4 months ago #77691
You have quite a challenge there.

If the seeds is properly stratified they will start to grow now and will not be ready for a winter outdoors. They may survive first winter indoors, but will suffer. If there are any way to put them in a cold but frost free location in winter that will increase your chanse.

If they are not properly stratified, they will not sprout now. Then just put them outdoors come authum and let them get a natural stratification. They will sprout in the perfect time off the year all by them selves.

So, how to know if they are properly stratified or not? If just one or two sprouts they can go out. If more than 50% sprouts, keep them indoors as cold and light as possible.
by Tropfrog
The following user(s) said Thank You: chashock

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • chashock
  • chashock's Avatar Offline Topic Author
  • New Member
  • New Member
  • Posts: 2
  • Thanks received: 0

Replied by chashock on topic How borked am I?

Posted 2 years 4 months ago #77708
That's exactly the kind of guidance I was looking for, thank you so much. The Pine now has 4 of my 5 planted seeds sprouting, so I'll try to be extra diligent with them over the winter and put them out next spring once our frost period passes (assuming they live). I'm definitely going to plant a few outside come autumn and try to get them going the right way. I love the look of pine bonsai and want to focus my efforts on that species at least for now. The others are mainly experimentation as I try to learn correct ways.

Love this site. These forum posts are some of the most educational things I've read so far. Thank you so much to all of you who are willing to spend the time and share your knowledge. I hope to do so in the future, once I have something worth sharing!
by chashock

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • leatherback
  • leatherback's Avatar Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 8637
  • Thanks received: 3659

Replied by leatherback on topic How borked am I?

Posted 2 years 4 months ago #77716
Jacaranda and wattle might need winter protection in your climate, and I would consider keeping them in the sunwindow.
SPecies local to your climate, and certainly evergreens such as spruce and pine, I would just let do theyr thing. Keep them in a sheltered spot in the garden over winter.
by leatherback
The following user(s) said Thank You: Gnarlwood

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Cron Job Starts