Fall Work: For tree in refinement



|Fall Fundamentals August 22, 2017 |[pic] |

|Tips and Discussions from Mirai Live-Stream | |

| | |

|Fall Work: For tree in refinement; | |

|Short needle Single Flush Pine | |

|Tree used: Lodgepole Pine (at right) | |

|PLUS Tertiary Feature: Fall – multi flush Pines | |

The fundamentals of how to take growth and make it work for you:

With every season of growth you lose definition and you have to re-define.

Big thing for this work is:

When to pluck, why you pluck, what to pluck and shoot selection

Clean line between pads is lost as tree grows and this time of year is when we handle that growth.

In Japan Mr. Kimura started the first year apprentices with cleaning up the needles hanging below the silhouette of the branch. The bottom of the branch is the only place we can establish a clean delineation between pads.

Branch shows a bunch of twiglets stacked on top of each other. Last year didn’t need wire because the shaping was dictated by larger structural wire.

However, phototropism changes the position of that growth and now we have to make a decision:

Either: We remove the upper stacked branch

Or the lower branch and lay this one down as the new exterior tip of the branch.

OR we take this and rotate it so we turn them into laterals

But we want to maintain maximum density for this level of refinement and will add some wire to the structural wire already there and utilize the wire – as you learn to use less and less wire to accomplish the same amount of work and rotate the buds/twiglets – and still get the buds in the right aesthetic.

Learn how to clean FIRST!

So always make sure you maintain needle mass in the design of branch – a pine design is reflected in the tuffs, not having buds over the top. You don’t wire each piece. The interior piece is already up.

There are 4 pieces – wire down to branch, out to middle with one wire and coming to the end of the middle one and bringing it up – controls all four pieces.

Kimura creates a natural soft fluff and we want to reorganize the growth out – separated – our eyes pick up on needles crossing!

VS

Upper one sitting outside of canopy: lowered down into the canopy to address interior body piece of foliage.

This time of year is optimal for short needle single flush pine: right now interior needles are being shed – for lodgepole – so you can do two things:

➢ Cleaning out the old/dead needles

➢ And clean up the shape

Minimal way to handle it [pinching in Spring for single flush pine]

NOT for Ponderosa – is just starting to show color change and beginning process to shed needles so timing is different.

Indicator: Is it dropping its 3rd year needles or not? “I’m ready to let go of old needles” for Ponderosas need to wait!

Same for Scott’s pine, mugo, Shore pine, Pinyon pine, Zuisho white pine; Limber Pine (?)

Pinus contorta var. Latifolia – Lodgepole (in contrast Shore pine has thinner needles and smaller bark plates)

>Smoother, grayer, less thick in its bark formation

>Needles are slightly thicker and flatter

>Buds are very different

>Also, aggressive, strong, short needle, flexible, dark green, back buds profusely (what’s not to like).

Need to be careful of young interior buds – these buds emerge from adventitious buds and NOT from needle crotches.

When you bring up a branch you need to preserve the natural tropism of the branch arc – we need to keep

the swoop and cleanliness of the shape not exaggerated up. Preserve the maturity of the branches, the refinement – it is age reflective of the natural environment.

This is the focus for a tree in refinement!

Colorado blue spruce

You do not clean up the bottom – needles are radially distributed.

Hemlock and Douglas Fir

Cleaning the bottom is totally legitimate.

How we prune Single flush Pines:

Shoot selection

Prune back to a bud, back to a secondary branch, or back to a structural branch.

Those are the only pruning decisions we can make right now and have a positive response of transition of strength in the tree.

One more area of cleaning needles is where too many needles in junction or crotches on two end twigs.

Take out;

Leave a fairly large amount of old needles around our shoots

Re-distribute needles

1. Clean bottom silhouette

2. Take out large coarse pieces to create a new definition in the branch

Right now pines are making transitions from summer dormancy into fall vascular growth.

Fall Awareness:

Includes: Increase in vascular growth; Changes in watering [needs]; Fall fertilization

And seasonally specific things we start to do during the fall season to allow us to have success.

1. Trees are adding a tremendous amount of tissue – wire can cut in.

2. Water is an active thing – time to look at the tree more carefully

3. Especially need to be concerned with elongating species – they are adding more tissue than any other genera of trees – they expand at a more rapid rate.

Areas that have a lot of movement of resources naturally expand – thickening occurs at points of a lot of elongation of foliar mass moving more water and nutrition at:

The apex; tips of branches; areas of large mass of foliage; in the structural components with intense vigor – not necessarily the finer pieces.

4. Fall time – trees using more water and soil drying more quickly – need to up our watering during this time.

5. Fertilizer Application – single most important time of year to be supplying fertilizer to our trees. Nutrition needs for increasing vascular tissue plus preparing for the push come spring for growing the new tissue. Apply consistent, heavy feeds, to prepare the tree for winter hardiness and then Spring new growth.

If there is only one time possible for you fertilization program, this is the time of year to do it!

Fall: create, improve, maintain; lots of work – a very exciting time of year.

Q/A

Q. Best way to get back budding?

To get good solid back budding you need good solid foliar mass and tips.

YOU DON’T manage strength in S flush by needle plucking!

Fall: managing strength accumulation

Lighten visual mass and bring growth back into the interior buds by pruning out aggressive strong end buds.

Must always support the branch with your other hand when pulling needles or when doing anything, never exert force on branch/tissue without support. And always reach underneath from the bottom side of the growth.

Q. Angle of trunk mirrored in the angle of first branch?

Yes, it is always important and balance of weight of foliage.

Q. What are the indicators for fall fertilization?

1. Water usage: Increases! To support the increase in vascular tissue.

2. More gaseous exchange: With cooler temperatures and less need for cooling – more O2 out more CO2 in.

3. Change in color, size and swelling of terminal buds: On this pine (Lodgepole) buds have turned red, swelling and sap is evident around it – resources have moved TO it.

Q. Can use temperature Range as an indicator (I’m in FL)?

In Florida you need to consider day length as a better indicator, trees in FL are growing mostly year round. The Pacific Northwest typically – low 90s high 80s (82-88) is when metabolic activities are at a high rate; also need to consider relative humidity BUT movement of water is the best.

Q. Time to do major branch bending?

Absolutely! Major structural work on all our trees (Deciduous/leaves are more challenging).

However for Junipers, pines, Hemlock, Spruce, Firs, Conifers – we want to do any work that could stress, crack, strain, stretch, tear, or break the vascular tissue. We want to do that work just prior to or during a major phase of growth. In the Fall we don’t have the massive movement of water that causes the cambial layer to easily separate from the xylem, more obvious with Junipers, but goes across all species. So, Fall is especially advantageous from that perspective.

However, we can still have influxes of heat that if we do have vascular damage we have to shelter and protect during that influx/spike.

Spring versus Fall

If you can do the work prior to the major push in Spring you can deal with the most severity because you are not dealing with environmental factors and you have massive push coming.

> In the Fall resources get pushed into the patching of damage as long as we protect, if we have intermittent heat spells after the work.

Q./R. Where does the wire end?

Technique – bringing wire between buds/needles, out to end, saving bottom needles with last turn of wire is across bottom and maintaining the arc and tuff (leave a little bit of excess wire) then holding with index finger on branch and thumb on wire end you can adjust the orientation of the bud and create that natural arc. The angle is different than a B. Pine which is much sharper, up, masculine in their aesthetic. S. flush is a much softer arc.

Q./R. Almost all species can be done and do major work in the Fall?

We do need to quantify for deciduous trees you cannot take off a heavy amount of foliage in the Fall – it uses that foliage to set itself up for winter hardiness and set it up for growth next year. Need to leave is alone in regard to removing foliage, need to wait till Spring or be careful and allow this work only at the start of or better prior to this vascular growth which would allow for a second and additional flush of growth – timing is more crucial - got to have foliage to do its work.

Q. How does fertilization differ for pines in development versus pine in refinement?

In development:

1. Not worried about coarse growth or

2. Long needles

3. Not worried about anything except:

Generating, thickening, elongating, healing or expanding foliage mass.

That means we will be fertilizing aggressively from the Spring (MAYBE stopping in the heat of summer) AND repeating aggressively in the Fall.

In refinement:

This is a broad discussion, because even for a Ponderosa I don’t care about longer needles and still fertilizing Spring through Fall in development but for a Ponderosa in refinement: NO.

For multi flush Pines in development Fertilization Spring through Fall; In refinement, and I prune the candles: NO

So, in development, you don’t care, you want growth – In refinement you want strategic growth to accomplish a specific goal – finer branches, shorter needles and internodes, more even energy distribution – you tamper with fertilization to get what you want instead of just inducing massive amount of growth.

Video Clip: The unwiring process

The process is critical as it can cause dead branches.

We want conifers to slightly dig in, when it does, you can no longer cut it off.

Using the Scott’s Pine from the BSOP stream/clip:

1. First area at a top structural piece, actually cut in too far and can’t cut out.

The technique to un-wire is to support the wire and always move it in the exact same line or plane as it went on. Stop it from sliding, stop with finger and straighten the wire so not rubbing, scratching or scraping.

If there is some finer wire that is not biting in and we are going to be removing most of the wire it doesn’t really serve a purpose to leave it and if you will be re-wiring it will act as an impediment.

So when removing the fine wire that is connected to a finer/smaller branch you will put a lot of pressure on the shoulder of that branch.

So: start the re-wiring of that smaller branch from the tip and going back keeping the wire anchored on the larger branch. The more you support - the healthier the branch will be.

For smaller branches, where wire severely cut in, resources did not move into the twigs and they are still yellowish green and could not develop; branch will have to be removed because it will always be a structural flaw.

Un-wiring needs to be taken seriously as it can cause a lot of significant damage (as well as watching for biting in and not allowing it to go too far).

The function of wire is to establish an aesthetic decision

“So if I need to wrap a wire in a specific direction to accomplish the movement I need, and then even if there are wire scars (in that direction), I will still use it, just change my path.”

“If possible you go the opposite direction but only if 1. It accomplishes the goal or 2. That’s the only way you can re-apply wire.

Fall Fertilizer: This is the season we go heavy on fertilizer; because in every situation if we are trying to accomplish

1. strong, winter hardy trees and 2. Set up for strong Spring growth.

Supplemental nutrition is a must. Tree and microbiotic activity is symbiotic:

1 ½ Tbsp/location every 4 weeks.

Therefore when there is significant damage to a branch (from wiring) allow the branch to recover and possibly lose its shape, than have it die. This is the one exception to wire/re-wire - to overcome tissue memory.

Q. When un-wiring do you leave a long lever of wire or do you cut it off as you go?

If wire gets so long, bumping branches, or if you are in a tight spot, then cut. However if you have the space the lever allows for a better movement and less possibility of damage (similar to when wiring).

Q. How do you know if fertilizer is de-composing if you are using tea bags?

The bags actually decompose too. Use the bags on vertical spots where the fertilizer might wash off, otherwise use directly on horizontal surfaces.

Q. Repotting in the Fall?

In Japan there was a definitive reason for repotting in the Fall: SO it did not impact our pine species that can show reduced quality of growth because of a Spring re-pot – mainly Japanese White Pine. So we would wait until fall or late summer and the growth was solidified and established.

BUT: there was a definite reduction of thoroughness that we can do at that time of year.

AND also, a reduction in the winter hardiness, because we reduce the “root” resources that the tree has available - Comes at a cost. If you made it to Fall and you are so close to Spring why not wait.

If you have an issue of percolation and not getting enough water to ‘shin’ then best to use the tape barrier to create a taller ‘pot’ to get more water into the soil.

Q. Do you feed trees in smaller pots more because you have to water more? NO

> Video clip: watering in Fall

Special time for trees getting past their summer dormancy and then heat transitioning and changing to vascular growth using the reference of current foliar mass to create the vascular system needed to support growth push next Spring.

Theory behind Fall watering: Note – Ryan has made adjustments over time.

Fall watering is driven by the tree indicators when a tree is healthy and un-healthy figure our why, and what is going on in each case, what’s different.

Example: Limber pine with small buds and not much needle mass; dug down into soil and found hard pan below the surface.

Limbers need a lot of oxygen to survive – went in, broke it up, replaced it, watered it; over the course of one 85F day saw the buds shift in color.

Q. What if the smaller container trees are breaking down fertilizer quicker than 4 weeks?

DON’T fertilize more. If you have an organic component you are still storing N in the system. You don’t want to accumulate more, or then it turns into a salt and causes issues.

Coming back to the aesthetic of the system:

After pruning off a lot of excess growth, and then asking if I have enough growth around the area to maintain a balanced area of growth.

Crown needs to be reduced so it does not become a helmet:

“It takes a lot of work to maintain the apex (to proper proportions and health)”.

Q. Last application of fall fertilizer? Conifers

1st app: mid- August to early September

2nd app: Oct (beginning); If warm and

3rd app: November (early) lighter application if showing signs of being a warmer November

Deciduous e.g. J. Maple: Can be encouraged, with Nitrogen, to have a flush of growth? NO! So pull back Nitrogen;

Mid fall stop feeding with Nitrogen on deciduous that have a tendency to put on a flush of growth.

Q./R. To finish needle cleaning process:

1. Lightly tap on bottom of branch to dislodge lose needles.

2. Then rake up needles with tweezers to put them in final position, to reset some of the growth.

3. Final, clean product.

Q. About the deadwood of the tree and if it takes your eye outside the design space?

Opinion of deadwood is that it is designed to show you what was and isn’t anymore, a remnant, a discussion of the history (was originally alive in the un-worked piece).

“Also I try to maintain direction and as much movement as I can”.

Q. What are some of the mistakes to avoid for S. flush Pines?

1. Overly plucking – by doing so you are going to shut down:

a. Back budding system

b. The development system

2. Overly managing the growth should not keep them in shape all the time, allow them to grow.

Four streams have shown the work for single flush pines.

1. Pinching; 2. Post growth and development; 3. Style: the structure and the layout; 4. Refine the growth.

Q. How much foliage safe to prune at this time of year? About 50%, same as Spring IF you do this at least:

Four to 6 weeks prior to your first hard (anticipated) freeze – 28 (F (-3 (C) or below.

Tree needs time enough to move its resources around and respond to a reduction if folage mass and to the hormonal re-allocation. Any later you risk damage – you are not going enough sugar and starch loading and ability to resist damage. [based on “when” for your regional environment and in your backyard]

Q. Watering foliage – clip seemed to avoid?

Yes, we do NOT – because we have enough relative humidity and enough problems with disease and as a favorable place to grow that, watering foliage is not a favorable practice at Mirai.

IF you are in CO, NM, very arid area, S. California (maybe) you may see watering foliage as beneficial.

1. Helps cut down on Spider Mite populations

2. Trees respond with a lusher foliage

3. or more robust growth.

Use the indicators that the trees are giving you to guide this practice.

Other reason we don’t water foliage: I want the roots and foliage to have as much of a connection as possible by not supplementing the loss of water from the foliage mass itself. For pines it is not very intelligent as they have such a thick cuticle and limited transpiration. For junipers you can augment – less lost moisture.

Q. Foliar feeding:

Not a huge fan as it is not a way of delivering consistent amount of nutrition and would not facilitate health in the container, microbiotic activity, and ultimate health in the tree.

Microbiome is paramount to the healthy immune system of the tree and its ability to respond to adverse conditions such a disease, pests, damage from styling, cold, hot, dry; pursue health and let it do its thing. “Trees that have existed in the natural environment for 1000’s of years are not foliar fed.”

Chemical feeding, consistently, can shut down the microbiome.

Q. Design question for this tree? Why do you have all the growth going to the left – same direction as the first major branch instead of bringing it back to the right?

We have to understand the visual aspect of bonsai – if the right pad were removed it would open up a large negative space and your eye would be drawn to that area and trunk would look thinner – foliage brings your eye to the trunk!

Tertiary Feature: Fall – Multi-Flush Pines

Fundamental Concept that we have already established:

We decandle in early summer to:

1. Get shorter Needles

2. Shorter internodes

3. Better ramification

At this point in time, as that second flush of growth is still growing and elongating, taking on strength drawn from the root system, there is a lot of flexibility and malleability in this growth.

If we go in and tamper with the growth right now we run the risk of diminishing the benefits we are tying to achieve from the decandling process.

Close up of one shoot showing 3 different lengths of new growth on same shoot – this is ok, what we expect.

Each new bud that has formed at the base of where we took the candle is responding to the resources available and allocating resources to try and create a dominant bud.

Further into the tree demonstrates a VERY strong section/bud and very weak bud.

THERE is NOTHING we need to do; allow them to run out and take all the energy and if they are too long for the silhouette we will cut them back to the smaller bud – tight and compact.

Still further in, we will be able to see how we are getting the addition of interior buds and expansion of adventitious buds that were already present but didn’t have the strength allocated toward them.

These are the pieces that if we get too much strength and elongation we will eventually cut them back to the interior buds for new interior branches.

Example: Pine saw larvae ate 2 of 3 buds; the remaining got very tall/strong – natural example of what would happen if you pruned the second flush buds too early, i.e. you cannot achieve your goals of short needles, internodes and ramification – growth will be too strong.

You will also notice that none of the Mirai M. F. Pines have any fertilizer on their soil - AGAIN contributing to “small” growth.

SO HANDS OFF this time of year.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download