Extended season starting trees indoors

[cmeg1]

SIBERIAN ELM SEEDLING AIR-LAYERS


I fell in love with Sierian Elm late in the season when I witnesed the great Autumn colors on every last one I had growing…over 400 of them.
I believe them to be superior to chinese elm in this regard……I like the larger leaves also.

Anyways I literally piled a heap of them into the cold frame.Actually some of them looked to be almost throwing roots from their bases from just slight moisture as I let the weather onto them.They were always fed a motherplant ferterlizer and this may be why.

Anyways I could not resist and brought 72 of them into the tent to proceed with an early start getting some ground layering more or less really.Ringbarking for much better roots and prepare for growing out into specimen Elms.These will be sold and I plan on growing these always.

I prefer to grow species that have no need for fungicides while in my care(Especially deciduous).These also need lots of sun…..even moreso than the chinese elm varieties.

 

[cmeg1]

HERE THEY ARE THIS EVENING


I cleaned them up a bit and have a watering in the flood table and put into a co2 fertilized grow tent.They should leaf out soon ,as they had their required 1000 hrs of dormancy more or less.

Also look at the ones trying to push roots.These should air-layer very quickly and nicely!!!

 

[leatherback]

have a watering in the flood table

Somehow that is such a satisfying sight!

Thx for sharing these pictures. Feels like my unknown collected elm seeds might turn out to be syberian elms

 

[cmeg1]

Somehow that is such a satisfying sight!

Thx for sharing these pictures. Feels like my unknown collected elm seeds might turn out to be syberian elms

Thanks.It is for me too.I used to hand water with a pump sprayer until I discovered ebb& flow.Also the Grodan Stonewool cubes allow to not have any standing water in the tent.When I used to use potting media the water would drain into the tent and would always need a shopvac.Now it’s alwYs dry and clean…..a much happier grow room.

The Siberian Elm is great! These were not even started till’ mid August!
The larger leaves will be fine candidates for defoliation also.
The seeds will store for 15 years!!! And also germinate instantly with only a drop of water.
Maybe why they are on the invasive list

 

[leatherback]

Maybe why they are on the invasive list

Yeah, that would be a great trait to become invasive! I am surprised how few elms are around here.

 

[cmeg1]

more fulvic/kelp dunkin’

This seems to be very effective and harmless….. eru beneficial for pines since the extra waxy coating…..first try for deciduous….if it burns the zelkova a defoliation will be in order( and quite normal).

These are more pine seedlings to make cuttings as the first batch have gone dry once and lost some rrooting….I’m hanging on to them though because its amazing how they can survive this and re-root…..especially in controled mother plant environments.
Anyways a couple back-up crops are in order…….plenty of time yet.

These zelkovas were in 37f in the fridge for almost 5 weeks and did not lose a single leaf!!!!
I pulled several out to continue growth and proceed with air-layering experiments.These have potential as some are fantastic.
I just upturned them into the dunk of pine seedlings being prepared for cutting.
What I want is mega absorption of the kelp into the pines for like 4 hours as that is the real stimulater of getting cuttings to produce 10 or more branches right at the roots like I have done in the past with just regular spraying of the foliar feed!
These zelkovas have potential.I just have to dial in the beginning phases as not all of them turn out in good condition to start.The intense back-budding definately improves the appearance and gives the instant dense branching needed on such young starters to look appealing.
The Broom duds will DEFINATELY MAKE GREAT CLUMPS after air-layering( see pink lines in pictures).
This dunking could be some top secret grow methods ….it will actually absorb into soft wood at this duration of 4 hours and provide the apical dominance cut remedy to produce amazing and early back budding.The low molecular weight fulvic acid transports the kelp cytokonins directly into plant cells in as little as 4 hrs…..fun science!!!

I am starting a new crop of zelkova sprouts and experimenting with light levels reflected off of the cieling and also bottom heat so they stretch much longer and get the more sought after longer trunk.I hope to get at least 6-8” of stretch before the split into a Broom starter.( last two pictures).

 

[penumbra]

I really have to have some of those Zelkova.
Across the board, what you are doing is pretty amazing. The Black Pines I got from you on eBay are much denser than Black Pines from others. I was looking at them the other day. I guess its time to learn about them more and start their training.

 

[cmeg1]

I really have to have some of those Zelkova.
Across the board, what you are doing is pretty amazing. The Black Pines I got from you on eBay are much denser than Black Pines from others. I was looking at them the other day. I guess its time to learn about them more and start their training.

Thanks!
I am excited for this seasons crop with the extended dunks in the kelp.Just the spraying of the kelp in the past was much of the reason about 50% of my starter pines would have the dense early branching at the root level.Some have had as much as 13 shoots at the first 1/4” of trunk.Thats amazong on a 3 month old seedling……I hope to get higher numbers of these type now.

Its also a huge plus for the zelkova.
I am with you on these little starters.Like this one has the prominent basal shoots from the kelp providing the early back budding.The more of these shoots the better on a 2 mnth old Zelkova Broom!
If I can produce this more regularly and on such young starters and with longer trunks this is suddenly very, very interesting now.

I need to get more results like this before I use an entire tent to grow them…….I am optimistic yet though these are very soon in the making.
I can get way more creative on the initial wrapping of branching to create the slight spiraling also on all the emmerging twigs from the base that you see on quality shohin Zelkova Broom.And perhaps a nice start to get the Zelkova Broom size in the last picture here!!!

 

[Oerc201]

Yes straight grade #2 perlite for seedlings.Water twice a day with pump sprayer.
Grade#3 perlite when they are more mature and potted up.
Cuttings grade #2 with a sprinkle of shredded orchid spahgnum.
Essentially drain to waste hydro using shop vac to drain my trays.
If going with perlite it is hydro and if using minerals should really ph your water to between 5.8-6.4
Iron and other minerals start to become unavailable above 6.5 and plants suffer.

This is a great course also if want instruction.Can just by singles if you do not want the complete course.

Harley Smith Master Growers Video Library

growclasses.npk-industries.com

I was curious. What PH should it be if going for just perlite? Thanks

 

[cmeg1]

What PH should it be if going for just perlite? Thanks

5.5-6.5 is golden rule………5.8-6.4 factoring cleanliness of ph probes ……….yes ph is that important!!!
Especially in volcanic substrate such as perlite.The water becomes your soil!!!
Give it npk and bio-stimulants( amino acids,kelp,humic & fulvic acids,microbes).

 

[cmeg1]

Somehow that is such a satisfying sight!

Thx for sharing these pictures. Feels like my unknown collected elm seeds might turn out to be syberian elms

Siberian elm seeds are formed and falling to the ground in Spring very early season as opposed to many fall seeding elms like chinese elms.
They sprout in like a day or two!!!

 

[Flowerhouse]

Siberian elm seeds are formed and falling to the ground in Spring very early season as opposed to many fall seeding elms like chinese elms.
They sprout in like a day or two!!!

.... and if my neighborhood is any indication, it's around a 100% germination rate lol. Still, I'm going to keep an eye on your Siberian elm project. It's a plant that I could trust outdoors in my climate.

 

[cmeg1]

THE LAST OF THE COREANA HORNBEAM SEEDS


Till’ I source more…
Hope these have at least a 10x20 tray full……would be 72…..if I get more I will sprout them and then stall in the cold frifde.

These always did great in the tents……The germination was lo on the last attempt….maybe better inside with heat.I warm and cold stratified for nearly 4 mnths and then soaked again overnight in fulvic acid and kelp……I am sprouting in a dome on heat then can pick only the germinating ones and plant into Grodan mini-cubes.And will sell in Spring.These do best and get hardier when they have a whole season outside to naturalize through all the seasons.I will not bother with layering these to give all the gusto possible.

Also I’m still experimenting with light recipes reflected from the ceiling to stretch the new Zelkova Broom sprouts.I would like to get them to 7” before creating the split into a Broom form(the bole @ 7”).

I am utilizing red suppliment along with a t5 H/O reflecting from a white ceiling…..gives me about 12 ppfd
They’re going over the 4” mark currently.
If this does not get to where I want I will try no lights at all….just the glow of the grow room.
Also red spectrum is said to stretch plants(hense the cardboard masking the blue diodes on the red suppliment lamp).
Wish me luck…..the zelkova starters would be incredible starts with this length to the bole.

 

[cmeg1]

THE AIR-LAYERING TENT

This whole tent is devoted to girdling techniques for the time being.
The Siberian Elms were all outdoor grown ,but I brought them out of cold storage outside and into the tent( have over 300 more in cold storage).
The zelkovas were brought out of storage from a 37f refridgerator in full leaf!!!
I’m amazed they did not skip a beat or lose any leaves while being stored for 5 weeks in total darkess @37f Very handy technique to buy some space and time for a grower who is fickeled with different growing ideas all the time.

I will also experiment with Oriental Hornbeam soon and hope to sew some Burning bush seeds from my yard…….a group of Euonymus Alatas in the yard for over 100 years!!!!
These could both prove very interesting.

Also I’mnleaving room for quite a few regular JBP w/out cutting.I find them interesting from the start.They will grow in Stonewool mini blocks and have natural air-pruning from the cubes.Un-cut JBP are extremely vigorous from the start and have a different look about them all together.
The last picture is an un-cut seedling in Rootpouch…..I prefer stonewool now.I never grew a whole crop of non-cut pines.Fun and interesting really.

 

[cmeg1]

excited to start air-layering

I will dunk everything tomorrow in Kelp again.
The Siberian Elms get a very nice look to them in the co2 fertilization.Will be great to get them layering.
The Zelkova are coloring up well enough after their cold,in leaf storage.
Not sure when to air-layer……the longer I wait and let sit still the more layer ready they’re getting…….this season wise.
I actually was considering making two per seedling with the Siberian Elms,but perhaps more trouble than its worth.I nice longer one will throw more abundant and even rooting.
I really like the Siberian Elm.Leaves of this Elm get nice and thick inside my tents and the results seem to last on the plants with more stout trunks and conpact growth.

I also upped the co2 fertilization to 1000 ppm since these are leafing.

 

[penumbra]

Waiting for the Zelkova to become available.

 

[Shogun610]

Waiting for the Zelkova to become available.

Same

 

[cmeg1]

Waiting for the Zelkova to become available.

Yes will have a few… or several.Many will be clumps air-layered just below the branching.Will be nice.
I am starting a fresh crop and these are strething nicely.Passing 4” now.Honesrly 5” should do it.6” max.
Here is pics today.I’m using an upturted t5 redlecting from the ceiling for light.I will not stop till’ they are 5-6”.Even if it means zero lighting…..they will eventually get there.Another inch or so!!!
I will produce more quantity of these.
There are over 60 in this little tray w/bottom heat.
The current crop will also be defoliated again.
This will be official first attemt as the test run had taught me alot about technique.

 

[cmeg1]

ACTUALLY EXCITED FOR THE STANDARD JBP SEEDLINGS TOO!!!

These are extra vigorous at the start and I went and put a deep blue suppliment light just over the tray for an extra100-200 par of deep blue.

This really puts a stop on elongation.I will just do this at first and then continue with dunking in kelp to make very dense.
Could cutting become somewhat obsolete if rooting is incredible and without stem?
Should I keep the blue suppliment all the way?

I know I will be impressed by the new 4 hour dunks in the fulvic/kelp foliar solution.

JUST LOOK AT THE LAST PICTURE OF WHAT EXTRA BLUE SUPPLIMENT CAN DO.
It made an incredibly short cutting with a terminal set on a 1/2” tall pine!!!
Although I did notice less branching on these,but I believe the 4 hour dunk in the kelp can deter this outcome and continue with the phoenominal branching that can and has been occurring with only light weekly sprays of the fulvic acid/kelp foliar solution.

This is so fun!!!

 

[cmeg1]

Bio-Stimulant dunk for the Siberian Elms pre-girdle tech

This should definately speed the air-layering process in a few weeks.
A 4 hour soak has been the norm lately.I believe it can even penetrate softer wood tissues.It is known to penetrate leaves directly to the cell in as little as 4 hours by means of the fulvic acid carrying the kelp growth stimulants with it.Cytokonins are very beneficial and has the most prominent effect…..
Cytokonins creating cell devision and triggering the backbud-break along with the strong anti-biotic effect from the 5/2 ratio of fulvic acid& kelp powders.I actually will do this regularly on all my material which is usually small enough to do so.
Also the higher brix and increased rate of photosynthesis along with more production of natural rooting stimulants/acids that inturn make phospherous more naturally available( if nitrogen can be reduced to allow more photosynthesis).Then creating an amino acid form of available NPK ? Directly at roots from microbes feeding on root exudates……less added salts is always good for better water absorption( unless hardening up an annual or perenial type veggi or something).

I was taught if you can only administer one bio-stimulant….have it be kelp……a pure form is preferred( if only one product desired) like a powder.

I am enjoying the experiments of extended dunks to be absorbed into softwood and all.And on young plants perhaps just under the bark into phloem and perhaps the cambium too.

I am taking a chance as this is the first full strength dose on a leafy tree at this duration of 4 hrs.
Kelp will definately burn if used more than once a week( foliarly).
I was also taught that the burning from kelp is actually from actual heat!!!! A by product of cytokinesis( cell division).Absolutely not a salt burn. Interesting really.
You can see the young wood and bole of the tree absorbing the foliar solution.
Soaking 72 at a time!!!!
It is important to check ppm of this after you soak trees beacause the nitrate Nitrogen will seep into solution and is too strong for foliar feeding…….ammonia nitrogen is the only nitrogen safe to foliar feed……it raise ppm by 30 perhaps…..only a fraction as N so literally .05 ec or something so I am safe.