JBP seedling

[AnacortesSteve]

So I planted these JBP out of season last October. They handled the winter very well staying greenish purple, but now as they wake up from dormancy two of them have turned brown. Not sure what I did wrong as they have all been in the same pot getting watered at the same times. Do these two look dead? Not sure how they could have died on me but they look very dry and I don’t see any new growth starting.

That is grown bonsai soil, for seedlings you want peat moss and perlite, you don't use that soil till they have the trunk you want.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Months later wondering if #3 still lives. If so substrate was way too open and needs H2O much oftener.

 

[YaBoyMyth]

Months later wondering if #3 still lives. If so substrate was way too open and needs H2O much oftener.

Yes #3 still lives

 

[YaBoyMyth]

That is grown bonsai soil, for seedlings you want peat moss and perlite, you don't use that soil till they have the trunk you want.

So then how come I’ve read so much about colanders and coarse substrate for seedlings to speed up growth? Not saying you’re wrong just want to learn

 

[Paradox]

So then how come I’ve read so much about colanders and coarse substrate for seedlings to speed up growth? Not saying you’re wrong just want to learn

We use those for prebonsai we are starting to transition to bonsai training and maybe for older seedlings.

We don't start seeds in that kind of mix, it's too coarse for new seedlings with little to no roots yet. It will dry put too fast which seems to be the problem you're having.

 

[sunspire]

Coarse Bonsai soil can work, but I agree you will need to be diligent with watering them. Here's two pinus taeda seedlings I pulled out of cracks in the sidewalk in the middle of the summer this year in Mississippi. Each one had nothing but a single tap root. I used coarse since it was all I had ready and it was plant in that or they die. I ground up some moss and mixed that into the top layer and buried a 1/4 inch chunk of miracle gro fertilizer stick in each one.

I soak them with water once maybe twice a day. They both have new healthy growth. I think the very small pots helps with coarse soil and seedlings, as the water table sits a lot higher up in the pot.

 

[AnacortesSteve]

So I planted these JBP out of season last October. They handled the winter very well staying greenish purple, but now as they wake up from dormancy two of them have turned brown. Not sure what I did wrong as they have all been in the same pot getting watered at the same times. Do these two look dead? Not sure how they could have died on me but they look very dry and I don’t see any new growth starting.

The roots may have been damaged, pines take a LONG time to show they are dead, I know I grow hundreds of them.

 

[AnacortesSteve]

Coarse Bonsai soil can work, but I agree you will need to be diligent with watering them. Here's two pinus taeda seedlings I pulled out of cracks in the sidewalk in the middle of the summer this year in Mississippi. Each one had nothing but a single tap root. I used coarse since it was all I had ready and it was plant in that or they die. I ground up some moss and mixed that into the top layer and buried a 1/4 inch chunk of miracle gro fertilizer stick in each one.

I soak them with water once maybe twice a day. They both have new healthy growth. I think the very small pots helps with coarse soil and seedlings, as the water table sits a lot higher up in the pot.

View attachment 459175View attachment 459176

I would remove the fertilizer stick, it can burn the tree, put it on stop at the edge and make sure very small piece, liquid MG works better, in a very weak mix you can use daily like Terlperion farms did.

 

[sunspire]

I would remove the fertilizer stick, it can burn the tree, put it on stop at the edge and make sure very small piece, liquid MG works better, in a very weak mix you can use daily like Terlperion farms did.

Way too late for that, there's just a small amount of blue mush left. It's been in there for over two months getting drowned in water daily. Hopefully they will be fine!

I saw a video by Walter Pall that I liked. He said his favorite method of fertilization is to use purely inorganic soil with tons of air space, then use TONS of fertilizer. Then run much more than enough water through the soil every day. By doing that, you prevent salt buildup, so the trees won't get burnt, and they have every opportunity to take what they need from the fertilizer as it is being flushed out.

I like this method because although I studied science in college, I lack the patience to calculate the appropriate amount of fertilizer for my plants.

 

[Lorax7]

Way too late for that, there's just a small amount of blue mush left. It's been in there for over two months getting drowned in water daily. Hopefully they will be fine!

I saw a video by Walter Pall that I liked. He said his favorite method of fertilization is to use purely inorganic soil with tons of air space, then use TONS of fertilizer. Then run much more than enough water through the soil every day. By doing that, you prevent salt buildup, so the trees won't get burnt, and they have every opportunity to take what they need from the fertilizer as it is being flushed out.

I like this method because although I studied science in college, I lack the patience to calculate the appropriate amount of fertilizer for my plants.

That’s not particularly relevant to this discussion. Walter’s fertilizer regimen is applicable to his trees, which are overwhelmingly mature bonsai or at least pre-bonsai, not seedlings.