New account long time lurker

[BaKiBonsai]

Hi all,

Just wanting to introduce myself. I've watched a lot of bonsai video's (peter chan, Jelle, nigel saunders etc). Never really started a new style substrate bonsai because I tend to travel in May/June and a rigorous watering schedule is hard. Read up a lot on substrate mixes (AFP CEC). Read some of Markyscotts resources, would love to see more in depth posts and video's showing such detail.

Currently struggling with my third year of JM cuttings. Humidity dome, perlite, vermiculite. Have tried pure molar clay as well, since I had a lot of issues with root rot. Currently in a perlite/molar clay / vermiculite mix, coarse mix with vermiculite concentrated around the stems. Do have bottom heat, but since the ambient T is already around 24C I don't really have it on. Indoor setting with north facing window, airing the dome twice daily with some light misting if the leaves seem dry.

JM cultivars trying to strike: Sango katsu and dissectum (purple). Also trying to strike an acer japonicum shishiwari moonrise.

Main struggle is stem rot, so I'm keeping my cuttings drier this time around.

Do have loads of birches, some beeches, some local acers ( e.g. campestre) in pre-bonsai setup with a more old school soil configuration (again due to the travelling).

Kind regards,Bas

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Welcome aboard BonsaiNut!

Wondering….

How is the air flow in the dome… are the vents partially opened, or the cover a jar to allow air circulation?

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[leatherback]

Hey Bas,

Try using a good rooting hormone. I find since I use clones my results have gone up. Pure vermiculite is all I need to get rooting. I water them once. ENclose in a plastic baggie placed in a shaded spot in the garden and after 4 weeks I start slowly every once in a while allow air ventilation. In a propagator dome you should not need to mist. The cuttings should not be wet.

Also, use sections of branch that have matured a bit. The weak soft tips are no good; The leaves need to have hardenened a bit.

And of course.. Brilliantly sharp tools. A crushed end is a rotting end.

 

[BaKiBonsai]

Welcome aboard BonsaiNut!

Wondering….

How is the air flow in the dome… are the vents partially opened, or the cover a jar to allow air circulation?

Cheers
DSD sends

Hi!

I've tried some settings, but not incredibly long. It seems to be only one or two possible attempts each year due to the 4 seasons thing.

Normally I play with the vents so there is no "excessive" condensation on the dome. Now the top is 90% closed and the sides have some small holes. Will post pictures later.

Thanks for asking.

 

[leatherback]

Normally I play with the vents so there is no "excessive" condensation on the dome. Now the top is 90% closed and the sides have some small holes. Will post pictures later.

condensation on the dome is good. I water when there is no more condensation.

 

[BaKiBonsai]

Hey Bas,

Try using a good rooting hormone. I find since I use clones my results have gone up. Pure vermiculite is all I need to get rooting. I water them once. ENclose in a plastic baggie placed in a shaded spot in the garden and after 4 weeks I start slowly every once in a while allow air ventilation. In a propagator dome you should not need to mist. The cuttings should not be wet.

Also, use sections of branch that have matured a bit. The weak soft tips are no good; The leaves need to have hardenened a bit.

And of course.. Brilliantly sharp tools. A crushed end is a rotting end.

Hi Jelle (if im correct),

I've watched a bunch of your video's, it's ATM my favourite bonsai channel.

I seem to remember that for Chinese elm you used a courser grid with a vermiculite topping? Or is it all vermiculite for both?

Based on your advice I could report my cuttings (they are not a week old so Im not afraid of disturbing root initials) or leaving them as is with the vermiculite buffer and coarser outer liner. I sterilized the substrate 20min in a toaster oven and cleaned the containers with a bleach solution. The cuttings are thinner than pencil and have small or reduced leave surface. I have soaked them in some IbA powder solution while gathering the cuttings and then dipped them in a slightly less diluted mix. I have used some drops alcohol ketonatus to dissolve the iba since it won't dissolve in water. The hormone I use is a powder from a gardening store, not the highest level I suspect.

Thanks,
Bas

 

[BaKiBonsai]

Here are some pics, all are heel cuttings. Some internodes were too long to also have a nodal set in the substrate.

 

[BaKiBonsai]

Still alive but still no roots.

 

[BaKiBonsai]

No real progress except some drying. I put some new cuttings in vermiculite and they seem to have rooted. Vermiculite will be my main propagation substrate next year, as Jelle already suggested.