Houzi..Yes the girls are very good and very helpful, think that's why i like buying my young grafts from them, always good healthy stock Dick vm still does alot of the grafting for them, so you know it's going to be done right. Went in the early part of April just when the grafts were leafing ,but like going about now so you can see better the form and growth rate. So many grafts to choose but bought another 'Amber ghost' and 'Olsens frosted strawberry' then two new ones 'Sister ghost' and 'Autumn glory' been after one of these for a while looks very impressive lovey large leaf. Top left Autumn glory, Top right Amber ghost, B/l Sister ghost, B/R Olsens frosted As you stated they have lots of new cultivars,which one were you looking for? and i have never seen so many Hana Matoi's before dozens of them, nearly bought one but just couldn't pick one that i liked enough in form,will have another look when i go again in September. Re your potting mix must admit i tend to use peat moss, bark and no 3 and mine seem to like this alot and over the years they are all growing well.
Nice selection,the Sister Ghost looks quite unlike it's 'brothers'...a different leaf shape.Hope the Autumn Glory performs well too.Well I'm not really after anything new presently,they just showed me their new list of Japonicums but to my eyes(maybe wrongly)they all seem fairly similar.I might've been tempted with 'Sensu' if they had it but that's about it.Wouldn't mind A.S. 'Mr Sun' if that ever comes over here but am in no hurry. May I ask,what are the benefits of adding peat moss as opposed to not? I notice a few here use it..also,would you say it increases or decreases water retention if using it with bark& compost?...cheers Roebuk
Houzi..What i find are that if i use Peat moss more in my larger containers like 30ltr upward containers i find i can move them more easier due to the weight. I also drill more drainage holes in the larger containers,plus smaller ones as well now but when i come to water especially on dry days the water more or less comes straight out of the extra drainage holes,showing me thats its not been over absorbed and i am not drowning the root system,so you can say the water flows through nicley with out sitting there to long, just need to keep up with the watering system,not today though it's rained all day so far from 10am !! :) All of my ground grown trees are all planted in very heavy shale which they absolutley thrive in, it's just a trait of the area where our gardens are situated,front garden very heavy clay, back garden very shaley but ideal growing conditions for J/M. The recent grafts i bought from H/P are always in coir and perlite,which i have never really taken to, but it seems to work? In time all of those will be planted out into the current medium i use now,it's just something i have always used and always get good results from. I tend to be a happy go lucky gardener somewhat, dig a hole put it in and leave it to it's own devices,if it's come from good reliable stock/growers it will grow in anything and anywhere (within reason). Alot of the times it depends on what i have lying around, recently i had rather a lot of rose and tree compost left over, so mixed in some sieved shale, slow release fertillizer pellets and re potted 4/5 maples,and their all coming along fine at present. Will be lifting and re potting a large Viridis in the Autumn ,this will be a 100ltr bag moss peat, 30ltr bark chips, 30 ltr JI no 3 plus slow release pellets, and this should fetch this tree on nicley for the next few years.
Thanks for the reply.As weight's not an issue for me,perhaps I don't need peat moss,however if the weight's reduced I assume it's holding less water so I might try a small bag on a few plants this autumn.Seems like you're quite lucky with your soil,I wondered how you managed to plant your smallest maples straight into the garden,not sure I'd get away with it though I admit I've never tried. I've never thought of adding slow release in autumn as I assumed it'd be washed out by spring,is it still viable then?....it's great news if it is :) 160l...wow! I can understand why weight's an issue for you then.
Houzi..All i can say is it works for me.See pics of some trees which were re potted last autumn using the exact medium suggested,moss peat,barkchip,no3 plus slow release pellets.Yes it's definately lighter to carry and the water will just flood out of the pots but it has the desired effect, wether the pellets will loose all of the nutrients ? couldn't really state that as a fact, i only give my trees a feed of liquid seaweed at the begining and end of the season and nothing else. Pic 1 of a 'Momiji gawa' bought from the girls at hippo in April 2014,came in a pot with the coir and perlite medium which they use,just left till the fall then re potted, lightly root trimmed pot moved up a size and placed in the new medium. Pic 2,3,4,5 Today, good growth and excellent leaf colours with no scorching,note the colour of the bark very similar to the Bi hoo maybe not as light but very interesting colour with the red leaf, liking this one more everyday. Pic 6 'Lionheart' never touched this one for three years,just didn't seem to be growing much so again come the fall same process and the new growth this year has been great, lots more outward growth near the base and a definate more rounder dome on the top. Finally 6,7 a large 'Viridis' which was lifted last year into a 60 ltr pot same medium,and i can honestly say this years growth has been tremendous, so bushy never seen this one look as good, planted this out in 2008 it's always thrived but this year it's just been so much better in a container with new medium. Note the large pot ready for the next big' Viridis' after the fall see the pic 8 of this one that's the 160ltr medium mix one i was talking about,you can see the tree is just getting to large now and the bottom of the 'curtain' of the tree is starting to follow the contours of the ground which i don't want, cant wait to lift this one have a mobile dolly ordered which will hold 500kg where the pot will sit on top of,so i will be able to move this one easily :) These are just a few pictures of many J/M which i lifted and re potted last fall,and all are doing very well, try one tree using the peat moss bark etc and see how it works for you?
Well as they say,the proof is in the....your plants are looking so healthy Roebuk and the colours are vibrant too.Must admit I have trouble judging the watering with HPs mix,it just always feels so light.Like you I usuallychange to something I'm familiar with. I'm gonna have to re-pot again this autumn,3rd year running so really wanna get it right this time.I'll definately give the moss a go. I agree,not fond of dissectums which weep to the ground,infact I like them best when they're an irregular shape other than the usual dome. Loving that Momiji Gawa....never noticed this cultivar before.Also I've never got anything as bright red this time of year,the reds are always a disappointment turning very dark by now although this year is the best I've seen them.Will have to put MG on my list..dammit Roebuk I didn't want any new plants ha ha.
Intel, For years I battled with squirrels digging in my potted plants. Wire mesh is a simple solution. Works better than anything else I've tried. Takes a little time but very effective. Used mostly on smaller containers. seventrees
