This year I did not plant any seeds. I have a lot of yearlings that need to be transplanted and decided plant next year. This year there are > 100 little trees to transplant. Some Sugar Maple, some Amur and Fire Amur Maple, some Javanese Red Pine. The pines I have already done, managed to have ~20 survive.
Many of the already potted ones are in this rodent proof cage. Along the front are a bunch of bonsai. Some of them are really good looking but then need to be separated and the White Pine need to be more filled out with this years growth.
I have already repotted the Cherry trees from last fall, of the 50 I received about 36 made it and are in these pots for 2 years. After which I sell them. They are special breeds intended for northern climates. I had not had them in a protective cage and some rodents got to the first ones I trans planted, taking of most of the new leaf ...
The Blue Spruce I got from my mother a few years ago are nearly ready for sale, I think next year will be the year for them to go. ~45 of them brings in a nice little profit for the effort of letting them sit there.
Some Red Pine and White Pine in the fore ground should be ready next year as well. As you can see I fight everything around me ...
A bunch of Tamarack, one of my faves.
The surviving Haskap, the rodents got into my screened area and killed off several, and chewed the bark of most of them, I am happy so many made it. I think there are about 30 in that group.
Here is the Haskap test plot. All the varieties available are planted here. Some do better in hot climates, and where I am is considered hot for these plants. I am zone 4a and they like a zone 2-3, the latest breeds to come out are more warm weather and slightly later flowering. I am already racing the birds for the berries. These are 3-4 years old and will be in full production around year 7.
And a close up of the berries ... The later fruiting version is still very green and I will post up a picture once they ripen, they are very big.
That is all I got for now. I still have many trees to transplant and will post up some of the action. I am actually on vacation so that I can do this. I hope I get enough non rain days. This year is nice and consistent for rain, everything is growing like crazy.
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I didn't recognize the haskap until I saw the picture of the unripe berries. I think I found out about those when I was researching new and exotic perennials I could potentially cultivate. I cannot remember if it was one of the ones I was really considering to get or not...
So many bonsai trees! How do you manage so many? I'm trying to clone some of mine before I transplant/work on them. I wouldn't want to accidentally lose one of the unique trees in my collection!
There is only a problem when it is very dry. This year has been nice and consistent for rain. This makes the upkeep almost nothing. Most of the trees I have are newly planted and some make it and some do not. I start looking at what I want to do with them once they are actually going to grow. All of the Javanese Red Pine were transplanted this year and there will be a few that do not make it. They will just sit in a group and if watering is needed, they all get it at once. The nice thing about pine is that it does not mind a little dryness. The White Pine are native to my area and they are really quite tough. Under stress they grow very thick and short needles, it makes them look pretty cool.
The biggest issue is keeping pots from over heating. Putting them in the ground, you get roots growing out the bottom and if you don't disturb them regular, they attack to the earth. Having the pots above ground, the sun heats up the plastic and bakes the roots. I have a couple Amur Maple that have grown out of their pots, I will do a picture documentation of me getting it out and cutting it back. This is one I have sort of let go to let it get better in the main trunk. Amur Maple is very tough.
Currently now after 8+ years doing this, I am in the black, all the cash I spent has come back and then some. People like trees, and they are easy to sell as a hobby. I grew mass Tamarack and sold them for $3 each one guy bought like 30 of them for a grouping bonsai they wanted to do. I did a couple bonsai myself with a couple of the Tamarack. Will post up some pics once I get a chance to do the pruning and this years wiring on them. Yeah spring is very busy for me.
That's a pretty neat side hustle you've got going there. Perhaps I'm the future I would want to do this. Be sure to tag me when you post up those bonsai pictures!