About a month ago I received three 6-8 year old Japanese Black Pines, and at the time I didn't have
my regular Ed & Randall's Premium fast draining soil so I had to put them in regular bonsai soil. It
seems this regular soil stays wet for days and one of my trees is turning yellow. I'm trying to keep
them a little on the dry side. My question is should I, this late in the season, get them out of the
regular bonsai soil and put them in fast draining soil or should I keep them in the regular soil and try
to keep them as best as I can and hope they make it until spring? Thanks for any and all help. I've
also read in some places that Black Pines like it a little on the wet side and I've read they like it a little
on the dry side. Any insight in that too would be appreciated.

Gary R. Huff
bonsai student since 2004
Virginia/Zone 7a

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If the pine has yellow needles it is not healthy. I would repot now. You are
at great risk of losing it either way, but I think repotting has the best
chance for you.

Billy on the Florida Space Coast

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Gary,

First of all, you should determine if the yellowing you see isn't just
normal needle shedding. Your black pines will shed their three year old
needles each year. However, if all the needles on the tree are yellowing
you have a problem.

It does sound like you are keeping the trees too wet, and it may not be a
bad idea to repot them now into a fast draining mix. Japanese Black pines
do like a lot of water, but they must also have free draining soil -- they
don't like to stay wet.

If you repot now I would try to remove the poor soil as much as possible,
but I wouldn't do any trimming on the roots unless you detect rotted roots,
then you should trim back the rotten sections until you see white cores.

You should probably give these trees some extra protection this winter.

Regards,
Roger Snipes
Spokane, WA. Zone 5-ish


----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary Huff" <holycowdesign [at] MAC.COM>
To: <BONSAI [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2005 6:48 AM
Subject: [IBC] Black Pine & Soil


> About a month ago I received three 6-8 year old Japanese Black Pines, and
> at the time I didn't have
> my regular Ed & Randall's Premium fast draining soil so I had to put them
> in regular bonsai soil. It
> seems this regular soil stays wet for days and one of my trees is turning
> yellow. I'm trying to keep
> them a little on the dry side. My question is should I, this late in the
> season, get them out of the
> regular bonsai soil and put them in fast draining soil or should I keep
> them in the regular soil and try
> to keep them as best as I can and hope they make it until spring? Thanks
> for any and all help. I've
> also read in some places that Black Pines like it a little on the wet side
> and I've read they like it a little
> on the dry side. Any insight in that too would be appreciated.
>
> Gary R. Huff
> bonsai student since 2004
> Virginia/Zone 7a
>
> ************************************************************ ********************
> ++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
> ************************************************************ ********************
>>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
> +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++
>

************************************************************ ********************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
************************************************************ ********************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

Gary:

Repot the tree. Yellowing is almost always a sign of too much water. If it is allowed to remain in excessively wet soil, it will most likely develop root rot.

After repotting at this late time in the season, simply do not allow the root pad to freeze. When temperatures drop below 33-degrees F., move the tree into a cold garage.

If you can apply liquid Roots, you will be able to accelerate root development and minimize transplant shock.

Good luck,

Michael Persiano
http://members.aol.com/iasnob
Michael Persiano Bonsai Studio
Advancing the Contemporary and Tradtional in American Bonsai Art


-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Huff <holycowdesign [at] MAC.COM>
To: BONSAI [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
Sent: Sat, 22 Oct 2005 09:48:11 -0400
Subject: [IBC] Black Pine & Soil


About a month ago I received three 6-8 year old Japanese Black Pines, and at the
time I didn't have
my regular Ed & Randall's Premium fast draining soil so I had to put them in
regular bonsai soil. It
seems this regular soil stays wet for days and one of my trees is turning
yellow. I'm trying to keep
them a little on the dry side. My question is should I, this late in the season,
get them out of the
regular bonsai soil and put them in fast draining soil or should I keep them in
the regular soil and try
to keep them as best as I can and hope they make it until spring? Thanks for any
and all help. I've
also read in some places that Black Pines like it a little on the wet side and
I've read they like it a little
on the dry side. Any insight in that too would be appreciated.

Gary R. Huff
bonsai student since 2004
Virginia/Zone 7a

************************************************************ ********************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
************************************************************ ********************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

************************************************************ ********************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Romano++++
************************************************************ ********************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST [at] HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++