Weekend Update 06/23/19

I bought an Acer shira 'Aureum' Golden Full Moon Maple from Peninsula Nursery on Saturday for the express purpose of doing some air layers on it. I did a write up on the process and included some pictures. The tree itself is kinda stressed looking, but nothing that I can't fix.

I haven't seen anything from any of the seeds I planted. I opened up the Ficus religiosa seeds and looked very carefully. I might have seen the beginnings of a seed or two sprouting. Or it might have just been wishful thinking on my part. *Shrug* Either way, I decided to hedge my bet on these guys and I planted some of the remaining seeds in a cut off bottom of a 2 liter bottle (left over from my neagari azalea project) filled with some sphagnum moss. This was small enough to fit inside a sandwich bag, so I zipped it up and put it inside by the kitchen window. Maybe if this works, I'll try doing it again. 

Somewhere along the way, I planted some apple seeds in a 4 inch pot. Nothing special, just some seeds from an apple I was eating last week. I'm pretty much ignoring these seeds and leaving them alone. 

My  neagari azalea project: I noticed the beginning of buds. I was concerned that I was a bit rough, or too zealous in their severe pruning. Maybe I was, time will judge me. But for now it seems that the azaleas are budding. Perhaps just to spite me?

No sign of life from the dwarf rhododendron. No buds, no start of buds. This is exactly how it was the first time I tried it a few years back, so no surprise there. 

The first azalea cuttings aren't looking so good. I suspect that's because I'm giving them too much light. Fuck it, I don't have a lot of shade. Either they'll make it or they won't. Right now looks like they wont. The second azalea cuttings are losing some leaves, but they're actually looking a little better. Believe it or not, I still have some cuttings soaking in water. If I'm not feeling too lazy, I might plant those cuttings today. Probably not though, as I still have to wash and detail my car.

The scheffleras and my one single ficus cutting are continuing to do well. I forgot when I moved them outside, early in May... either way, they'll be spending the summer and first part of autumn outside on my front porch. I'm keeping them on the bench that Aaron made me a few years back. 

The tropicals on the porch get watered 2-3 times a week, I've been lightly watering the rest of my trees daily. Mostly because of the strawberries and the cuttings. But I figure a light daily watering can't hurt. Except that excess watering can leach out nutrients out of the soil. So once a week, I've been applying Miracle Grow to everything but the cuttings and seeds. I'm trying to establish a daily routine, where I water my trees mostly daily. This is to try to counter my old nemesis - the summer heat in late July and August. If things start to get hot, I'll buy some shade cloth. I just added a 12x6 shade cloth to my shopping cart on Amazon; I might buy it later.  I still have my old shade cloth, but I'm not gonna pull out that beast! 

Doing some research, I've noticed that some bonsai guys out there are using more or less the same thing I use for bonsai soil. But instead of kitty litter, they're using Turface. I've never heard of it before, I'll have to look into it.  

That's really all I have for now.