#BonsaiNews: The Juniper communis is comparable to God's waiting room
THE germination report on the Juniper communis took some time - this has to be one of the most time-consuming species I've had to work with for along time.
(IMAGE SOURCE: YouTube)
The seeds of a Juniper communis are known to be extremely difficult to germinate let alone grow.
It could literally take months to break through the seed's deep dormancy and thus, it requires multiple cycles of cold and warm pre-treatment so as to ensure that germination is successful.
To commence pre-treatment, first soak the seeds for at least 24-hours in warm water - but do take note, that does not mean boiling water. Allow the seeds to cool down and once the times up, drain off as much water as possible.
Use this time to prepare a free draining substrate - this can be made up of a half and half mix of compost and perlite. (Vermiculite or sharp sand is fine as well, as opposed to perlite).
Ensure that the mixture is moist however it should not be overly moist so that water can be squeezed from it - add your seeds to the mix and ensure that there is ample material so as to keep the seeds separated.
Add the mixture to a bag which can be loosely tied so as to allow for ventilation and store the seeds in a warm area of at least 20 degrees Celsius - foreigners, that would be approximately 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The seeds will remain there for up to 12 weeks.
Ensure that the mixture remains moist during this time and only once the warm treatment period ends should the bag be moved to the fridge so that the cooling treatment may commence - this too, is for 12 weeks.
Once the seeds have completed this cycle (during which it is possible that they may germinate), carefully remove them from the bag and continue to sow them onto the surface of the potting compost - decent drainage is a must!
Use vermiculite or fine compost to cover the seeds and water gently thereafter.
Now, move your pot/s to a shaded area away from direct sunlight - should the seeds not have germinated during the cooling period they ought to within a few weeks after sowing.
Ensure that the ground remains well watered.
In about three years, the baby Juniper communis is ready to be planted in their permanent spot.
Three years!? No wonder I couldn't germinate the seeds a friend gave me last summer. They'll probably be sitting in their pot for two more winters before they finally rot or germinate if I'm lucky.
Three years is when they should be grown somewhat - safe to plant out in my opinion. Germination has taken nowhere near that long. I know the guy at our nursery has waited as long as just over a year, but not that long.
That is way to long for me. I would rather buy nursery stock and style trees that way. If you use this method my grand kids will see the results of my hard work.
Isn't that the purpose of a bonsai? For it to become a generational thing? Why would you want to give your child a gift someone else made? And he or she to their child? If bonsai can live up to 1000 years just imagine that 'family tree'.
That’s true but where is the joy in that for you. Don’t get ne wrong I want my grandchildren to receive the art I left behind. I want to see the beautiful works of art before me and pass that on I do not want to pass on half finished bonsai as the next generation might not be into bonsai. So I would rather give them something they need to maintain. Shaping a bonsai is not everyones cup of tea ☕️
I believe that happiness stems from the happiness you inspire in others. And I don't mean that on a people pleaser level. But I do understand where you are coming from - I suppose right now my happiness comes from knowing that years of research has paid off and that my seeds are growing.
All good