Oak progress

This is my first Oak - discovered coming up amongst the tomato plants in the vegetable patch about 6 years ago - the work of a forgetful squirrel.

The next 4 Oaks are growing in containers out back - also from acorns. Nice little trunks on them already. I think i shall try for larger containers for them this year.

I think the warm March got it going a little early and a few late frosts really hurt it. I became concerned and brought it in under glass to help it out a little as we have had a few -4 ( friday 4 april  according to a local weather station ) nights lately. Under the more comfortable circumstance it has begun growing energetically.

I have done some light wiring - but they new shoots are very delicate and the leaves are brittle and will crack and break easily. I find the Oak is a bit easier to wire when its hardened off a little.

I have some black slime growing on the soil surface ( i call it pot snot ) so i will remove some of the top layer. There is also a lot of moss and it makes it hard to water.

This oak is rather pot bound now. The roots and soil are quite rot free so they will have to soldier on for another year. The soil mix is finely graded Akadama and fuji grit - and the Oak has loved it. The Oak is subjectively easier to grow than pines and is more tolerant of watering and fertilizer.


Here is the little Oak today. Once mother nature gives the signal it is one of the fastest growing trees i have ever seen.

There are probably 10 times as many growth points this year. I am hoping that this first flush of leaves will be smaller than last years.

A lot of wire is going to be used to tame this one.

Design Time

This little Field Maple is an early starter this year. Its really roaring ahead.

But what to do with it?

I though i would try out an informal upright style. Ive even found a nice little pot for it. Now all i need is a quiet decade to grow it - well 3 years and it will look pretty. I enjoy growing the plants from seedlings or nursery material - its a mode deliberate process of design and growing. Unlike finding the shape in a yamadori you have to grow the plant into a vision in your head.

Il repot it later into a batch of my homemade soil. Need a nice big batch of soil as im going to try to start off some acorns as well.



I though back to this little fig i grew many years ( 2002 ) ago for inspiration. The poor fig had been through some hard times and wasn't in great shape - but i was very fond of it.

Spring Buds

The first spring buds are starting to swell on the Field Maples and the Japanese Maples are bleeding through some sealed wounds. 

Note the cat fur on the poor little field maple. My cat loves gardening. Sometimes she's a little too enthusiastic though. Here's a picture of her pruning a maple for me. Very kind.

Time to start work on the repotting.

Note to cat. Akadama isnt kitty litter.