Hi guys, I'm planning to grow bonsai from seed and then to field grow them to obtain the desirable thick trunk and nebari. I live in the U.K. Which has a fairly wet climate, and during the winter the temp can drop to -7 on occasion. I'm hoping to grow pines (black, red and white) and in particular Chinese juniper. So my question is, is it possible to field grow Chinese juniper and black pine (for example) in my climate, and if so, any pointers?

ALF wrote:

Hi guys, I'm planning to grow bonsai from seed and then to field grow them to obtain the desirable thick trunk and nebari. I live in the U.K. Which has a fairly wet climate, and during the winter the temp can drop to -7 on occasion. I'm hoping to grow pines (black, red and white) and in particular Chinese juniper. So my question is, is it possible to field grow Chinese juniper and black pine (for example) in my climate, and if so, any pointers?

I'm growing black pines. They are in their fifth year, still too smal to plant in the field (well, probably it's possible, but I would have to protect them). I'm growing them in pots, repotting them yearly into larger pots. They may be pre-bonsai in about 10 years from now.

I've got one white pine, seeded at the same time (the only one that survived from 8 ). It is still as small as the black ones were 3 years ago.

Junipers I haven't tried.

Growing bonsai, especially pines, from seed is a VERY long journey.

Thanks, Ye that's fine. I'm planning to grow them as a pension, so I'll basically plant a batch every year, then in 20 years I'll hopefully have a batch of 80-100 saleable bonsai every year for 20 years, so the time isn't as much a concern as if it's possible to grow them successfully in the U.K. But it's encouraging that u r having some success growing the black and white pines from seed, so that's good news.

Yes it is posible, but you might consider native species, Hawthorn, Hornbeam, Beech Scots Pine etc.

Unless you are experienced in growing bonsai, you probably not have sellable trees. Only very few people are skilled enough to create decent prebonsai material from seed and cutting.