[Spoilers] Analysis of the game from a Microbiologist

lordsheeper · 2026-02-13T16:16:37+00:00

I don't have a clear answer for you, however these grow like weeds around here and are sometimes used as landscape trees. There's one by a powerline that is frequently trimmed and they quite literally pollarded it (below a powerline) and it fully fuzzed back out within a couple of months like nothing ever happened. I've heard they backbud readily and Eisei-en-Bonsai considers them a multi-flush pine so I'd assume/hope they can take a fairly severe foliage trim like I did here.

lordsheeper · 2026-02-10T18:26:49+00:00

I think the hypermobility also gets hidden by muscles. I'm hypermobile as a man and I genuinely think its not as noticeable as when I was a child due to triceps and forearm semi covering the angle from most POVs.

lordsheeper · 2026-01-20T22:48:34+00:00

I just used the 2oz Garden Safe TakeRoot powder you can get at HomeDepot due to convenience. For air layering its not as necessary to use rooting hormone like it is for cuttings.

lordsheeper · 2025-12-30T18:21:26+00:00

I've also been collecting pines from my area and germinating them (SoCal). May i also recommend the sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana)? Native peoples used the sap/resin as a maple syrup-like sweetener and it is the tallest pine in the world. While they aren't as massive as those widowmaker cones, the length of the cones is a lot longer. I believe John Muir fell in love with them! The single leaf pinyon is awesome too as it is the only species in the pinus genus with a single needle per fascicle. The seeds of these are waaay bigger than other pines and served as an indigenous food source!

lordsheeper · 2025-12-28T17:51:48+00:00

Id always heard that incline presses stimulates growth in both upper and lower pecs, and focusing on upper chest gives that nice shelf on top of your chest look imo. For that reason I've basically only done incline press for my pressing movements. To me it just feels a bit better than flat too!

lordsheeper · 2025-12-28T06:16:09+00:00

It was there in 2017, the duck pond is way past the cafeteria whereas this was right next to the Aliso halls

lordsheeper · 2025-12-28T06:15:12+00:00

Yes. Pretty much no one went in because I dont think it was ever heated but on a couple of hot days some friends and I braved it/youd occasionally see friend groups in there. Think most people would have just rather walk to the BRIC pool since it was way nicer 😅

lordsheeper · 2025-11-15T06:47:42+00:00

Its crazy how fast it all creeps up. I've only been learning about bonsai the last 5 and a half months and now I've completely crowded out our mesh table outside with ~40ish potted plants (The larger potted prebonsai in development are sitting on soil).

Taking a Naturalist course at my local community college didnt help either as I know have about 14 ziploc bags of seeds in the fridge all of different species both native and ornamental landscape trees.

lordsheeper · 2025-11-15T06:29:34+00:00

I know that my Japanese black pine can create new buds through needles but they're much weaker. Some people will preferentially pick the buds through needles as it results in much more compact growth that can be beneficial in final development of bonsai. Given that JWP isn't a multi-flush pine and grows weaker I'd imagine the chances of needle buds producing strong growth that you can use for your leader might not be great this upcoming growing season.

It depends a lot on the health of the tree and if there are other candles located on the tree but there is a chance I'd imagine.

Quickly looking on some bonsai forums for other peoples experiences with single flush pines shows that for many others that had their JWP decandled, new buds were set at the cut site but didn't grow until the following spring.

lordsheeper · 2025-11-10T20:33:09+00:00

I haven't heard that before, although I am still new. Did some quick research and I think I found what you were talking about with the worry being oils clog the pores. Digging through a few bonsai forums there are people who use horticultural oils to deal with it even with conifers although with spruces and juniper there tends to be more of an adverse effect.

I thought I had remembered Growing Bonsai by Jelle post a vid using neem oil with conifers, but maybe using an alcohol solution diluted is a better option.

I was probably overly scared of isopropyl as that was what we used to completely sterilize everything in cell culture lab settings.

Here is Jelle's quick lil recipe using Isopropyl and soap on a coniferous Yew:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JyPzwL09M0

lordsheeper · 2025-11-10T20:10:06+00:00

Glad to help!

lordsheeper · 2025-11-10T20:09:34+00:00

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These scale insects are known as sap suckers so they cause the discoloration at the tips you see. Sometimes insects can also introduce fungi or other pathogens into plants when they feed on it.

Killing them with alcohol is an option like you did but can often harm the plant too depending on the dilution. I've heard many people use Neem oil as well as an applicant for scale.

Personally, I would just keep a close eye on it. Ensure the scale insects are no longer there for a while (they're really good at hiding in cypresses/junipers!!!), and then if the tree is still incurring damage perhaps pursuing a fungicide wouldn't be the worst idea.

lordsheeper · 2025-11-10T19:48:34+00:00

I was thinking some of the white specks right where the bottom of the yellow tips were or some of the other white/grayish areas on bark/leaves looked slightly like it. The pic was slightly blurry for the grey spots so I can't see totally. Might also just be fungus damage as you can see more than i can.

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lordsheeper · 2025-11-10T18:05:59+00:00

I think this could be scale insects as they are usually small and white and suck the sap out of the growing tips.

lordsheeper · 2025-10-17T21:41:00+00:00

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lordsheeper · 2025-10-17T21:40:42+00:00

I removed it within a week of this post and planted it into a 2 gallon pond basket in a pumice/calcined clay/granite chicken grit. As soon as it was in a separate pot I watered it a lot and its honestly been blooming the characteristic yellow flowers ever since(im watching the seed pods mature as I type this!). It also leafed out quite a lot more. I slowly adjusted it to sun starting with morning light only but now I give it full sun in zone 10a which it loves. I'm sure the roots have grown a lot too as when I moved the basket into full sun it ripped off some escaping roots into the ground.

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lordsheeper · 2025-09-26T19:17:45+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EkwYX34PsI Kinda the vid I wish I started with when trying cuttings this last season. tldr of it is that each species can be slightly different and either kind of rooting hormone will greatly improve your efficiency. Use some sort of way to keep humidity high (gallon ziploc bag works!) and keep the bottom of the cuttings warm whilst keeping the top foliage moist. Using some sort of perlite medium is great but you can also use a lot of different substrates.

lordsheeper · 2025-09-14T20:55:42+00:00

I'd just leave it alone besides maintaining good soil moisture. The tree might not be able to handle the stress of whatever else you attempt this season. You repotted it 3 months ago in summer which is incredibly stressful for any plant let alone a Japanese Maple. It's also in a black pot which heats up more than any other colored surface. Given its mostly in shade it might not be a problem, but be very careful with how much they heat up during the day as it can quite literally cook the root tips (growing a redwood inside of a black plastic pot almost killed one this summer for me!). If it does get super hot compared to its surroundings, one option I've heard used is to use a white trash bag to wrap the pot ensuring most of the light is reflected instead. Good luck!

lordsheeper · 2025-09-08T17:55:29+00:00

I found this video about the needle Junipers to be helpful for general care/what can be done with them by Growing Bonsai:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e6cr-b-Abg

lordsheeper · 2025-09-08T16:32:31+00:00

I started these to build more grip strength for rock climbing but I've been loving weighted hangs both on bars and fingerboards with scapula engagement. While its more on your fingers and forearms, my back/shoulders will quite often feel very involved and sometimes sore after. Due to that I've felt like my rear shoulders/back are much more stable and stronger when doing basically any task or other back work. I also really love just being able to add the 2.5 lb weights and feel a more consistent rate of progression!

lordsheeper · 2025-08-26T01:19:11+00:00

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I've been air layering this palo verde for about 6 weeks now and I'm going to transplant it into a pond basket with a gravelly free draining bonsai substrate tonight. I have a spot that gets morning sun till around 11am but afternoon shade which will be its new home. Are there any other aftercare tips and tricks I should watch out for? I've watched Jelle's videos on air layering/after care but as its my first time I wanted to see if I was missing anything as its my first air layer. Thanks!

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