The Observatory is
the home of Al and Anne, and about three thousand trees.
We have been
growing trees since the early sixties. The first tree arrived
and lived in a margarine container on the outside kitchen
window sill. It is an oak, now 30 years old, and we are waiting for it to grow
its first acorns.
We now know a lot more about trees, and
have a wide range of well established and hardy trees, including maples, pines, zelkovas,
crab apples, field maples, larch, hawthorns, oaks, hornbeams, and many other
British trees.
Stock
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We specialise in home grown hardy trees, which we grow and
train for development into bonsai. We have experience of many native British
trees. Most of our trees have been grown
over a long period from whips. Some have also been grown from cuttings and seed.
We do not sell collected trees.
Cultivation
Trees are generally started
in dwarf pots, until they establish a good root system, and then gradually
potted on, into half or full seed trays. We don't normally wire the trees to the
pots, because with a good flat root system, they are completely stable, and
stand up to the winter elements quite satisfactorily. We do not bring any trees
in for winter protection, so our trees can be said to withstand winter
temperatures and conditions similar to those in our area. Only if temperatures
dropped to 10 degrees C below freezing, would we worry and selectively protect
pots. Temperatures below this we have not experienced, but many if not all the
trees would probably be all right for short periods.
As well as trees in pots,
we also have a program for field grown stock. We select a proportion of 2 -
3 year old trees, and transfer them to the ground for maybe 5 or 6 years.
This is certainly a good way to obtain large trunk size. These trees are
lifted and moved approximately every two years, and roots trimmed. They are
also pruned regularly and even styled whiled they are in the ground, so that
the resultant tree looks pretty good when it is finally put into a
container. If it's not ready, it goes back in the ground again. 
In theory we like to check the roots of all container grown
trees every year. In practice the warm weather just arrives too quickly, but
most trees are repotted at least every two to three years, repotting
starting any time from September on, and continuing until growth is too far
advanced in the spring. They are regularly pruned, to encourage bud back,
and those that are particularly being groomed receive more attention through
the summer to achieve ramification.
We have no hard and fast rules about feeding, frequently
changing our preferences. We do however adhere to the higher nitrogen feeds
in the spring and low or no nitrogen at the end of summer. Over the years we
have developed a preference for organic. This year we are applying calcified
seaweed to everything in sight, but as I inferred, it is a bit arbitrary. We apply a feed
to the soil when we re-pot. and use a weak foliar feed on a regular basis.
We use a fungicidal spray at leaf fall and again just before bud burst in
the spring. During the growing season we do use insecticides
and fungicides, if we think them necessary, but in moderation. We firmly believe in Superthrive, (not
available for the last year, and now run out of stock!), and used to use it on newly lifted trees, sickly trees, and in with the foliar feed on a regular basis.
