JBP restyle

I had this one about two years and barely did any pruning a little light wiring on the branch I kept last year... There was a little tag that told me the variety so I wouldn't forget it, but of course I removed it during restyle yesterday and immediately LOST it... Oh well. It is a Japanese black Pine. I like it. I felt it had some potential when I bought it, and I think it took a dramatic step forward yesterday! Looking forward to the future of this tree. It is hard to see from the pics, but what I removed I cut back to tiny little buds that were popping off the trunk or much lower on the branches... I think I will repot next spring, see how it does from there. Most of the growth removed was from this growing season.

Cute little dude.

I love the hot steam coming of it in the first pic's

Cypress187 said:

I love the hot steam coming of it in the first pic's

Click to expand...

That is funny, it does look like steam! I had a busted bulb in my lighting set up, so the image came out a little flat... That is just light reflecting off the backdrop.

Eric Group said:

That is just light reflecting off the backdrop

Click to expand...

But how do you keep the humidity so high it is steaming?

I think it headed in the right direction.

Sorce

I found the tag for this one: "Sanshu" is the type of JBP it is. Anybody familiar with these? I have found very little about it in my google searches. I mean, it is a JBP, so I am just treating it as I would any other, just curious if there are any traits of this particular cultivar that are positive or negative for Bonsai cultivation. It does seem to bark up rather fast... Not "cork-like", just gets mature looking bark for what is a pretty young tree relatively speaking.. Long needles when I let it run... I might be able to take some better pics today- fixed the busted light in the front right of my set up.

What's the plan? No apex?

Brian Van Fleet said:

What's the plan? No apex?

Click to expand...

The apex will be grown from some of the buds/ small emerging branches along the top branch there. Right at the base of where it comes off the old trunk chop there are multiple buds and a few very small branches developing. I cut it back so hard this Summer to encourage them to grow by redirecting some of that growth hormone and giving them more lite.... By this time next year they should be much taller/ more pronounced-already see some swelling and new buds popping. I took a few pics today with better light and some close ups of the developing buds. Overall though, the plan is to keep it not much taller than this, and develop it as a compact tree. What I cannot decide on yet is if that long top branch will be kept as part of the final design (kind of like the Juniper branches Neli talks about that are bent to serve as both the primary branch and Apex) or shortened to one of the new buds emerging and trained to cut back the other way as it comes up. I will have to see what the tree does after this cut back before I decide.

The smart "plan" though would probably be to take it with me if I get to see Kathy next Spring and ask her what she thinks...

Let me get my new pics posted and maybe you can tell me what you would do Brian. I would be interested in your opinion.
Thanks!

Some better/brighter images. Please let me know what you think.

These show some of the new buds I am planning to use as the future branches/apex:

This angle might better illustrate the direction I have in mind:
Comparing the white vs black background.. it seems some trees show up better against white, like this Juniper for instance. Hard to see the trunkline againt black:

Easier against White:
The Pine- IMO- looks better against Black:
Looks too thin against a white... not that this is a finished tree by any stretch..

Eric Group said:

The Pine- IMO- looks better against Black:

Click to expand...

Well, they call it a black pine for a reason. I would proceed with one of the buds on the right. Forming an acute angle and creating a shorter tree.

Little update after the new buds filled in. Next year it might get a good pot. (Some "sticky Icky Icky"!!! JK )

Kathy Shaner is in town today and tomorrow! She thought it needed that branch to go up... Looks better...

I think it would benefit from a colander! And bury the roots in the soil a little deeper.

Damn!

Nice growth!

Sorce

It doesn't take long for those little buds to turn into a nice branching system.

Adair M said:

I think it would benefit from a colander! And bury the roots in the soil a little deeper.

Click to expand...

This tree is definitely on the right path. Especially if you take Adair's suggestion to put it in a colander.

october said:

This tree is definitely on the right path. Especially if you take Adair's suggestion to put it in a colander.

Click to expand...

I have not repotted it since I got it about 3 years ago, but it may get repotted today! I do plan to bury those roots when I do it.

Eric Group said:

Kathy Shaner is in town today and tomorrow! She thought it needed that branch to go up... Looks better... View attachment 99392 View attachment 99393 View attachment 99394

View attachment 99395 View attachment 99396

Click to expand...

Another garden walk update..
This old Black pine… I Did move it to a colander eventually, and let it grow roots out through the bottom. It got big FAST! Just cut the sacrifice last year, repotted this year to remove it from the ground..