A friend's White Pine

johng

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Hello Bonsai Nuts:)

This is my first post of a tree on this forum.

A close friend recently acquired this tree and allowed me to work on it for him. I spent about 8 hours wiring and pruning over the course of a couple of days. I would be interested in your comments.

Thanks,
John

Before Pic
P1040092.JPG


and after the wiring...
P1040173.JPG
 

Bill S

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A friends huh, suuuure it is ;)

Definate improvement, I would like to see a bit more dip and rise in the firs branch to help the aged look, so it more matches the younger branch above it. Some ramification improvements and it will be a beauty.
 

Tachigi

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Do you know what cultivar of white pine? This tree appears to be growing on its own roots, can you confirm this?
 

Bonsai Nut

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Great tree and great work so far. My only comments are minor things. First, I lose the trunk about 2/3rds of the way up the tree where it bends to the right. I think you would want to clean up and reduce the foilage on the left side of the tree right there, so there is a clean break between the foilage pads of the branches and you don't have a conflicting apex (I hope this makes sense). Second, the planting location in the pot needs to be much further to the left (though that is something not directly related to your pruning and styling work).
 

johng

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Hey guys... Thanks for the comments

This tree is grafted but it is difficult to see..the graft is just below the first branch to the right.

Since this tree really is a friend's I didn't want to go to far with pruning of branches, but I completely agree that the upper left side is very confusing...the trunk makes an ugly 90 degree turn to the right. The primary branches on the right need to be thinned as well as there will be some shading if they are left in there current positions.
After the owner has a chance to see it I am quite sure there will be some pruning done:)

As to the potting this tree is in terrible need of repotting... The roots have lifted the tree several inches above where I would like to see it... I also notices a large cavity in the roots when viewed from the drainage holes in the pot (I think the is a situation that my require immediate attention). I completely changed the angle of the trunk and therefore a new placement in the pot is needed. I only offered to wire this tree...I will let the owner do his own repotting.

This tree has not been chased back in a number of years, therefore the foliage is much to far from the trunk...one of my objectives was to just get it opened up so that next spring and summer some back budding can be encouraged.

Thank you for your considerations of my work...I do appreciate the input.
John
 

Martin Sweeney

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Johng,

Do you do this for all your friends?

I get the feel of a pine growing in the southeast, rather than in a more extreme environment, when I look at your work on this tree. Don't know if that is what you are going for, but I hope so. I hope your involvement with this tree will continue and you will be able to show us updates after more work is done.

Regards,
Martin
 

johng

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friends

Hey Martin... To answer your question, Yes. I would probably wire a tree for any of my friends...certainly would for you (but I have a feeling that would be taking all the fun out of it for you:)). I enjoy the transformation part of bonsai as much as anything else.
Here is another pic... This is a Scott's pine...This tree was also a friend's but he was kind enough to let me take it off his hands:). I think he may have had second thoughts after he saw it wired:)
John

before wiring
P1020901.JPG


and after....
P1030335.JPG
 

Bonsai Nut

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Another great job. In its current state, I like the 2nd tree much better :) You should have taken the "before" photo before you jinned the one branch and we could have seen that nasty bar :) The proper pot and planting angle/position helps alot!
 
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