First Time Styling Prime Field Grown Stock

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I had the privilege to choose from several beautiful Mikawa Black Pines that have been grown for about 10 years in the ground and are about 12 years old. This was my first time doing anything like this and I struck gold! (at least I think I did).
This is also my first post here so I apologize for any improper etiquette. I'm going to try to attach one or two photographs with the "out of the ground" before and into an Anderson Pot "after".

Please give me your honest opinion on what you think about this stock and where you believe it can go. I have about five years of experience working with Bonsai but it's been a mostly self-taught five years with nearly finished materials. This is the closest I've gotten to stock. Later this year I am planning to go collecting for the first time but that will be a different post :)

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Thomas J.

Chumono
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The movement of the trunk is fantastic, but that's where it ends sad to say. Even though this tree was in the ground, it should of had some work done to the branches during that time also in the way of wiring to shape. Right now all you have are straight branches poking out and up. Hopefully maybe in time you can get some back budding closer to the trunk now that you opened it up and are letting light in to the interior. One other thing, did you just do this work real recently, because it should have been done more in December, and at that time you would have also did your needle pulling to help balance the tree. At this time you should be getting new buds pushing out.

All the best with your pine bonsai.;)
If you have any questions, ask away.:cool:
 
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Thanks for the reply!

I did this work very recently. The people that hosted us have done similar work this time of the year with Black Pines in the same area and things turned out fine. As usual time will tell...
I also have the same concern as you regarding the branches and apex. Apparently Mikawa pines are know for back budding so we'll see how that goes in the next several years. Two questions I have:

What kind of work do I do to it this year? Keep things under control and only do some needle pulling? How about selecting back buds?

I guess that makes it for three questions... :)
 

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
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Nice base and trunk line. You won't need to do any needle pulling just yet, the focus of the next couple years needs to be getting it to back bud, looks like a lot of decent interior shoots may have been pruned away and you're left with some long bare spaces between the trunk and the foliage. Back budding can be achieved in several different ways, do some homework...then pick one and follow it all the way through a few seasons...don't try parts of several different techniques.
 

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
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...and don't forget to pump the tree up with lots of fertilizer to get it/keep it strong to help with the backbudding. A strong, well fed JBP can throw adventitious bud on wood at least 2-3 years old, and perhaps older. Good luck with the tree...it will be a good one in time.

Dave
 
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Awesome!
I like the idea of picking one technique and sticking to it.
This will be a fun project
 
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