Help with my White Pine

Henna Gaijin

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Hello,

I've attached some photos of a Japanese White Pine I'm growing. The seeds were planted about 2.5 years ago. I wanted to get opinions if I should start pruning or pinching candles yet or should I let it go for another year? I don't want to pinch early, but I don't want to neglect it either.


Thank You!

White-Pine1.jpg

White-Pine2.jpg

White-Pine3.jpg

White-Pine4.jpg

White-Pine5.jpg
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
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"but I don't want to neglect it either.

At this point a little "benign neglect" is a good thing. This needs to grow unpruned and unpinched for more than five years. The point is to get girth on the trunk and primary root development. Pinching and pruning slow that process considerably.

Let it alone. Let it grow. Pines from seed are one of the longest-term bonsai projects there are. Development is measured in decades or in five year increments.
 

tanlu

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What you DO want to do is cut off the tap root(s) which grows straight down. It will ensure good nebari development for future bonsai training. Then pot it into an inorganic fast draining bonsai soil. Putting it into a colander or pond basket would be good to add that extra drainage. JWP roots are very susceptible to root rot. Since your candles are fully extended, you'll have to wait till next spring, when buds are just beginning to swell.

Other than that, don't do anything to disturb it's growth. Just fertilize like crazy until mid fall. You want as much growth as you can get out of it!

I have 4 JWP and the oldest one is about 16 years old, which I won't be pinching for another 2 years. Pinching is only for near finished trees. Yours has another decade or so to go=)
 
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Henna Gaijin

Seedling
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Any new tips?

:confused:Now 3.5 years old. Any tips?

WhitePine12012.jpg
WhitePine22012.jpg
WhitePine32012.jpg
WhitePine42012.jpg
WhitePine52012.jpg
 
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Adair M

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Fertilize heavily.

Call back next decade.
 

tanlu

Shohin
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Give it full sun, feed with good ol' fashion miracid twice the recommended dose weekly until mid July (depending on where you live). In mid-August start feeling it high potassium fert, twice the recommended dose weekly until the first signs of frost. Next spring chop off the ENTIRE tap root if you haven't done so already.
 

Harunobu

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Looks like it is growing low branches by itself. So no need to prune to get low branches. Depending on what kind of design you want, you generally want a trunk with a lot of branches. Then you grow some of them really fat to thicken up the trunk while the others stay smaller and will be used as options for the final design.

Things you do want to think about are getting movement in the trunk and reducing the tap over several repottings. Maybe digging it up and pruning the roots should be done on a 4 or 4 year basis.

Anyway, you do need to decide how tall your bonsai will be and what style it will be. Then you focus on getting the taper, trunk thickness ratio and nebari you want.
 

Henna Gaijin

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Now 5.5 years old. Any tips?

:confused:Now 5.5 years old. Any tips?:confused:
WhitePine12014.jpg

WhitePine22014.jpg

WhitePine32014.jpg

WhitePine42014.jpg
 

garywood

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Henna, have you ever decided on what size and style you are growing?
 

Henna Gaijin

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Open to suggestions! As you can see from the other replies...everyone just said to let it grow. I have a few of these, this is the largest.
 

garywood

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Henna , I'm assuming the trunks haven't been wired. Think about what is appealing to us in bonsai. Mimicking the proportions of large or older trees. There is movement and taper in the trunk with strategic branch placement and all of this needs to be proportional. That is a mouth full;) When growing; the most important thing is keeping potential problems at bay. Pines are notorious for producing whorls of branches and if you plan your tree beforehand then problem branches can be eliminated. Whatever size you are considering, this fall should be the beginning of the tree toward bonsai. WP seedlings take a long time to develop mature characteristics so plan on fall pruning every year for a "while" ;-) Have you got the roots under control yet? Have fun!

Edit: this other thread might help understanding growing.
http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?15092-New-to-Scotch-Pine&p=201483#post201483
 
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M. Frary

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Henna, I applaud your patience. I don't grow trees from seed. Could never wait that long.
 
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