JBP Bunjin desperation. (reading patience required)

[Mike Corazzi]

Okay, I took some pictures. Then messed with them to "try" to get some order.
Hopefully not too complicated.

Anyhow, this tree NEEDS reducing. Maybe everywhere. Almost positive that the sacrifice leader in IMG 2 has to go. It's done what I wanted. I've kept it as it was a volunteer at my last house and has managed to cling precariously to life despite my huge pine ignorance.

Please look at pix. I think I numbered them to make any comments simpler.











During insertion of pix, I may have duplicated but won't know til I post.
All comments welcome.

 

[Shibui]

The chops shown in image 2 are standard for developing pines. Provided you leave some healthy needles you should get plenty of buds growing from the remaining needles on the branch.
After allowing developing pines to grow free without pruning for a couple of years that's how I bring them back down and also get plenty of new shoots to build branching.

The other type of chop used in pines is shown in image 4 where the strong, main branch is chopped above a pair of smaller side shoots. No need to hope for new buds there. One of the side shoots grows on as the main branch, the other is kept pruned as the 1st side branch.

I don't have the spatial ability to work out where each branch starts and ends from your photos so can't offer any specific advice on which branches to get rid of and which to keep. My feeling is that you have a good handle on what's needed for this tree so just go ahead and do all the reduction pruning. I find it is easier to see what's needed without all the extra growth in the way.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

The chops shown in image 2 are standard for developing pines. Provided you leave some healthy needles you should get plenty of buds growing from the remaining needles on the branch.
After allowing developing pines to grow free without pruning for a couple of years that's how I bring them back down and also get plenty of new shoots to build branching.

The other type of chop used in pines is shown in image 4 where the strong, main branch is chopped above a pair of smaller side shoots. No need to hope for new buds there. One of the side shoots grows on as the main branch, the other is kept pruned as the 1st side branch.

I don't have the spatial ability to work out where each branch starts and ends from your photos so can't offer any specific advice on which branches to get rid of and which to keep. My feeling is that you have a good handle on what's needed for this tree so just go ahead and do all the reduction pruning. I find it is easier to see what's needed without all the extra growth in the way.

ABSOLUTELY TRUE! Photographing to capture ANY depth is something I have never been able to do.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

The chops shown in image 2 are standard for developing pines. Provided you leave some healthy needles you should get plenty of buds growing from the remaining needles on the branch.
After allowing developing pines to grow free without pruning for a couple of years that's how I bring them back down and also get plenty of new shoots to build branching.

The other type of chop used in pines is shown in image 4 where the strong, main branch is chopped above a pair of smaller side shoots. No need to hope for new buds there. One of the side shoots grows on as the main branch, the other is kept pruned as the 1st side branch.

I don't have the spatial ability to work out where each branch starts and ends from your photos so can't offer any specific advice on which branches to get rid of and which to keep. My feeling is that you have a good handle on what's needed for this tree so just go ahead and do all the reduction pruning. I find it is easier to see what's needed without all the extra growth in the way.

Ta, mate

When I posted the OP, it was tending toward much colder.
So, what does it do? Well now it's going back to 80s-90s.
Makes me wonder WHEN good time to chop will be when the temps are so unruly.

.....????

 

[Potawatomi13]

Why chopping trunk? If for trunk size not needed/desired for Literati. Taper not highly desirable. If for directional pruning is good technique. "Most" times literati have no branching/very scant branching below about 3/4 height of tree. Perhaps present low branches not needed at all but one or two could have short jin instead of live branch? Figure out eventual height of tree to decide branch to leave. Personally trim JBP any time but Winter as time allows. Have plenty cut paste handy.

 

[shohin_branches]

I would start jining branches until the tree tells me to stop

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I would start jining branches until the tree tells me to stop

Purty good suggestion. Was thinking that. So far, no guts.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Why chopping trunk? If for trunk size not needed/desired for Literati. Taper not highly desirable. If for directional pruning is good technique. "Most" times literati have no branching/very scant branching below about 3/4 height of tree. Perhaps present low branches not needed at all but one or two could have short jin instead of live branch? Figure out eventual height of tree to decide branch to leave. Personally trim JBP any time but Winter as time allows. Have plenty cut paste handy.

That's sort of an optical illusion and result of poor photography.
Those branches aren't ...really... lower branches but are the ENDS of the bent part of the trunk.
That's why I want to reduce them.
Because they DO look like lower branches.

 

[IckyGuyBonsai]

Here's my thoughts of at least one cut that seems pretty obvious and should cut down on some foliage mass

Seems to me the branch marked in red is a bar branch towards the "back" of the tree. Once removing you can bring down the shoot marked in blue to be a new back branch and it would set up your marked new leader as well.

I like your bent down trunk line, I have a pine project myself that I put a similar bend into. I'd like to see how yours progresses!

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Deed is did.

Now I wait. I like it better.



Got a bucket of branches.
Need any cuttings? Or fire starter?


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Lizzie Borden took an axe, And gave her tree forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done, She gave the thing forty-one.

 

[shohin_branches]

This looks a lot better! Nice work!