JWP First Styling

[HotAction]

I bought this tree on tuesday for $18. Yesterday I took it to a workshop with Ted Matson. Great guy to work with if you ever get the chance. Our ideas with the future direction of the tree mainly coincided, and then I carried out the work. This is not only a first styling for the tree, but for me also. I could have put some more wire on it, and maybe I will. Some sacrifice braches were purposefully left unwired. Well, hope you like it, and feel free to give it to me as straight up as possible Keep in mind that Ted and I did discuss what I thought were drawbacks/faults with the tree. He gave me suggestions on how he would approach them over the next few years.

-Dave

 

[RyanFrye]

Great Start Dave!

I love JWP. I can't grow them here in sunny land.

Keep us posted on this one.

 

[HotAction]

Thanks Ryan, I'm sure I'll have some questions in the near future. Stay tuned.

-Dave

 

[HotAction]

This is my first pine tree of any sort ever, btw. What steps should I take to promote backbudding this upcoming fall and spring? Fall: pluck last years needles, spring: cut candles back?

-Dave

 

[HotAction]

So, I lifted this tree from its pot for the first time since I've owned it yesterday. It is extremely rootbound. The long ones wrap around ALOT. What approach should I take to best care for this tree? Thanks for any input.

-Dave

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

So, I lifted this tree from its pot for the first time since I've owned it yesterday. It is extremely rootbound. The long ones wrap around ALOT. What approach should I take to best care for this tree? Thanks for any input.

-Dave

Hi Dave,
I'd leave it alone and just keep an eye on the moisture level in the pot. As you know, when trees are pot-bound, they dry out quickly...good news is the roots sound abundant and healthy.

If the tree recovered from the styling workshop by producing lots of new buds at each terminal by the end of fall, you could safely repot it in early spring. If it's weak and responds by setting few buds by fall, work some new soil into the root mass with a chopstick next spring and wait until 2011 to repot.

JWP should not have top work and root work done in the same year; it's a good way to lose trees!

Just my $.02...but I've killed plenty of trees along the way, and 99% of the time I can attribute it to root-work...repotting at the wrong time, removing too little/too much soil or roots...

Best of luck, pines are great, and yours looks healthy!

 

[HotAction]

Brian, thanks for the suggestions. This tree has two small buds developing at the end of nearly every branch. Some back budding is also evident. The branches that recieved major cuts during the styling have produced buds in the center of last years needle bracts. So my question is, if the large roots wrap around the bottom of the pot 5+ times, how much root mass should I remove in spring. Should I rake it all out and remove as much soil as possible? Thanks for any suggestions.

-Dave

 

[wvbonsai]

I like the way you are going here! Changing the planting angle is going to work out nicelt. One thought, Possibly select and allow a sacrifice branch to gorw on the last trunk section before the apex, looks like some taper could be needed! Great tree though! Keep us updated

 

[HotAction]

Some of last years needle bracts have died, as well as a lone small branch. It seems to be on the lower side of the tilt. I've tugged at many of the needles, and most are still doing just fine. Is this something to be concerned about?

-Dave

 

[jjbacoomba]

Hi Dave. Nice tree. I am new to bonsai so hope my question isnt stupid.Why is the pot tilted in one of your pics? I've seen this in other pics of trees and wondered why. Is it a future angle of the tree? Thanks, Joe

 

[HotAction]

You got it, in the spring it will be repotted at this angle. plants grow toward the light, I think it is called phototropism.

-Dave

 

[Bill S]

Joe, you got it right, changing the planting angle.

In many cases you do styling work, but not necessarilly repotting, so you prop the pot so the growth adapt(grows) the way the tree will be oriented, and I am assuming the word that HA used is correct. It is using the sun to shape the branches so to speak. Although you typically will end up using wire in the long run, it sets up the new growth to blend in with the design right away. Something that needs to be watched if you practice clip and grow.

 

[HotAction]

Been awhile for this one. I removed a bunch of needles, did a bit of pruning, then wired and shaped what was left. Oh, I did a little carving too.

Dave