Korean Black Pine in training.

bonhe · Jul 26, 2020

To get ramifications faster, I have been using partial pruning of Spring shoot. I occasionally prune down to the previous year branch. It can produce the new shoots on every needle bundles left in pruning. So far, the best time to do that is mid June to early July in my area.
This one was partial pruned back to last year growth about one month ago. Now it has a lot of buds coming out .

The buds coming out even at the.base of the branches

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bonhe · Aug 2, 2020

This tree received the partial and total Spring shoot pruning about 5 weeks ago. This morning it has a lot of summer buds emerging from all over the branches. Some branches have about 6-9 buds.

This one had partial spring shoot pruning. Now there are summer buds coming out from every needle bundle left

But one bud emerges from the area out of needle bundle ! The bud from the needle bundle is in the yellow circle; the bud from no
What are your thinking ? What is a lesson ?

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Lynn E · Aug 2, 2020

Thank you for this amazing thread
Lynn

bonhe · Aug 2, 2020

Lynn E said:
Thank you for this amazing thread
Lynn

You are very welcome Lynn. I am glad you like it.
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bonhe · Aug 9, 2020

This tree was pruned on 6/24/2020. It has a lot of summer shoots at this time.

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bonhe · Nov 19, 2020

This time of the year, I work on black pine: removing the old needles, and unnecessary summer shoots
Before

after

before

after

root over rock

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bonhe · May 1, 2021

This one has a lot of Spring shoots at this time.

A lot of long necks !

To let the trunk line more interesting, I will remove the lowest branch. Let see. One of secondary branches was removed

whole branch was removed

I will do this task soon!
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bonhe · Jun 15, 2021

bonhe said:
This tree received the partial and total Spring shoot pruning about 5 weeks ago. This morning it has a lot of summer buds emerging from all over the branches. Some branches have about 6-9 buds.
View attachment 320374 View attachment 320372 View attachment 320377

This one had partial spring shoot pruning. Now there are summer buds coming out from every needle bundle left
View attachment 320373 View attachment 320375
But one bud emerges from the area out of needle bundle ! The bud from the needle bundle is in the yellow circle; the bud from no
What are your thinking ? What is a lesson ?
View attachment 320376

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I worked on this tree yesterday
Before

after pruning and removing some old needles

The two lower branches made the trunk line looked uninterestingly

The lowest one was removed

The next one was removed

The now lowest branch was wired and bent.

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JeffS73 · Jun 16, 2021

The movement in these trees is outstanding. Considered curves that tighten and relax with wire and then cut-grow to punctuate, brilliant. They really do evoke calligraphy. Do you have any links to your favourite calligraphy? What is your thinking about taking 2d writing to 3d trees? I have seen motion like this in nature, but not concentrated like this, I'm taking notes!

Can I also ask (meekly), how do I address you, Thụ? Thanks for the great thread.

bonhe · Jun 17, 2021

JeffS73 said:
The movement in these trees is outstanding. Considered curves that tighten and relax with wire and then cut-grow to punctuate, brilliant. They really do evoke calligraphy. Do you have any links to your favourite calligraphy? What is your thinking about taking 2d writing to 3d trees? I have seen motion like this in nature, but not concentrated like this, I'm taking notes!

Can I also ask (meekly), how do I address you, Thụ? Thanks for the great thread.

Thank you very much for your kind words and interesting!
Sorry I don't have any links to any calligraphy sites even though I used to love to learn Chinese calligraphy! My calligraphy teacher is one of my best friend who is a master in Chinese calligraphy. According to my teacher, the good calligraphy should show 3D even on the paper through dark and light color, up and down. It should like a dancing on the paper.
My bonsai work is deeply based on yin-yang concept, I think. Yin is negative, weak, curve, down, left, etc. in contrast to Yang is positive, strong, straight, up, right, etc. When I am working on the trees, it just comes out and shows on my work unintentionally. I love to make the trunk line as it is dancing, same as doing calligraphy. I have to thank my bonsai teacher, Richard Ota, from the bottom of my heart. He taught me how to train the bonsai from the seedlings with a lot of twist and turn.
My calligraphy teacher told me he would give his opinion on bonsai calligraphy and I will share with you when I receive it.

Thanks for asking me about how to address my name. Thụ Thoại is my artist name. My calligraphy teacher named it to me. Thụ means tree. Thoại means conservation. Thụ Thoại means having conversation with the tree. So, if only Thụ, does not mean anything!

You can address me as TT.

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bonhe · Jun 17, 2021

Before

After completed Spring shoot pruning, some old needle and wire removals.

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bonhe · Jun 17, 2021

Before

After completed Spring shoot pruning, some old needle and wire removals.

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Potawatomi13 · Jun 17, 2021

bonhe said:
Thank you very much for your kind words and interesting!
Sorry I don't have any links to any calligraphy sites even though I used to love to learn Chinese calligraphy! My calligraphy teacher is one of my best friend who is a master in Chinese calligraphy. According to my teacher, the good calligraphy should show 3D even on the paper through dark and light color, up and down. It should like a dancing on the paper.
My bonsai work is deeply based on yin-yang concept, I think. Yin is negative, weak, curve, down, left, etc. in contrast to Yang is positive, strong, straight, up, right, etc. When I am working on the trees, it just comes out and shows on my work unintentionally. I love to make the trunk line as it is dancing, same as doing calligraphy. I have to thank my bonsai teacher, Richard Ota, from the bottom of my heart. He taught me how to train the bonsai from the seedlings with a lot of twist and turn.
My calligraphy teacher told me he would give his opinion on bonsai calligraphy and I will share with you when I receive it.

Thanks for asking me about how to address my name. Thụ Thoại is my artist name. My calligraphy teacher named it to me. Thụ means tree. Thoại means conservation. Thụ Thoại means having conversation with the tree. So, if only Thụ, does not mean anything! You can address me as TT.
Thụ Thoại

How very interesting/educational

.