My Best Year Yet

Thomas J.

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My JBPs that I started purchasing back in 2007 have really been coming along good, especially this year.
At purchase they looked good but somewhat weak in many areas. I of course was new to JBPs and their special care and the need to properly maintain them when it comes to candle pruning,needle plucking, fertilizing and repotting. I took a few classes and really got knowledgeable about them and I believe it really paid off. I could barely wait to decandle them this year as the candles were so big and thick unlike other years. Below is a pic of two of them before and after decandeling them. I have a few more that I have to do and will post them later.:D
 

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Brian Van Fleet

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Sweet! Love the 4th one...and the bark of the cascade in the 3rd photo. Great trees!
 

tanlu

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I like the 3rd one as well. Beautiful green color. Did they come styled or did you have to do it all yourself? I actually really like the pot on that last one. Did it come with the tree??
 

pwk5017

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Thanks for posting, I enjoy all your pines, thomas. Is that the shortest needle length you can achieve on the last tree? I think a shorter needle length(decandling later) would look better on a tree of that size. It could also be that it is so dense with needles that attributes to the "bushy" appearance and not the needle length.

Patrick
 

Thomas J.

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Here's a few pics of the trees at purchase. As you can see the pots came with the trees and I was really impressed how the trees and pots went together so well. You could also probably see the somewhat weakness in the upright tree as the foliage was kind of sparse in some areas. I agree that tree would look much better if the needles were a bit smaller, but so far this is how it appears to be every year. I tried holding off the decandeling a couple of weeks longer but they still come out pretty much the same. I'm happy with the tree anyway and really enjoy the tedious work that needs to be done on them at various times of the year.
 

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Thomas J.

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Art,
Thanks for the kind words. I wish I were the one who started them from the beginning, now that's where the real talent is. I have surprised myself though with how well they are coming out. I had my doubts at the beginning because JBPs were completely new to me as most of my bonsai experience was with deciduous trees at the time. :D
 

tmmason10

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I'm a little late to this post but these both look great. Nice starting material but it also looks like you are doing good work on them yourself.
 

Fangorn

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Thomas, I just have to say how much I have enjoyed seeing your trees that you have posted over the years. The beautiful condition of them, and the quality of the photos are always top notch
 

Thomas J.

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Fangorn,
Thanks a lot I really appreciate it. The bonsai hobby got me into the photography hobby, and now they compete with each other for my time. I must say that with this terribly hot summer we just had, that the cameras are sitting just waiting for me to use them again. Fall is in the air so I will be getting out more with them I hope, although I do have a full plate with my own bonsai work and those of a new bonsai nursery I've been helping out with.:)
Thanks again.

Oh and here's some recent work. :)
 

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painter

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i love your work thomas.
is that a procumbens you like to work with or something else? from nursery stock or pre bonsai.
great job, its inspiring.
painter.
 

Thomas J.

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Hi painter,
yes that's a procumbens juniper that I started working on in 2005. It was purchased at a bonsai nursery as already having been styled. The pic below shows the tree at purchase. Throughout the past six years I tried using a few different fronts for the tree along with a few different pots. I think this will be it's last style and pot.:D Glad you like my work.:)
 

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ericN

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Hi Thomas, awsome trees and you did a very nice work on them. I have seen your trees over the years and I really enjoy looking at its progression.

Eric
 

tmmason10

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Very nice juniper as well. I'll have to poke around at any other threads you have your work is great. What I have come to realize lately is that to have good bonsai it's a good idea to get properly started trees, and you are demonstrating that here. Also, you can tell that you are putting your own mark on these trees too which is important. Great work keep it up.
 

Thomas J.

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What I have come to realize lately is that to have good bonsai it's a good idea to get properly started trees


That is very true Tom, at least find something that has good trunk movement as is the case with this juniper. Most procumbens have hardly any movement or any taper in their trunks. If you find one that has any either of these qualities, it will be something worth considering for sure. The other single most important thing to consider is branch structure. If the tree doesn't have any at purchase, do you have the patience to wait maybe five years to allow for it? When it comes to junipers, most beginners get confused with the amount of foliage vs branch structure on a tree and never allow for the time to build a decent branch structure.;)
 

Brian Van Fleet

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What I have come to realize lately is that to have good bonsai it's a good idea to get properly started trees,

This statement, if followed, will advance you 10 years ahead of ANYONE starting out without this notion. Kudos!
 

tmmason10

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This statement, if followed, will advance you 10 years ahead of ANYONE starting out without this notion. Kudos!

Thank you, I appreciate it. That's the plan most experienced bonsai growers preach it so I decided I would listen. And Thomas I was looking at your other threads today and as expected your work is great.
 
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