Need some styling advice

Westcoastwild

Seedling
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I just picked up a Miyajima White pine from the nursery yesterday and potted it while I decide how to proceed with it. For the time being I used a 50/50 mix of organic soil with coarse pumice and a belt of clay around the roots. I don't love the look of it at the moment and I am stumped how to style it. It does need to be decandled. Is it too soon to prune it or should I wait till next season? Any ideas on how you might style this tree. Thanks for any advice!
 

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Wires_Guy_wires

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Most pines stick to the 1 insult per season rule. Repotting being one, means that you can ponder on styling for a while.
From what I've heard, JWP is pretty sensitive to insults. I don't own any because of that.

When you're not sure about how to continue, I suggest wiring a couple branches and see how it goes. At some point you'll look at it and think: I'll be darned, this branch is a keeper and that one needs to go! Start at the bottom and continue upwards.
It is very well possible that it'll end up way different than you imagined. You're allowed to not like it when that happens. But it's good exercize.
 

Westcoastwild

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Okay so leave it for this year and then see how it grows next season to prune and wire? Should I pinch the candles now that it is early spring?
 

sorce

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Welcome to Crazy!

SIMY!

Sorce
 

Shibui

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This pine is in a very big pot so it is likely you did very little root reduction? If so you could easily proceed with some reduction pruning but if you did any extensive root pruning as part of the potting you should leave it totally alone this season. That includes decandling.
You'll need to research how white pines grow and the pruning methods used. They are NOT the same as for JBP.

The tree is very tall and straight. I suspect the real bonsai will be found in the lower branches and the upper section will be removed completely.
There's plenty of dense, healthy branches down there so plenty of opportunity for reduction pruning so no need for decandling at this stage.
 

Westcoastwild

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This pine is in a very big pot so it is likely you did very little root reduction? If so you could easily proceed with some reduction pruning but if you did any extensive root pruning as part of the potting you should leave it totally alone this season. That includes decandling.
You'll need to research how white pines grow and the pruning methods used. They are NOT the same as for JBP.

The tree is very tall and straight. I suspect the real bonsai will be found in the lower branches and the upper section will be removed completely.
There's plenty of dense, healthy branches down there so plenty of opportunity for reduction pruning so no need for decandling at this stage.
The tree was badly root bound in the nursery pot that it came in, I had a hell of a time trying to loosen the root ball. I did trim the roots back a little less then 1/3rd. Even in that pot there is only about an inch of space from the root ball to the inside wall of the pot. The bottom 4-5" is all coarse pumice for drainage.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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The tree was badly root bound in the nursery pot that it came in, I had a hell of a time trying to loosen the root ball. I did trim the roots back a little less then 1/3rd. Even in that pot there is only about an inch of space from the root ball to the inside wall of the pot. The bottom 4-5" is all coarse pumice for drainage.
That’s enough work for this growing season. Full sun, easy on the water, and do some reading about seasonally-appropriate work on a JWP. Not a whole lot to do right now and for the next 4-5 months.
 
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