New JBP seedling Advice

LuZiKui

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Hi everyone, I’ve been lurking for a while and finally decided to post. I’m getting into bonsai and trying to read as much as possible. I wanted to start growing some JBP and came across a nursery in Phoenix (Richard’s) when I was on a road trip that had some pre-bonsai plants. I picked up a JBP and another pine that might be JBP but I’m not sure.

they were both in those tiny 2” containers, super neglected and about 18” tall with pretty sparse side branches. I just got them home and put them in some larger growing pots.

I tried to wire them and bend them to give them a little motion but I’ll need to pick up some thicker wire.

I guess my first question of many is whether I should do something about the height of these or just let them grow for a season before I do anything major? I know they might never be specimen bonsai but I would like to use them to learn how to grow and maintain pine before I start buying more. Most of the forum/websites start with either younger seedlings or older mature trees so I’m not sure what to do. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I’m here to learn!

Im pretty sure the dark green tree with less needles is JBP. The lighter green one with more needles was sitting next to the JBP unmarked so I’m not sure what it is.
 

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Shibui

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First you need top decide what you want.
Some newbies are more than happy to have a skinny little tree with just few sparse branches.
Others aim higher - to get a tree with a fatter trunk with better taper, some interesting bends and branches with plenty of density.

If you're in the first camp just put what you already have into pots and they will still look very similar for years.

If you'd rather have a thicker trunk the quickest way is to plant your trees into larger containers so they can grow. The longer the trunk grows the thicker the trunk will get. However for pines we must keep some shorter growth to make the final bonsai.
It can take a change of attitude to realize that most of a tree will be cut off to create a bonsai.
Both bonsai will probably be made from the smaller low branches. The longer main stem is more likely to be the sacrifice branch that will be cut off when the trunk has thickened.
 

Kadebe

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I guess my first question of many is whether I should do something about the height of these or just let them grow for a season before I do anything major? I know they might never be specimen bonsai but I would like to use them to learn how to grow and maintain pine before I start buying more. Most of the forum/websites start with either younger seedlings or older mature trees so I’m not sure what to do. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I’m here to learn!
I suggest you do the following. Watch the video below by Jonas Dupuich. It's a video about JBP from seed, but he discusses also the long term options.


Then read the How-To-Guides from him on the blog below.
 

LuZiKui

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Got some thicker wire and tried to add some shape to these guys before they thicken too much. I’m hoping with good soil and fert and plenty of sunshine they’ll thicken up for me a little bit this year.
I started with a single 2mm wire on both and it didn’t hold any bends. So I went and bought some 4mm and put it on one tree but found it to be pretty tough to work with considering how thin this tree is. So on the second tree I just used a second 2mm wire and it’s holding. Any advice on shaping at this point is appreciated.
Also, I slip potted these into black plastic training pots before doing a lot of research. I got a couple pond baskets and would like to move them over to pond baskets. Can I do that now/this spring or should I wait a year to repot?
 

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Shibui

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Any bend is better than straight but the best ones I've grown have had a combination of wide and tighter bends.
Looks like aluminium wire so even 4 mm should be reasonably easy to bend. Maybe just a lack of experience or maybe the trunks are a bit thin for 4mm. Adding extra wires does not hurt and is often more effective than a single thicker wire IMHO

Given you've only wired and put in moderate bends these trees and the last potting was just slip pot with little or no root prune they should be fine to repot this spring. I'd take the opportunity to really sort out the surface roots. Early is much better than trying to fix the problems when roots are much thicker.
 

Japonicus

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I went and bought some 4mm and put it on one tree but found it to be pretty tough
Try supporting the lower portion of the wire grasped with your non dominant hand for support next time.
With your dominant hand try working the wire from the opposite end...of the wire, which gives you leverage.
It is more difficult to bend at each curve, than to simply spiral the wire around the trunk from the end.
Your spiral angle looks pretty good, shooting for a 60º angle not 45º. Nice.
1644296167024.png
2nd bend here missed getting the branch thrown off in a curve (late curve).
However correcting at this time, could damage the cambium, and should heal 1st.
In fact, having difficulty with 2mm not holding, then rewiring can also damage the cambium, so hold off
on bending anything that you have wired and bent already. I mean to continue moving the cambium can kill from there up.
 
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