New to Pines

[AJR]

We just bought this what I'm assuming is a pine tree. The tag on it says "Pinus nigra Oregon Green #05 Topiary". I am including Pictures. Any and all advice on how to care of it properly is greatly appreciated! Like how do I prune it or if I prune it. Should I use miracle grow plant food? Truth be told I really have no clue. I am an EMT and I don't have a green thumb. The guy at the nursery said it is maintenance free. But I think he was just trying to make the sale! I am assuming the close-up pictures that is new growth? I really am not sure. CVan I leave it in this pot or do I need to replant it in my backyard? Please help!

Signed

Desperate Dummy

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

To be honest, trees shaped like this to me are backyard landscaping material.
The foliage is only at the end of every branch, branch placement is.. Unnatural and quite boring.

You could set the branches with wire and make the tree dance a little so to speak, but that's about it for now.
If you'd want to make this into a real bonsai in a pot, you would have to graft new branches onto the trunk and basically start from scratch. My estimation is that something like that would take at least 4 years, if done well.

If you're fine with using it as landscape material: dig a hole and put it in the ground! It will be a satisfying tree over the years (and truth be told: little maintenance needed).

I don't believe that there are trees that can't become bonsai. But this would take some advanced techniques and a long time to develop. It can be challenging to start off like that and usually poses a major hurdle for people starting the hobby.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Completely agree with above comment. Or could cut off above lowest branch and create Cascade.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Bonsai is anything but “maintenance-free”, and if you’re not a green thumb, why take up Bonsai?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Green thumbs can be developed like most skills. There are biology books out there that teach you more about plants than a bonsai master ever could. The issue is the application of that knowledge.. I know nearly all synthetic plant hormones by name and function, but I wouldn't dare using them on trees I want to keep. I have read 1200+ pages of advanced biology, more than a 100 individual research papers, and yet i was able to kill every pine I had before last year. Inorganic soils like the ones we use are advised against in nearly every plant species. To get a feel for it, you'd need practice, and you can't practice without doing something and owning a tree.


What I mean is, we all have to start somewhere.

 

[Josh88]

You should add your location to your profile so people can give you better advice based on your climate, and perhaps suggest a club or study group in your area that could get you pointed in a better direction with material more well suited for bonsai.

 

[0soyoung]

I know nearly all synthetic plant hormones by name and function, but I wouldn't dare using them on trees I want to keep.

Intriguing.
Why not?

 

[Solaris]

... I don't have a green thumb...

To be fair, nobody has one.
It's a myth.
A green thumb, like any other skill, is developed through learning and practice. Plants situated in unnatural conditions will flourish with the right care and die without it; a "green thumb" is simply learning what that right care is. You'll find a lot of people who excel at taking care of one sort of plant kill other types because they're trying to use the same rules with it - a flower gardener often does poorly with their first few succulents, for example.

Intriguing.
Why not?

I know your major hormones by name and function, but that doesn't mean either of us wants me messing around with them!

 

[0soyoung]

I know your major hormones by name and function, but that doesn't mean either of us wants me messing around with them!

Don't we all mess around with IBA and/or NAA? They are both artificial auxins, commonly called 'rooting hormone'.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

IBA is not as synthetic as we think; loads of plants produce it. There are some wild theories that state it's the only storable form of auxin. I'm not sure about that.

As far the use of hormones on young or expendable material: I support that! Heck, i wish more bonsaiist would embrace science as an interesting partner instead of the big enemy. Dabbling around in fungicides, bactericides, wood preservatives, but rejecting all other "chemicals" is something I can't wrap my head around.
However, knowing how some plants respond to hormones, it would be unwise to use them on established plants. Sure, waiting is fine, but I've had plants stall for 4 years after a failed experiment. That's not what I intended to happen. It's not what the literature said should happen..
On the other hand, I found serious clues to reduce foliage size by 50% in another experiment.. And drought resistance/stress reduction in a sprayable form.
Messing around is fun! But not with the plants that I can't lose.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Okay, back to the questions asked by the original poster, @AJR , our new BNut member and EMT.

Pinus is the genus name for all pines, so yes, you have a pine. P. nigra is the European black pine, which is distinctly different from the Japanese Black Pine, JBP. There is a lot written about JBP and most of it does NOT apply to European black pine.

European black pine is a single flush, two needle pine. It's growth habit is most similar to Pinus sylvestris, the Scott's pine, or transliterated from it's scientific name, the forest pine. (sylvestris means of the forest).
So if you read articles about Scott's pine, the techniques and timing largely will work for European black pine.

There are many many posts in this forum on Scott's pine, and fewer but still a fair number on Pinus nigra, European black pine. Use the search function and read back a couple dozen articles, many questions will be answered, some you didn't know you had.

As to the material you, @AJR have, right now use it to learn horticultural needs of a pine. Yes, that is new growth on your pine, too late to repot the tree now. To start, no pruning is really necessary. Just keep it growing until after the summer solstice, then we can consider some options. Get the hang of keeping this pine watered, in full sun, outdoors.

Catch up on reading, I'll have more time later to offer advice. You could with time turn this into a bonsai, but it will take time.

 

[AJR]

Thanks for the info. I'm sorry about the confusion. I did a google search for this tree and this forum came up. I wasn't sure if it was a large bonsai or not. Sorry.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Thanks for the info. I'm sorry about the confusion. I did a google search for this tree and this forum came up. I wasn't sure if it was a large bonsai or not. Sorry.

Ah, I understand the confusion. Most of us on BNut assume that nearly any tree can be turned into bonsai. So we were responding as if you wanted to turn this tree into bonsai.

There is a type of tree styling that reminds people of bonsai, except the tree is planted in the ground, permanently, and the branches are shaped and styled. The art is called Niwaki and is often seen in Japanese gardens. Your tree looks a perfect starter for Niwaki. The training techniques are similar, but Niwaki the trees are in the ground and the whole process is larger scale. Google Niwaki and you will see what I mean.

But if you want to change this tree into bonsai, hang around, it can be done.

 

[LanceMac10]

Thanks for the info. I'm sorry about the confusion. I did a google search for this tree and this forum came up. I wasn't sure if it was a large bonsai or not. Sorry.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Thank You.