Peter Warren Japanese Black Pine

Brian Van Fleet

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Continued from the Announcements Forum so we can see updates over time...

Here are a few shots of the JBP he started down the road to bonsai last weekend. The basic structure is there, we just need to thicken and add movement to the straight section of apex, and hold back some of the growth closer to the trunk to begin developing foliage pads.
 

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Bonsai Basho

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Peter Warren

Great stuff, Looking forward to see what else you have planned for him!
 

mcpesq817

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Really nice. Do you have pictures of the before and after?
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Really nice. Do you have pictures of the before and after?

This photo is roughly the front he selected; the 3rd photo above is where he stopped working for the year; granted, it's a little blurry. I'll post more as it develops through the season.
 

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mcpesq817

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Thanks Brian. I have a landscape JBP I bought last fall that is roughly that size and shape (though, not quite as nice with the lower branching), so I was curious how it was styled. Thanks for sharing.
 

biglou13

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Brian,

Thanks for posting

Looking forward to better/more photos at current stage, along with future design plan sketches/pshop, additional photos/posts of work to follow and progression. Please.

I have many JPB in growing stages, and look at your tree with "PINUS ENVY"

I also like how Mr. Warren, while not the most crowd pleasing demo, did not force multiple seasons of work into one demo. Which was the case in the few demo's I've seen.

....and hold back some of the growth closer to the trunk to begin developing foliage pads....

On these branches are you planning to to cut back this years growth in fall, to force back budding/ chase back? Also how are you managing scars?

My practice JBP, which i have been torturing, thanks you in advance.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Couple better shots from today. 1 as-is, and one with the sacrifice branches digitally removed.

BigLou: The sacrifice branches will be allowed to grow out for another couple years, but the "final" branches will be candle-pruned and held back to create some density. Not too worried about scars, they'll heal over in time. More worried about creating a little movement in the upper section of trunk. Maybe some rebar in the winter will do the trick.
 

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It appears that you have several branches emerging from about the same level where the trunk was chopped and new lead rises. There will be a lot of energy flowing through that relatively small area, so I think you will end up with thickening of your trunk and inverse taper, if this is the case.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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It appears that you have several branches emerging from about the same level where the trunk was chopped and new lead rises. There will be a lot of energy flowing through that relatively small area, so I think you will end up with thickening of your trunk and inverse taper, if this is the case.

You're right Don; good eye. Here is a shot from the top showing exactly what you're referring to. The branches Peter left were to:

1. help close the large pruning scar
2. prevent die-back while we're encouraging some finer shoots to develop

Peter reduced the large sacrifice branch above the #3 from a very strong area down to 1 solitary shoot, and described it as a "6-lane highway, reduced down to a 1-lane road" and as the sap rises and gets jammed up with nowhere to go, it should encourage some new growth back near the trunk. Once that happens, we can reduce/remove that large branch altogether.
 

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Brian Van Fleet

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Quick update after October's workshop; still has a LONG ways to go, mostly pushing growth back toward the trunk through pruning and grafting. It really needs to be repotted, but it might need to stay in this container one more year just to keep the momentum. It will need 2 more growing seasons before it starts to resemble a bonsai, and the timeline will look something like this:

2012: Push growth closer to the trunk, more branch selection (some bar-branches to address)
2013: Reduce root mass, address base and identify problems at repotting (haven't seen the roots yet, it's been in this 15-gallon can for 3-4 years)
2014: Begin refinement of branches

The following photos are: The results of the growing season following Peter's first work; 2 shots after the 2nd workshop, and the notes for next year.

PW Black Pine 102211.jpg SAM_1000.jpg SAM_1005.jpg PW Workshop black pine 1011.JPG
 

bonsai barry

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Your forethought, planning and patience are commendable. I am very interested in the grafting process. I'm looking forward to you documenting your future grafting efforts.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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image.jpgApril '12 update...
IMAGE_18AFF944-DB2C-4083-AFA9-DCC292083C64.JPG


Hopefully the graft will be successful, and this fall I can push it back a little more and wire it again over the winter...
 
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JudyB

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This guy has a really nice shape, the trunk is barking up nicely too.
come a long way in a short time. go graft go!
 

Shimpaku

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IS A BEGINNER QUESTION

When wiring branches and creating movement in them, is the purpose also to compact the tree as well--- putting in bends to shorten the branches from their original straight long look?
 

Ang3lfir3

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WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IS A BEGINNER QUESTION

When wiring branches and creating movement in them, is the purpose also to compact the tree as well--- putting in bends to shorten the branches from their original straight long look?

Yes! .... sounds like you are "getting it" ....

compacting branches is a major part of wiring .... or at least that is one reason wiring is a very valuable technique
 

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Wiring the branches also exposes the wood to more sunlight which can encourage dormant buds to pop. This leads to having foliage closer to the trunk, too, and allows you to shorten the branches, eventually.
 

fore

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Fantastic progression Brian! Love the pine and you guys did a great job styling it!

I have a question if you all don't mind...kinda a basic question too. I bought a collected Ponderosa Pine last Dec., collected in '10 and had it's first styling in Dec. I didn't pull last years needles as I just wanted to keep it healthy over the winter. It's doing great, even about 8-10 new back buds. My question is then, should I cut last yrs needles off or leave them on till this fall? Oh, it's still in a nursery container in 100% pumice and was told by Walter Pall who I got it from to leave it in there for a yr or two.

Anyway, I'm hoping to get a large JBP and will use this post as an inspiration!
Chris
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Thanks, while it certainly has some challenges, the base and trunk are good, branches are mostly in the right places, and the rest is what we call bonsai work...

Ponderosa...different game (and thread), I'd leave all one-year-old needles on through this growing season unless they're really shading out something in the interior...not usually the case with them. Definitely want to leave as much foliage as you can with them.
 
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