Pinus banksiana literati

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

So this is the beginning of my literati with my Pinus banksiana . Living in zone 4 , Jack pine does really well . Have been growing this one from a clearance section of nursery for around 3 years . This autumn thought time to get it styled in literati although didn’t have that in mind in the beginning . But having lost a few lower branches and not seeing many other options plunged into a literati style …


haven’t decided what pot to repot it in next summer but as of now this is my humble beginning .

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

But am just a newbie and don’t have much knowledge . So definitely would appreciate criticism .

I really hope it can take the torture I have put it through and will probably keep it in my cold shed over the winter just because it gets crazy cold here …

 

[Minnesota Madman]

If you want honest criticism, this tree wasn't ready for wire. It's not ready for anything but fertilizer, water and full sun. It needs a few years of full blast growth so there's more than one little tuft of needles at the end of each branch. But, then again, I like big trees.

I saw your other post about yamadori. If you're just starting out and need some local advice or tips on sourcing material, soil components, pots and such, you should think about joining up with the MN Bonsai Society. They meet up regularly, and I think membership is less than a hundred bucks a year. I live west of the cities, too far away to consider joining. I do attend the biannual auctions though. It's a really cool place to score trees and pots. Always a fun vibe at the auctions. I like the Facebook group called Bonsai Auctions. Loads of prebonsai on the cheap. Almost everybody on FB auctions will ship trees too. Green thumb bonsai has trident maple prebonsai for +/ $250. Trident require a little specialized care in the spring in zone 4 so the early leaves don't freeze.

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

If you want honest criticism, this tree wasn't ready for wire. It's not ready for anything but fertilizer, water and full sun. It needs a few years of full blast growth so there's more than one little tuft of needles at the end of each branch. But, then again, I like big trees.

I saw your other post about yamadori. If you're just starting out and need some local advice or tips on sourcing material, soil components, pots and such, you should think about joining up with the MN Bonsai Society. They meet up regularly, and I think membership is less than a hundred bucks a year. I live west of the cities, too far away to consider joining. I do attend the biannual auctions though. It's a really cool place to score trees and pots. Always a fun vibe at the auctions. I like the Facebook group called Bonsai Auctions. Loads of prebonsai on the cheap. Almost everybody on FB auctions will ship trees too. Green thumb bonsai has trident maple prebonsai for +/ $250. Trident require a little specialized care in the spring in zone 4 so the early leaves don't freeze.

Thank you for the post . What you see is what I have pruned . The tree had a lot of foliage and showed strong growth for the past 3 years after being fertilized with Miracid of every year from spring to fall for 3 years .

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I think you have a good start there. Nice movement; all it needs is nome maturity, and it sounds like with the time you’ve taken with it so far it should get through the styling well. Once it has had some time to recover, just a couple more bends in the lower and mid trunk I think will put the finishing touch on. But wait until it has replied with some growth for a year year or two.

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

I think you have a good start there. Nice movement; all it needs is nome maturity, and it sounds like with the time you’ve taken with it so far it should get through the styling well. Once it has had some time to recover, just a couple more bends in the lower and mid trunk I think will put the finishing touch on. But wait until it has replied with some growth for a year year or two.

Yeah you are so right ! I don’t like the slight bend in the lower and mid trunk but it’s so stiff that I probably need a much thicker wire and a much more knowledge without cracking it . May be if I used a branch splitter , wrap it with rafia and then applied the wire , it would have worked .

my idea is to see if it survives and I hope it does , repot next summer in July mid or so and then let it grow for a couple of years and then look at rewiring . Being a literati , only looking at growing the foliage on top and sides and then prune selectively in a couple of years or 3 .

 

[Potawatomi13]

Styling not bad. However should have longer relatively thin trunk for good Literati.

I think membership is less than a hundred bucks a year.

That's NUTS! Our club is $20. Idea should not be to drive new people away.

 

[sorce]

I wouldn't plan a Repot.

As a rule, you shouldn't plan a Repot with something so bare.

Sorce

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

Styling not bad. However should have longer relatively thin trunk for good Literati.

That's NUTS! Our club is $20. Idea should not be to drive new people away.

Yeah you are right that the tree might be on the shorter side . But I have seen some examples of literati with short trees and much thicker trunks

 

[Abhishek Dasgupta]

I wouldn't plan a Repot.

As a rule, you shouldn't plan a Repot with something so bare.

Sorce

Sure that makes sense . I shall wait for another year or so . No rush to repot unless I lose percolation as it’s still in nursery soil that it has been for 3 years

 

[Eckhoffw]

Styling not bad. However should have longer relatively thin trunk for good Literati.

That's NUTS! Our club is $20. Idea should not be to drive new people away.

MBS membership is 40$. I think it’s well worth it.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Single best improvement for my Bonsai was to join a club. I have even made a few good friends.

 

[sorce]

Sure that makes sense . I shall wait for another year or so . No rush to repot unless I lose percolation as it’s still in nursery soil that it has been for 3 years

Even if you "lose percolation", just aerate it with a chopstick!

Sorce

 

[Potawatomi13]

MBS membership is 40$. I think it’s well worth it.

Not NEAR as bad.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Yeah you are right that the tree might be on the shorter side . But I have seen some examples of literati with short trees and much thicker trunks

Those not real Literati.