BonjourBonsai
Chumono
Nice! I like the trunk. Did you chop the top or was it only that tall? Just curious about how it reacted if you reduced the height.
Pitch Pine Literati Progression
- Thread starter Tidal Bonsai
- Start date
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
On cape cod for the holidays and saw these cool trees.
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
And this little one followed me home.
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
Haha! Nice!!!
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
This year, I had significantly smaller needles and internodes! The tree is getting more densely rammified, and moving along nicely. I didn’t go too crazy this fall because it’s getting put on a red clay slab in the spring. I am so happy to see how far it’s come in only a couple seasons! It really is starting to look like the native pitch pines in my area. The upright nature of this “miniature” version really echoes my environment.
Fall 2018
Fall 2019
Yesterday
Fall 2018
Fall 2019
Yesterday
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
Those needles look great. I'm curious, about how many hours of sunlight a day would you say your tree saw over the growing season?
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
It was in a slightly sunnier spot in my yard this year, which I am sure helped. I would guess at least 8 hrs of full sun. I think the longer needles last year were also from it getting a fresh repot last season.
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
I have a few pitch pines that are younger but the needles are haven't reduced. In fact the new needles from the last season were bigger, almost 3 inches. I fed them over the summer and I've heard that can cause leggy growth. I asked about the sun because mine only get dappled morning sun for about 4 hours a day at best.
Nice work on yours, I'm going to try to find a sunnier spot for next year, or just grow Japanese maples!
Nice work on yours, I'm going to try to find a sunnier spot for next year, or just grow Japanese maples!
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
Yes, pines love sun. The procedure for decandling is to fertilize heavy in the spring, stop fert. a month before decandling and do not fertilize again until the fall after the needles harden off. This is how you you get multi-flush pines to reduce needle size and internodes.
Whether or not you decandle is based on whether the tree needs to grow out, or be refined. If you are growing young stock, needle size probably isn’t a top priority. Look at the JBP articles at bonsaitonight.com if you need assistance.
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip.
mdavis27
Sapling
Love the progression. I don’t see a lot of pitch pines in bonsai so it’s nice to see someone having some success with one. I’m in south Louisiana and we have them all over and I’ve always wondered if I could bonsai one, so thanks again!
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
Start digging
This tree was the first one I ever worked on. Now I have about 6 in different sizes, shapes, and styles. They are great to work on and very similar to JBP in terms of refinement techniques. I also have only seen them twice in a book written my Marty S., once on Mirai Live, and sparsely over the internet. I personally love them, and want to see more Pitch Pine in Bonsai!!!
mdavis27
Sapling
Six! Any tips for collection? I’ve read a little bit (mostly that they don’t like being disturbed) but if you have 6 you must be doing something right!Start digging
This tree was the first one I ever worked on. Now I have about 6 in different sizes, shapes, and styles. They are great to work on and very similar to JBP in terms of refinement techniques. I also have only seen them twice in a book written my Marty S., once on Mirai Live, and sparsely over the internet. I personally love them, and want to see more Pitch Pine in Bonsai!!!
hinmo24t
Masterpiece
harvest them in the fall
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
I mostly have trees that were either purchased from nurseries, or one that was grown from seed. The tree in this thread was the last one from a nursery that no longer carries Pitch Pine. The others were purchased in bulk from a reforestation nursery in the Pine Barrens. You have to buy a dozen at a time or more. I did it with my club.
I collected one last spring, and it grew beautifully all season. Like an idiot, I decided to style it the fall after collection and it died. Wait 2-3 years before styling.
BonjourBonsai
Chumono
For pines (and most trees it seems) a quote from "Contact" one of my favorite movies always comes to mind: "Small steps Sparks".
bwaynef
Masterpiece
This seems to be one of the least vigorous Pitch pines I'm able to find pictures of on the internet. I expect that you'll disagree with my assessment. I too thought for a long time that my trees were vigorous. Then I saw trees that actually were vigorous. Getting my hands on vigorous trees and working them ...and seeing them respond was eye-opening for me. (For me, restoring vigor has meant taking a hands-off, no-working approach on several trees until vigor was restrored. Its been the hardest thing I've done in bonsai, and singly, the most beneficial.)
I'd search out examples of vigorous, healthy growing Pitch pine and think about what you can do to get yours that vigorous/healthy. I don't have any pitch pine so I'm not an expert, but there seems to be some discrepancy as to whether they should be decandled. That might be a place to start. Consider also your water (pH, chemical content, consistently applying it in necessary quantity), exposure to sun, fertilizer, pest management, and fungicide.
One question I have though: When you decandle, where do you get buds?
I'd search out examples of vigorous, healthy growing Pitch pine and think about what you can do to get yours that vigorous/healthy. I don't have any pitch pine so I'm not an expert, but there seems to be some discrepancy as to whether they should be decandled. That might be a place to start. Consider also your water (pH, chemical content, consistently applying it in necessary quantity), exposure to sun, fertilizer, pest management, and fungicide.
One question I have though: When you decandle, where do you get buds?
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
@bwaynef, since you have already made up your mind and dismissed any counterargument, I guess there is no point wasting my time and explaining what you are missing.
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BonjourBonsai
Chumono
Then.... Why?
bwaynef
Masterpiece
I'd sincerely like to know how it responds when its decandled.
Because I've struggled with less-than-vigorous trees before and recognize them when I see them.
It was not my intent to set myself up as an authority. I'm not looking for an argument and only want to help. I did bonsai for longer than I care to admit before I really knew what healthy looked like.
