Purchased Nursery JBP

[girv]

Hey everyone - I Picked up a "Majestic Beauty" JBP at a local nursery for a decent price as I thought it may have some potential with lower needles. I already took off about 50-60% of the foliage and planned to see how it did over the next year before taking off more. I also plan on trying to balance energy and growth by following what I have read on here (needle plucking and pruning candles). My questions are:

Should I just cut down to the next(or bottom) whorl now as I already chopped aggressively or should I plan on stages like I originally thought?
Depending on the above question, should I repot next spring(currently in potting soil) into a bonsai mix or wait?
Also looking for any feedback for potential new leaders, or really any advice on the tree.

Thanks!

 

[coltranem]

MA=Massachusetts?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

MA=Massachusetts?

Marizona

Might be a little cold for a JBP in Mass...

 

[RobertB]

i would do anything else to it for at least a yr and see how it responds to what you have allready done. in the meantime, learn as much as you can about them.

 

[0soyoung]

Should I just cut down to the next(or bottom) whorl

Only when the base trunk (from the ground up to the first whorl) is a thick as you want. And then, you will want to first reduce the foliage above and wire up the tip of the new leader (in the spring, say) before you chop down to just above the bottom whorl (the following Aug/Sep, say). Then maybe a similar rinse&repeat after that new trunk section is nearly as thick. Always keep those low branches exposed to sun.

should I repot next spring(currently in potting soil) into a bonsai mix or wait?

I suggest

1. wait until next Aug/Sep (build up some strength)
2. only remove the old soil from the roots on one side of the trunk (Half Bare Root) and put the works in a container or your favorite inorgainic bonsai substrate (in Aug/Sep 2019)
3. Finish the job of getting rid of the organic dirt/soil the following spring (2020)
4. proceed with foliage reduction/chopping no sooner than Aug/Sep 2020

The first 'new leader' you choose probably should be a branch of the lowest whorl. Choose one that has a node a suitable distance from the present base trunk - the zig-zags generally ought to get progressively shorter. You will just need to make a judgement based on the kind of trunk you want to create.

 

[girv]

Marizona

Might be a little cold for a JBP in Mass...

Ouch can I not grow JBP's here?? I was planning on winterizing in my bulkhead since the garage would still most likely be too cold. Thought they were tolerant to 5a but know some of the info out there is inaccurate.

If so, other pine suggestions? I have trouble finding much else in the woods besides white pines, and mainly see Austrian pines for nursery stock.

 

[Wilson]

Ouch can I not grow JBP's here?? I was planning on winterizing in my bulkhead since the garage would still most likely be too cold. Thought they were tolerant to 5a but know some of the info out there is inaccurate.

If so, other pine suggestions? I have trouble finding much else in the woods besides white pines, and mainly see Austrian pines for nursery stock.

You have a bonsai neighbour in @LanceMac10 who grows JBP in the area. I have a few up north here in la belle province, but I winter them in a greenhouse.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Ouch can I not grow JBP's here?? I was planning on winterizing in my bulkhead since the garage would still most likely be too cold. Thought they were tolerant to 5a but know some of the info out there is inaccurate.

They are semi-tropical. They can take a couple day freeze but not a four-months-of-permafrost freeze I would normally consider them a 7a or higher tree - in landscape - so if you live in 5a you will definitely want to protect it. Normally when I consider pines for MA I would recommend trees that could be kept outdoors 24/7/365. JBP doesn't fit in that category, but if you have the ability to give it winter protection you'll be fine.

 

[coltranem]

I personally do not keep JBP but there are plenty of folks that do. I do have a Mugo from Lowes but never have seen a JBP there. Have you talked with folks at Bonsai West or New England Bonsai Garden they have some nice material.

 

[brentwood]

I visited bonsai west in Littleton,have some great jbp... Maybe worth a visit. Sounded like a lot of their inventory goes to greenhouses to avoid the worst of your weather,which maybe soon to be my weather too....I just saw the other bonsai west recommendation...
Brent

 

[coh]

They are semi-tropical. They can take a couple day freeze but not a four-months-of-permafrost freeze I would normally consider them a 7a or higher tree - in landscape - so if you live in 5a you will definitely want to protect it. Normally when I consider pines for MA I would recommend trees that could be kept outdoors 24/7/365. JBP doesn't fit in that category, but if you have the ability to give it winter protection you'll be fine.

My JBPs experience long periods of below freezing temperatures each year, not four months straight but certainly weeks at a time. I do aim to keep my over-wintering areas at about 26-27 F or above and haven't had any problems yet. Many people around here lost JBPs during the severe winter we had 4 or 5 years ago (can't recall exactly which year it was) when their normally OK wintering areas got too cold, though.

I wouldn't leave one outside around here though I suspect one in a deep nursery container might be OK if the pot was completely buried and the top was in a sheltered area (from the wind).

 

[coh]

BTW, the course of action you'll need to take will depend on what you want to do with the tree style-wise. For instance, do you want to use the entire trunk as is or do you eventually want to chop it low? You might need to decandle some of the lower shots to force them to bud and keep them in control while you grow the top to build trunk size...but they have to be strong enough before you do that. Let us know what you are thinking.

 

[Kendo]

どんぐりの背比べ

 

[girv]

Thank you everyone for the info. I plan on putting the JBP in my bulkhead which should put the temp closer to that area as it is more protected and underground within my house's foundation. Right now it is around the 25-30 degree mark overnight, should I move the tree down now or need to wait a bit longer to make sure dormancy sets in?

Sounds like I should give it a while before removing any more as well.

 

[Aaronkslater]

I am in Mass, probably same 6a zone, I have kept a few medium size jbp for six or so years now and a bunch of seedlings I started a couple years ago. In the past I mulched them into the protected side of an outbuilding but then I heard stories of them not making it through our winters. Last three years I have kept them in the bulkhead and made sure temps don't go below 20 deg. and they seem to be doing great.

I left some of the seedlings out with minimal protection to cull the ones that aren't as cold tolerant ... probably a third died, so they def. seem to be not well suited to our climate.

People around here who know more than me prefer Scots pine for their cold tolerance. I have a couple and love them.

 

[girv]

I am in Mass, probably same 6a zone, I have kept a few medium size jbp for six or so years now and a bunch of seedlings I started a couple years ago. In the past I mulched them into the protected side of an outbuilding but then I heard stories of them not making it through our winters. Last three years I have kept them in the bulkhead and made sure temps don't go below 20 deg. and they seem to be doing great.

I left some of the seedlings out with minimal protection to cull the ones that aren't as cold tolerant ... probably a third died, so they def. seem to be not well suited to our climate.

People around here who know more than me prefer Scots pine for their cold tolerance. I have a couple and love them.

Good to know thanks! I am not too far from you in North Andover so definitely the same climate and have considered getting a few Scots Pines, just having trouble finding any locally. Any suggestions? Would be looking more for pre-bonsai or even places to find yamadori.

 

[brentwood]

I am in Mass, probably same 6a zone, I have kept a few medium size jbp for six or so years now and a bunch of seedlings I started a couple years ago. In the past I mulched them into the protected side of an outbuilding but then I heard stories of them not making it through our winters. Last three years I have kept them in the bulkhead and made sure temps don't go below 20 deg. and they seem to be doing great.

I left some of the seedlings out with minimal protection to cull the ones that aren't as cold tolerant ... probably a third died, so they def. seem to be not well suited to our climate.

People around here who know more than me prefer Scots pine for their cold tolerance. I have a couple and love them.

How were they doing mulched in?
Brent

 

[Aaronkslater]

I do see Scotts in the wild, not tons, nothing I would call yamadori.. but, you could get a free start to dig if you found a seedling. I haven't seen Scotts at bonsai west but they might get them. I know @Soldano666 wired up some Scotts and was selling some.. he might have one for you? he's in Maine...

 

[Aaronkslater]

How were they doing mulched in?
Brent

they were fine but... a few years of getting away with something doesn't mean it works longterm, I think I got lucky... Last winter we had below zero temps for like a week... not sure the JBP would have made it through that! I was glad the tender stuff was in the bulkhead, even in there it got down to 20... which Brent from evergreen says is the coldest safe temp. for many trees.

 

[girv]

they were fine but... a few years of getting away with something doesn't mean it works longterm, I think I got lucky... Last winter we had below zero temps for like a week... not sure the JBP would have made it through that! I was glad the tender stuff was in the bulkhead, even in there it got down to 20... which Brent from evergreen says is the coldest safe temp. for many trees.

Should I be moving stuff down to the bulkhead now or best to wait for temps to drop a bit more? We had that funky weather a few weeks back where it was in the teens already too...