What to do, when to do it and on what species to manage growth in pines in bonsai

Messages
168
Reaction score
194
Location
Montreal, Canada.
USDA Zone
6a
This tree:

View attachment 252630

Is all about “balance”. Every shoot has equal energy as every other shoot. All the needles are short. 3/4 inch. No cut needles. Every pad is dense, with thriving interior growth.

None of this happened by accident. This was accomplished by decandling at the proper time, in the proper manner with the strong areas of the tree repressed so that the weaker sections of the tree would be as strong as the strong sections at the end of the season. This was done with varying the length of the stubs of the remaining candle when decandling, and by pulling needles.

Did you talk about that? No.

Now, I understand that JBP is probably too cold tender to use in Montreal. So, it would make sense that you limit your discussion to the species that you, personally, work with.

I don’t grow Mugo. So I don’t tell anyone how they should treat them. Vance does, so I defer to his expertise. I don’t do tropicals. So I don’t tell anyone how to do them, either. My teacher does, though. I’ve heard him tell countless people how to do this or that with them. But since I don't do them, I don’t want to try to pretend I’m an expert, because I’m not. You, however, are pretending to be an expert because you have watched a video or two.

Adair, This tree is technically very good. And yes, absolutely yes, I spoke about how to distribute energy and manage growth in JBP being a multi flush pine species starting at 2:37 (
). It seems you didn't see my video at all or didn't pay any attention from this comment and you've been throwing negative comments non-stop. Shame on you. I never pretended to be an expert. I don't. I am offering free, honest and methodologically correct videos, on a format that still needs to improve for sure to whoever wants to take that information. In the video, if you would have cared to watch it, I discuss multi-flush pines (JBP and JRP primarily), short-needle single flush (Mugo, Scotts, lodgepole, shore, jack, zuichu and kokonoe japanese white pines, etc), long-needle single flush of two types: 5-needle ones (JWP, limber, eastern white pine) and 2/3 needle ones (Ponderosa primarily) and how their growth habits affect the manner in which one manages and balances the growth. There is a logic to it that becomes evident once all these classes of pines are discussed together.
 
Messages
168
Reaction score
194
Location
Montreal, Canada.
USDA Zone
6a
Raphael, part of “energy balance” and “growth management” is making sure you get “appropriate” growth. Growth in the proper places, and growth going in the proper direction. It make no sense to encourage growth going the wrong direction. Which is exactly what you’re going to get with your Mugo pruning!

You speak about Goshin. Yes, it was poorly maintained for decades. Fortunately, Owen Reich is restyling it to bring it back to Naka’s original concept, which was all about triangles!

Dude, I’m sorry, but you don’t know enough to realize that you don’t know everything! Once you realize that there is more you DON’T know than you DO know, only then will you actually begin to learn!

If I recall Goshin has more rounded disk-shaped pads, not triangles even in pictures where it was in a proper state.

I value very much my bonsai education, that is why I am an avid Pro member in Mirai (and I wish I had the money to study there in person) and the workshops twice yearly with Walter Pall. It is a beautiful quote that, I never claimed that I know everything, quite the contrary and I am always open to learn from everyone, that is why I respect and listen to the opinions of people that are clearly much less advanced than myself in their bonsai journey snd often I learn something new too. From where I see things, I very much throw your quote back at you. It is all nice and cute to mention that and with it claim enlightenment suggesting that the other is still unaware but, I feel you and a few others here self proclaimed experts are the ones that could still learn. Even if I question your aesthetic tastes, I don't question your technical knowledge. In bonsai there are plenty of things that only time (or money) can bring you but I would appreciate if our discussion was about any mistakes in the techniques that I presented because they are bona fide as far as I know and if a clear and honest discussion about the technical content of my video were to highlight an inconsistency that was not part of my mistake in presenting the information (if it were I would apologize), then I would go and discuss with Ryan or Walter or whoever I learned that to move forward.
 

coh

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
5,782
Reaction score
6,824
Location
Rochester, NY
USDA Zone
6
None of this happened by accident. This was accomplished by decandling at the proper time, in the proper manner with the strong areas of the tree repressed so that the weaker sections of the tree would be as strong as the strong sections at the end of the season. This was done with varying the length of the stubs of the remaining candle when decandling, and by pulling needles.

Did you talk about that? No.

Just a FYI...the method Ryan advocates does not include leaving stubs of different lengths. He teaches cutting all candles at the same time leaving the same tiny stub, then balancing energy by removing needles...leaving fewer in the stronger areas of the tree. I'm not sure if that was discussed or made clear in the video, I've personally had a tough time sitting through these videos - especially the pine one.
 
Messages
168
Reaction score
194
Location
Montreal, Canada.
USDA Zone
6a
Just a FYI...the method Ryan advocates does not include leaving stubs of different lengths. He teaches cutting all candles at the same time leaving the same tiny stub, then balancing energy by removing needles...leaving fewer in the stronger areas of the tree. I'm not sure if that was discussed or made clear in the video, I've personally had a tough time sitting through these videos - especially the pine one.

Incorrect, post-hardening pruning is done at any length of the new growth to fit the silhouette. You are right about decandling, but you don't decandle a single flush short needle pine like the mugo where I was not demonstrating how to perform post-hardening pruning, instead I was experimenting to know if the time I did it is already too late to obtain new buds at the cut site in Montreal. That is why I did it at different lengths as these equate to being in the process of maturing into non-meristematic tissue for longer or lesser time. I apologize for the tough time sitting through the videos, I will try to improve the presentation in the future.
 

coh

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
5,782
Reaction score
6,824
Location
Rochester, NY
USDA Zone
6
Incorrect, post-hardening pruning is done at any length of the new growth to fit the silhouette. You are right about decandling, but you don't decandle a single flush short needle pine like the mugo where I was not demonstrating how to perform post-hardening pruning, instead I was experimenting to know if the time I did it is already too late to obtain new buds at the cut site in Montreal. That is why I did it at different lengths as these equate to being in the process of maturing into non-meristematic tissue for longer or lesser time. I apologize for the tough time sitting through the videos, I will try to improve the presentation in the future.
What is incorrect? The method I described is exactly what Ryan talks about for multi-flush pines, which is what Adair was talking about.

I'm a mirai member as well and I've seen all of the JBP videos...
 

Adair M

Pinus Envy
Messages
14,402
Reaction score
34,897
Location
NEGeorgia
USDA Zone
7a
Adair, This tree is technically very good. And yes, absolutely yes, I spoke about how to distribute energy and manage growth in JBP being a multi flush pine species starting at 2:37 (
). It seems you didn't see my video at all or didn't pay any attention from this comment and you've been throwing negative comments non-stop. Shame on you. I never pretended to be an expert. I don't. I am offering free, honest and methodologically correct videos, on a format that still needs to improve for sure to whoever wants to take that information. In the video, if you would have cared to watch it, I discuss multi-flush pines (JBP and JRP primarily), short-needle single flush (Mugo, Scotts, lodgepole, shore, jack, zuichu and kokonoe japanese white pines, etc), long-needle single flush of two types: 5-needle ones (JWP, limber, eastern white pine) and 2/3 needle ones (Ponderosa primarily) and how their growth habits affect the manner in which one manages and balances the growth. There is a logic to it that becomes evident once all these classes of pines are discussed together.
No, I told you I watched it to the end, and I did. You stated to decandle every shoot, large and small, even very tiny, to about 1/8 inch. That’s ok, but not optimal. The strong shoots at the top and at the ends of branches should leave longer stubs. The middle strength shoots a shorter stub. The weak shoots, hardly any stub. The very weakest shorts, the ones that either barely came out, or didn’t grow, I leave them alone. Second, I pull needles from the strong areas, a good many. In the mid-strength areas, not so many, and the weak areas maybe only a couple, or maybe none at all. How many to leave? It depends, on a lot of factors: the overall strength and age of the tree, the level of refinement, whether it going to be shown in the near future, etc.

And then...

There’s a whole different technique you failed to mention AT ALL! The 10 day technique. This technique has you decandling the weak areas first. Then 10 days later do the mud-strength areas. Finally, after another 10 days, come back and decandle the strong areas. On more highly refined, old, heavily refined trees, the 10 day technique seems to work better.

But you didn’t discuss that, did you?

And then...

You can combine the two! Using the 10 day technique, you can vary the stub length!

And then...

On some trees, a shoot or two might get away from you. In the early season, when candles are extending, you can pull some of the old needles, closest to the bud! Not closest to the trunk. Closest to the bud. Then, when decandling, decandle and actually cut back to where you pulled needles! This will induce back budding on last year’s growth!

And these are just JBP techniques.

There are several balancing techniques specific to Zuisho, Kokonoe JWP.

You don’t learn this stuff from watching videos.
 
Messages
168
Reaction score
194
Location
Montreal, Canada.
USDA Zone
6a
What is incorrect? The method I described is exactly what Ryan talks about for multi-flush pines, which is what Adair was talking about.

I'm a mirai member as well and I've seen all of the JBP videos...
I never advocated living stubs of different lengths on a multi-fhush. What I discussed in the video is exactly what you mentioned. Specifically: On multi-flush, he will decandle, he will not touch the second flush. He will distribute energy by needle plucking. If all your second-flush candles start growing at the same time and you decandled at the correct time depending on the size of the tree, and all the branches have the same density of needles, the second flush will grow well distributed and to the length proportional to the silhouette equally everywhere. The post-hardening pruning is performed on single flush short needles.
 

Mayank

Chumono
Messages
900
Reaction score
1,592
Location
SE Michigan
This tree:

View attachment 252630

Is all about “balance”. Every shoot has equal energy as every other shoot. All the needles are short. 3/4 inch. No cut needles. Every pad is dense, with thriving interior growth.

None of this happened by accident. This was accomplished by decandling at the proper time, in the proper manner with the strong areas of the tree repressed so that the weaker sections of the tree would be as strong as the strong sections at the end of the season. This was done with varying the length of the stubs of the remaining candle when decandling, and by pulling needles.

Did you talk about that? No.

Now, I understand that JBP is probably too cold tender to use in Montreal. So, it would make sense that you limit your discussion to the species that you, personally, work with.

I don’t grow Mugo. So I don’t tell anyone how they should treat them. Vance does, so I defer to his expertise. I don’t do tropicals. So I don’t tell anyone how to do them, either. My teacher does, though. I’ve heard him tell countless people how to do this or that with them. But since I don't do them, I don’t want to try to pretend I’m an expert, because I’m not. You, however, are pretending to be an expert because you have watched a video or two.
Beautiful tree!!! Now I have Pinus envy!!
 
Messages
168
Reaction score
194
Location
Montreal, Canada.
USDA Zone
6a
No, I told you I watched it to the end, and I did. You stated to decandle every shoot, large and small, even very tiny, to about 1/8 inch. That’s ok, but not optimal. The strong shoots at the top and at the ends of branches should leave longer stubs. The middle strength shoots a shorter stub. The weak shoots, hardly any stub. The very weakest shorts, the ones that either barely came out, or didn’t grow, I leave them alone. Second, I pull needles from the strong areas, a good many. In the mid-strength areas, not so many, and the weak areas maybe only a couple, or maybe none at all. How many to leave? It depends, on a lot of factors: the overall strength and age of the tree, the level of refinement, whether it going to be shown in the near future, etc.

And then...

There’s a whole different technique you failed to mention AT ALL! The 10 day technique. This technique has you decandling the weak areas first. Then 10 days later do the mud-strength areas. Finally, after another 10 days, come back and decandle the strong areas. On more highly refined, old, heavily refined trees, the 10 day technique seems to work better.

But you didn’t discuss that, did you?

And then...

You can combine the two! Using the 10 day technique, you can vary the stub length!

And then...

On some trees, a shoot or two might get away from you. In the early season, when candles are extending, you can pull some of the old needles, closest to the bud! Not closest to the trunk. Closest to the bud. Then, when decandling, decandle and actually cut back to where you pulled needles! This will induce back budding on last year’s growth!

And these are just JBP techniques.

There are several balancing techniques specific to Zuisho, Kokonoe JWP.

You don’t learn this stuff from watching videos.

The techniques that you mention are definitely different from the approach that Ryan Neil takes. Clearly both can work as both your trees and Ryan's trees are a testament. Which technique is easier to apply or gives results faster, I can't say now. I described exclusively what I learned from Ryan. Now I didn't mention any of what you mention, not because I forgot to mention it, I didn't mention any of that because that is not the methodology advocated by Mirai and I follow their methodology. Like I said earlier, take the info or ignore the info. All good. As a person that knows that still has a lot to learn as you suggested earlier being enlightened that way, you should have valued and perhaps think of experimenting with this radical approach proposed by Ryan and that I described. Perhaps it does give equally good results in less time or is easier to perform.
 

Adair M

Pinus Envy
Messages
14,402
Reaction score
34,897
Location
NEGeorgia
USDA Zone
7a
If all your second-flush candles start growing at the same time and you decandled at the correct time depending on the size of the tree, and all the branches have the same density of needles, the second flush will grow well distributed and to the length proportional to the silhouette equally everywhere.

Do you know this for a fact?

Because I dispute it. If you cut all the candles at the same time, leave the same (very short) stub, the strong sections of the tree will produce stronger summer candles than the weaker sections of the tree.

I know, because that’s the way I used to do it. 40 years ago, that’s the way John Naka taught me to do it. It didn’t work out the way you describe. The strong sections produced stronger summer candles than the weaker sections. We didn’t know any better, do the next year we did it again. And again. Over several years, the imbalance lessened because the tree became more ramified, and all the summer candles were less vigorous simply because there were more of them.

But it was an overall effect happening all over the tree.

It wasn’t until Boon taught me about varying the stub length that I learned how to suppress the strong portion of the tree in favor of the weaker sections. And, that subtle difference in technique makes a huge difference in the results!

You see, Ryan is a Kimora student. And JBP was not Kimora’s forte. JWP and Shimpaku were. There were other Masters in Japan who were (are) better at JBP than Kimora. So Ryan is teaching Kimora’s method, which is good, but not the best.
 
Last edited:
Messages
168
Reaction score
194
Location
Montreal, Canada.
USDA Zone
6a
Do you know this for a fact?

Because I dispute it. If you cut all the candles at the same time, leave the same (very short) stub, the strong sections of the tree will produce stronger summer candles than the weaker sections of the tree.

I know, because that the way I used to do it. 40 years ago, that’s the way John Naka taught me to do it. It didn’t work out the way you describe. The strong sections produced stronger summer candles than the weaker sections. We didn’t know any better, do the next year we did it again. And again. Over several years, the imbalance lessened because the tree became more ramified, and all the summer candles were less vigorous simply because there were more of them.

But it was an overall effect happening all over the tree.

It wasn’t until Boon taught me about varying the stub length that I learned how to suppress the strong portion of the tree in favor of the weaker sections. And, that subtle difference in technique makes a huge difference in the results!

You see, Ryan is a Kimora student. And JBP was not Kimora’s forte. JWP and Shimpaku were. There were other Masters in Japan who were (are) better at JBP than Kimora. So Ryan is teaching Kimora’s method, which is good, but not the best.

The one thing that I can say is that if you pluck the needles at the same time as you decandle to the same density throughout the tree, you should have balanced the energy and the second flush should grow balanced everywhere but I am tell you what Ryan teaches. I can't tell yet if Boom's method is better, faster or easier to implement than Ryan's. I will experiment with both in the future. So in Boom's approach does he pluck needles to balance energy on a JBP? and if yes, when?
 

Adair M

Pinus Envy
Messages
14,402
Reaction score
34,897
Location
NEGeorgia
USDA Zone
7a
Yes, Boon pulls needles to balance energy.

Fall needle pulling is done to remove the previous year’s needles. If necessary, some of the needles from the new summer candles might be pulled if there is an imbalance that needs correcting.

As I understand it, Ryan says not to pull all the old needles in the fall. He has said that they’re needed “for hormones”. I have no idea what he’s talking about. I generally pull all the old needles, the only time(s) I don’t pull old needles are the very weak, interior shoots. They need all the strength they can get.

In the late winter, early spring, just before buds start expanding, you can see which buds are strong and which are weak. This is another good time to pull needles to balance energy. The strong shoots might get done needles pulled to aid in balance.

At decandling time: another good time to pull needles if necessary. Especially if the winter or fall needle pulling was skipped for some reason. (For trees in shows over the winter or spring, I usually don’t pull the old needles in the fall since “full” trees look better than “sparce” trees at the show.)

So, yes, needle pulling is absolutely a technique used to balance strength in JBP. From what you describe, it’s the only technique Ryan uses.

Quite frankly, this is why I’m a Boon student rather than a Ryan student. Ryan is very talented, but he tends to focus on the native plant material of the Pacific Northwest, and my climate is very different from his. JWP and JBP thrive in my climate, whereas Ponderosa and Rocky Mountain juniper suffer.
 
Messages
168
Reaction score
194
Location
Montreal, Canada.
USDA Zone
6a
Yes, Boon pulls needles to balance energy.

Fall needle pulling is done to remove the previous year’s needles. If necessary, some of the needles from the new summer candles might be pulled if there is an imbalance that needs correcting.

As I understand it, Ryan says not to pull all the old needles in the fall. He has said that they’re needed “for hormones”. I have no idea what he’s talking about. I generally pull all the old needles, the only time(s) I don’t pull old needles are the very weak, interior shoots. They need all the strength they can get.

In the late winter, early spring, just before buds start expanding, you can see which buds are strong and which are weak. This is another good time to pull needles to balance energy. The strong shoots might get done needles pulled to aid in balance.

At decandling time: another good time to pull needles if necessary. Especially if the winter or fall needle pulling was skipped for some reason. (For trees in shows over the winter or spring, I usually don’t pull the old needles in the fall since “full” trees look better than “sparce” trees at the show.)

So, yes, needle pulling is absolutely a technique used to balance strength in JBP. From what you describe, it’s the only technique Ryan uses.

Quite frankly, this is why I’m a Boon student rather than a Ryan student. Ryan is very talented, but he tends to focus on the native plant material of the Pacific Northwest, and my climate is very different from his. JWP and JBP thrive in my climate, whereas Ponderosa and Rocky Mountain juniper suffer.

In Multi-flush Ryan pulls needles in the spring at the same time of decandling. bottom needles, 3rd year needles as well as 2nd year needles to the extent necessary to leave 8 to 12 pairs of needles per bundle depending on the density of the weakest branch. He also stops fertilizing a month prior to decandling (I didn't mentioned that in the video). I don't understand yet either the reasons behind when Ryan says that it is important to leave older needles for hormonal balance.
 

Walter Pall

Masterpiece
Messages
3,636
Reaction score
20,423
Location
south of Munich, Germany
USDA Zone
7b
I would love to see someone with Ryan or Bjorn's level of knowledge do a video series using "attainable" material for us plebs.

Exactly this is coming up. Bonsai Empire is in the process of finishing a new educational series with several heavyweights. It is about all sorts of aspects. Not always,. but often trees are used on purpose that are very much affordable and it is explained and shown how a big name would approach them. I am happy to be part of this. Among other things i explain and show the hedging method in depth. I also work on a couple of 200-US$-trees. Watch out, it will be announced soon.
 

Saddler

Chumono
Messages
697
Reaction score
909
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
Exactly this is coming up. Bonsai Empire is in the process of finishing a new educational series with several heavyweights. It is about all sorts of aspects. Not always,. but often trees are used on purpose that are very much affordable and it is explained and shown how a big name would approach them. I am happy to be part of this. Among other things i explain and show the hedging method in depth. I also work on a couple of 200-US$-trees. Watch out, it will be announced soon.
Those will be videos worth watching. I can’t wait.
 

BobbyLane

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,062
Reaction score
17,703
Location
London, England
Ryan has done videos where he goes to normal nurseries, picks up material and works it. The two tht stand out are a cryptomeria and blue rug I think. They might even be free on youtube.

Edit: here it is:

for sure, a lot of the material that some of the pros are working on is attainable, its just that many folk have no intention of spending more than a few pounds or dollars on material. nor are they prepared to put in the effort to seek out decent material



 

KiwiPlantGuy

Omono
Messages
1,051
Reaction score
1,353
Location
New Zealand
USDA Zone
9a
So I can’t help myself to not stop posting.
The OP’s post #33 says it all when he asks us to subscribe to his channel. Good luck as you won’t get any subscribers from Bnut.
AND then it is incredulous to read on the next couple of pages where you argue and protest, and best of all you disrespect more than one highly experienced members. Thank you to @Adair M for all the lessons on JPB, as I didn’t get any info worth remembering from the OP’s video.
I can’t be bothered spending anymore time and/or effort just to realise the OP’s experience level is maybe 0.1%.
Charles
 
Top Bottom