AusBonsai

A tree that young would be able to redirect sap fairly easily, but I would probably do it 2 stages anyway. Reduce the top to one branch and let the lower branch build strength, then the following year remove.

And it is only an option. If I had the tree in front of me I might not take it. I also have a few JBP with more conventional styling so always look for something different in trees and try and highlight the characteristic that appeals to me the most, in this tree that's the initial lovely curves.

dansai wrote: ↑June 18th, 2023, 1:41 pm A tree that young would be able to redirect sap fairly easily, but I would probably do it 2 stages anyway. Reduce the top to one branch and let the lower branch build strength, then the following year remove.

And it is only an option. If I had the tree in front of me I might not take it. I also have a few JBP with more conventional styling so always look for something different in trees and try and highlight the characteristic that appeals to me the most, in this tree that's the initial lovely curves.

I'm with you; not necessarily pines but i have plenty of more normal style trees that i like the unusual stuff now, but if i didn't have all the usual stuff i'd probably also struggle to cut that far back on it to do something a bit left field too.

dansai wrote: ↑June 18th, 2023, 1:41 pm A tree that young would be able to redirect sap fairly easily, but I would probably do it 2 stages anyway. Reduce the top to one branch and let the lower branch build strength, then the following year remove.

And it is only an option. If I had the tree in front of me I might not take it. I also have a few JBP with more conventional styling so always look for something different in trees and try and highlight the characteristic that appeals to me the most, in this tree that's the initial lovely curves.

I'm definitely partial to making bold moves and cuts on my trees if I can see a better future in it. Looking at the tree in person I am still unsure about going that far with it at this stage, but i'll definitely keep it in mind. It's something I hadn't considered. I'm going to keep looking at this tree daily and considering all the options. Thanks for the feedback.

I repotted this in August into a wider, shallower, terracotta pot, and a better quality substrate of pumice, lava, and pine bark. It's doing well and has had some nice growth this spring.

Upon repotting and having a look at the roots the nebari is pretty terrible on this tree. Most of the main roots are coming off the clump on the left side of the base and the right side has almost nothing. I should have taken a photo but I forgot

In the new pot I've tilted it to the right and planted it on more of an angle to bury and encourage root growth on the right side. Also I figured leaving that low branch for a bit longer will help that side produce roots perhaps.

On looking at the tree a lot, especially from the current back side I find Dansai's suggestion to be appealing. I think it could make a cool little tree. However I am still leaning more towards R3's direction as I don't have any typical informal upright pines I feel compelled to do that with this tree. Still time will tell.
September not long after repot.
As it is today
The blue arrow is showing my new sacrifice branch and the red is pointing to my future trunk leader which is hidden in there behind some other branches
Highlighted here the side of the trunk with no roots

Hello Patmet,

I'll firstly state I have no experience with Pines. However, I do know there are several techniques you could apply to the area around where you would like new roots to develop.

It may or may not be to late to employ now, I would preferably try these techniques at repot time. Although it may still be possible now - scrape back the soil on that side to work on the nebari / trunk now. I'm sure someone will confirm for you.

Four techniques come to mind right now:

1. Scraping back the cambium layer at and just below soil level, apply root hormone, cover in chopped sphagnum moss then cover in soil.
2. The "Toothpick Method". This technique hasn't been discussed recently, but if you use the "search" function, there are many threads covering this method.
3. Or do both together, which is probably the way I'd go.
4. Ground layer. Which is a great option also, but I haven't seen the root-ball either.

Finally, I refer to my first sentence.

Hope that helps a little.

I do like your little Pine and the direction it's heading. Thanks for posting.

Kevin

Kevin wrote: ↑November 27th, 2023, 7:10 pm Hello Patmet,

I'll firstly state I have no experience with Pines. However, I do know there are several techniques you could apply to the area around where you would like new roots to develop.

It may or may not be to late to employ now, I would preferably try these techniques at repot time. Although it may still be possible now - scrape back the soil on that side to work on the nebari / trunk now. I'm sure someone will confirm for you.

Four techniques come to mind right now:

1. Scraping back the cambium layer at and just below soil level, apply root hormone, cover in chopped sphagnum moss then cover in soil.
2. The "Toothpick Method". This technique hasn't been discussed recently, but if you use the "search" function, there are many threads covering this method.
3. Or do both together, which is probably the way I'd go.
4. Ground layer. Which is a great option also, but I haven't seen the root-ball either.

Finally, I refer to my first sentence.

Hope that helps a little.

I do like your little Pine and the direction it's heading. Thanks for posting.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin,

I may just try those techniques on the next repot. I have a funny feeling it will need something like that to produce roots on that side. I think I'll be pretty lucky if I get any good root growth there as is but you never know. I'll update when I look at the roots again and hopefully remember to take a photo this time.

This is the other very drastic option which could be a cool semi cascade just for the sake of interest. At this stage I'm not game enough to get rid of all the top I've been growing.

All the growth above the red line is doing nothing but helping add girth should you go down that route and cut to a semi cascade in the future. No reverse taper issues etc so no need to finalise … it’s a win/win to leave it now if you don’t want to cut.
Good position to be in. Happy days!

I've got a question for any of the pine enthusiasts out there.

I just decandled this, and after doing so, with slightly different plans than what I had in mind previously, I am now questioning if my sacrifice is in a good position. I l'm thinking I should probably cut it off now and replace it with a new one in a better position. I want to get other people's thoughts on this.

The reason I'm thinking this, is the sacrifice section after where I have marked in red to cut off was previously going to be the continuing trunk line. I have sinced changed my mind and want the branch marked blue to be the new trunk line. I'm thinking if I leave the sacrifice there it is going to create a thick spot after the tapering final trunk line that will leave a large scar that will be right in the front view of the tree.

The branch marked in yellow is what I would grow on as a new sacrifice that will end with a scar at the back and won't give me excess thickening towards to apex.
Before decandling.
After decandling.
Potential next move.
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