Overhaul of a 59 year old Mugo Pine.

[Mitchell]

Tis' interesting to follow along! Vids are great! Only problem is it leaves me wanting more! I understand though stopping and starting to take video and pics is an interuption to the process.

[Grant Bowie]

As you can hear in the background there is lots of work going on on other trees as well. We are doing this at a regular tuesday night workshop.

Grant

[kcpoole]

I Curious why yo did not apply some wire to the Jin to hold its position as it dries?

Ken

[NBPCA]

I Curious why yo did not apply some wire to the Jin to hold its position as it dries?

Ken

Hi Ken,

I did at the end of the work on Tuesday night. I got some more bending done yesterday on my own and the wire helps hold it while you relax in between the bending as well.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Here's where we are today, sunday afternoon. During the week I did some more heat bending and I am satisfied with where I am. I will shorten the jins on the left side and leave the ones on the right hand side a little longer. After I removed a small guy wire there was no bounce back at all of the major jin.

After heat bending.JPG

The branches with foliage are all in a flat plane and will need to be wired and shaped.

Shot from above showing flat spread of branches.JPG

Starting to wire.JPG

I can't extend the lower right hand branches as they are at there maximium stretch, so I am going to explore what I can do with the available branches and foliage.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Leigh will not be able to come to the Tuesday night workshop tonight so no video from tonight. No carving or bending tonight anyhow; just needle plucking and wiring.

Grant

[Jamie]

gday grant

with the wiring are you going to be getting time to set the branches where you want them? or will we have to wait for next week to see it all?

just keen to see it, i like this one

[Grant Bowie]

gday grant

with the wiring are you going to be getting time to set the branches where you want them? or will we have to wait for next week to see it all?

just keen to see it, i like this one

Needle plucking takes a while but it is starting to take shape with the small amount of wiring I have already done. Certainly won't be finished tonight however.

grant

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

Some progress shots after last nights work.

Grant

Mugo Pine1 - GB - 2010-6-30 - 800x600.jpg

Mugo Pine5 - GB - 2010-6-30 - 800x600.jpg

[Pup]

This is starting to look very good now Grant. I feel this will be a very fine tree, thank you for showing the progression. Some refinement to go yet, though .

Cheers Pup

[Grant Bowie]

This is starting to look very good now Grant. I feel this will be a very fine tree, thank you for showing the progression. Some refinement to go yet, though .

Cheers Pup

Yes Pup,

And don't we both know it!

Many hours of needle pulling , wiring, shaping and placement to go.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

I got a few hours of needle pulling and wiring done last night.

Normally I would pluck the whole tree of old needles before I start wiring but in this instance I am plucking the branch one at a time then wire it.

I loosely place the branch and then move onto the next one. Still lots of compression and placing to happen.

The eventual live apex will be lower than you see now. The new live trunk will hav lots of movement toward the apex.

The lowest back branches need to be brought in a long way but I will concentrate on the right hand side next.

Grant

Mugo Pine1 - GB - 2010-7-7 - Compressed.JPG

Mugo Pine2 - GB - 2010-7-7 - Compressed.JPG

Mugo Pine3 - GB - 2010-7-7 - Compressed.JPG

Mugo Pine4 - GB - 2010-7-7 - Compressed.JPG

[Pup]

You know what Grant I might swap you one of my Melaleucas for this tree, Shari quarantine, bugger them . There are not many I personally know of none in WA.

We have been told they do not like our hot weather. Many years ago when we could Bob Asquith, of Asquith's Bonsai imported some, from the Eastern States, but they along with some Tsuga Canadensis did not last.

I have not seen any since then, but some were sold to people down south, so they might have survived.

As you have gathered, for what it is worth, I like this tree and where it is going.

Cheers Pup

[Grant Bowie]

Thanks Pup,

Now that I live in Canberra I am very confident it will do well and I am happy with its shaping progress. I never did any serious bonsai with Mugo in Sydney.

However if I lived in Perth I would most likely have to do without Scots Pine, Mugo Pine, Jack Pine, Larch and a lot of other trees.

Its a lot of work! lots of wiring, plucking etc.
Grant

[jarryd]

grant could you get a pic of the back say rotated 10, 20 and 30 % anti-clockwise??

regards jarryd