18 YR OLD NEGLECTED JAPANESE WHITE PINE BONSAI WANNA BE.

[FEX]

Hi everyone, i purchased this tree from kemp nursery in the adelaide hills around 1997, it was , maybe 5 years old already, i had it wired for one season, thats all, the rest of its life, it just sat there, living in the adelaide hills, ive only just discovered how to needle pluck, e.t.c, what a waste of the last 15 years not to mention i did not fertilize for all those years... what to do with it? .. i lost a couple of branches higher up due to falling twigs , lots of trees, stringy bark , it was under... please let me know what you think i can do with this, i know it needs a repot, ph level is 6 in the soil . will definately get a re-pot soon.a few more weeks or more. cheers...joe

[Guy]

trunk chop above the 4th branch to get rid of the straight area inc last branch and apex-remove tree from pot- remove about 30% of the roots from the bottom of the rootball.-wrap the rootball in shade cloth and place in the ground in warm sunny spot-water well- Ive found that even though some of the roots grow through the cloth the rootball is more easily defined when you next lift it in a couple of years.

[Chris Sirre]

trunk chop above the 4th branch to get rid of the straight area inc last branch and apex-remove tree from pot- remove about 30% of the roots from the bottom of the rootball.-wrap the rootball in shade cloth and place in the ground in warm sunny spot-water well- Ive found that even though some of the roots grow through the cloth the rootball is more easily defined when you next lift it in a couple of years.

Hi Fex,

Be careful when you cut the tree back and rootprine at the same time. The chance is there that you will loose it. Pine don't like those 2 things done to them in the same year. What I would do is put it in a large box with a good draining soil. Just tease the roots a little bit and start feeding it heavily.Get the tree healthy before you do any other work.

Cheers,

Chris

[Bretts]

I would get the tree in better health in fact pristine health (might take a year or three). Then I would twist and bend the bugger out of it. Then let it grow strong for another year or three before I made new plans for this.
Good luck

[Guy]

Be careful when you cut the tree back and rootprine at the same time. The chance is there that you will loose it. Pine don't like those 2 things done to them in the same year. What I would do is put it in a large box with a good draining soil. Just tease the roots a little bit and start feeding it heavily.Get the tree healthy before you do any other work.

Cheers,

Chris

Thanks Chris--- I think I just found out why one of my pines died last year
regards Guy

[Chris Sirre]

Be careful when you cut the tree back and rootprine at the same time. The chance is there that you will loose it. Pine don't like those 2 things done to them in the same year. What I would do is put it in a large box with a good draining soil. Just tease the roots a little bit and start feeding it heavily.Get the tree healthy before you do any other work.

Cheers,

Chris

Thanks Chris--- I think I just found out why one of my pines died last year
regards Guy

That's what this is all about. To learn from eachother.

Cheers,

Chris

[FEX]

thanks for the help,everybody,i will repot in a diatomite,zeolite and a bit of bonsai mix, i heard the white pines like to be repotted only after needles show a bit.. here is some more pics from other angles,, by the way, i pinched 70% of the buds off , one month ago, maybe i wasn't supposed to, looks like there is starting to show lots of small budding, i hope i can get this to back bud, eventually,on the area i lost branches on. thanks for everybodys advice and opinions.. , i also have a 20YR old japanese black pine that needs something done, pics coming soon......Joe ...... forgot to add ..... this tree is 40cm .. 16inch high ..grown from seed by Kemp nursery around 1993..price $8 , i wish i had bought more back then, they were about 8 inch high with 6 or so branches,

[daiviet_nguyen]

trunk chop above the 4th branch to get rid of the straight area inc last branch and apex-remove tree from pot- remove about 30% of the roots from the bottom of the rootball.-wrap the rootball in shade cloth and place in the ground in warm sunny spot-water well- Ive found that even though some of the roots grow through the cloth the rootball is more easily defined when you next lift it in a couple of years.

Hi Fex,

Be careful when you cut the tree back and rootprine at the same time. The chance is there that you will loose it. Pine don't like those 2 things done to them in the same year. What I would do is put it in a large box with a good draining soil. Just tease the roots a little bit and start feeding it heavily.Get the tree healthy before you do any other work.

Cheers,

Chris

Very sound advice from Chris. I would be very careful with this tree as well. It does look in poor health. Get its health back is my first priority too.

Good luck and best regards.

[bodhidharma]

My experience also has been that you must proceed with great caution when dealing with white pines.Reduce the foliage slowly and as stated by Chris, not to much in one season.

[LLK]

I have found this book invaluable and profited especially from Kimura's article on Japanese White Pines.
Some of his advice on pruning these trees is unexpected, but golly, is it true!!!
See
Bonsai Today Masters' Series: Pines, Growing & Styling Japanese Black & White Pines featuring Masahiko Kimura, Takashita Yosiaki & Many Others [Textbook Binding]

Lisa

[FEX]

I have found this book invaluable and profited especially from Kimura's article on Japanese White Pines.
Some of his advice on pruning these trees is unexpected, but golly, is it true!!!
See
Bonsai Today Masters' Series: Pines, Growing & Styling Japanese Black & White Pines featuring Masahiko Kimura, Takashita Yosiaki & Many Others [Textbook Binding]

Lisa

thanks for the tip, a book like that is just what i need, now , where to find one.. in regards to the tree, when it is ready, i will carefully repot and tease the roots a bit, will keep updated, i hope i can get this pine growing very well,, thanks again for the input/ advice....Joe

[Dario]

Hi Joe, I agree with Guy's evaluation of your pine in terms of where to reducing it etc. I would eventually also shorten the first two branches (just my opinion though).
Of course, as you will have figured out via what Chris and other members have said, do it gradually and only once the tree is in prime health (sorry for the repetition of info).
Yes it would have been great if you picked up some more of these way back when...Oh well.
The book Lisa mentioned is the way to go mate, mine arrived last week and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A great reference!
You can order it via http://www.stonelantern.com in the USA.
Good luck with the pine, Dario.

[FEX]

I JUST FOUND OUT SOMETHING, , THE TITLE OF THIS SUBJECT MIGHT BE RIGHT, not that it want's to be a bonsai, but it want's to be a WHITE PINE, unless there is a 2 needle variety?? this pine is a 2 needle white pine wanna be?? , am i missing something here, or is this a Black pine, which pine?? anyone know, , i will post a close up pic of the needees and candles....