AusBonsai

No,I am suggesting you ask the guys.
I am in the Tropics/Trinidad W.I

When the Bonsai Today magazines came out, the articles on J.B.pines,
gave no information on the fertilzer.
So I had to experiment and made it up.
What I do, may kill your efforts.

So ask the local chaps to offer advice.
Until,
Tambrand

Hi
Looking at this tread "growing stock", it comes down to what you want to try and achieve. For me, I love black pines that are twisted and knarly. Your tree has some very straight branches and trunk. If that is what you are after then great. If you are after a twisting trunk or even some minor bend then its time to wire the tree now.

Here is a video of how I deal with young stock black pines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aZd7yIYFwM&"

David

The belief that I have formed regarding fertilizer is that while you are growing stock and until you are happy with trunk size you fertilize like crazy.
So shouldn’t really require any particular attention while growing, I think that fertilizer plays an important role when you are refining the tree.
Happy to be corrected!

I agree with DavidN ... any movement is easier to put in now and will help your pines gain a more dynamic/interesting aesthetic ...when they get thicker they are less likely to bend with as much conviction. Some interesting twists and curves are what make a tree compelling to look at I think.
As for fertiliser, I don't have a problem with fertilising now on developing stock. The only thing I would say is you have a LOT of pellets spread over your mix. As they break down be careful they don't clog it up. When I apply DL I use the baskets, or stick them into empty tea bags (buy 'em from Daiso! ) so that after they have past their use by they can come straight off and be replaced. All in all ... I think what you have done so far is pretty solid. Good job.

Ryceman3 wrote: empty tea bags (buy 'em from Daiso! )

Thanks for the tip Ryceman3!

Ryceman3 wrote:I agree with DavidN ... any movement is easier to put in now and will help your pines gain a more dynamic/interesting aesthetic ...when they get thicker they are less likely to bend with as much conviction. Some interesting twists and curves are what make a tree compelling to look at I think.
As for fertiliser, I don't have a problem with fertilising now on developing stock. The only thing I would say is you have a LOT of pellets spread over your mix. As they break down be careful they don't clog it up. When I apply DL I use the baskets, or stick them into empty tea bags (buy 'em from Daiso! ) so that after they have past their use by they can come straight off and be replaced. All in all ... I think what you have done so far is pretty solid. Good job.

Thanks!!! And thanks for the tea bag tip, that’s a great one!!
Regarding the trunk movement I did think about it but every time I try, I seem to create unnatural bends (to my eye at least) so I was thinking to create sharp bends just letting it grow and then cut to a lower branch as I tried to demonstrate in the picture below... does it make sense and would that work? Is this an acceptable approach for jbp or not really?
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Tambrand, I think you may be a little confused about hardwood and softwood. Pines are classed as softwood and broadleaf trees are generally hardwood. I know it seems strange, but even balsa is classed as a hardwood.

Regarding the trunk movement I did think about it but every time I try, I seem to create unnatural bends (to my eye at least) so I was thinking to create sharp bends just letting it grow and then cut to a lower branch as I tried to demonstrate in the picture below... does it make sense and would that work? Is this an acceptable approach for jbp or not really?

That approach works just as well on pines as on any other species. Occasionally wired bends can look natural and with more practice they begin to get better more often but pruning is a far easier way to get more natural movement

Raging Bull,

much thanks for that

When I said hardwood cutting I was talking about using the hardened
wood when I trim the pine.
As opposed to the young shoots.

Until.
Tambrand

Pureheart,

I wanted to show you,[ see image I left before ]

[1] It is possible to keep needles low on the base of the tree.
So you could regenerate new younger branches.

[2] That in 4 years you could get a trunk of 2.5 to 5 cm in diameter.
A fast grower can get to 7.5 cm.

[3] Extensions of around 1 metre will fatten the trunk by 2.5 cm

To observe the effects of coiling a seedling simply roll clay or
plastercene using 2.5 cm as the base and a length of 15 cm to
get the taper.
This will guide you, on how a tree straightens itself.

Trees evolved to handle, broken branches, torn branches, but not to be wrapped
by strangler vines.
Wiring slows a tree down, as opposed to grow and clip.
So directional pruning will allow you to move much faster, once you
get the hang of the technique.

Apologies if my English throws you, Trinidad is Welsh and Victorian English,
as Jamaica is Scottish.
Until,
Tambrand

Not sure w2hy you would not fertilise now. It is growing on so needs it.
I suppose it depends on how much you cut roots when you repotted.

Looking agood and thinning the top needles will get thos bottom ones going I thiknk

Ken

pureheart wrote: Regarding the trunk movement I did think about it but every time I try, I seem to create unnatural bends (to my eye at least) so I was thinking to create sharp bends just letting it grow and then cut to a lower branch as I tried to demonstrate in the picture below... does it make sense and would that work? Is this an acceptable approach for jbp or not really?

IMG_0694.jpg

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Yep, for sure that will work too. I have quite a few young pine seedlings I have wired and tried to bend reasonably tight to get movement, others I have left and will go with a method just like you describe. In a few years I would bet a combination of both wire and pruning will no doubt happen too... whatever you find works for you, if the trees are interesting then the technique is good!