AusBonsai

Jow wrote: It is interesting looking back at the pictures from 2008 to see just how far this tree has come

Very much so Jow. The tree is starting to look the goods. Looking forward to seeing its new pot.

And a quick easy to compare side by side post....
This was the tree in 2008 which was when i first returned from Japan with new techniques in hand. Four years of applying those techniques and this is what you get. If only i knew black pine techniques prior to this all my pines would be so much furhter along.

Joe

Wow your "hope it looks like this in a few years" picture was pretty much spot on

(well before the latest pluck )

Nice work mate ! Watch the top of that showy doesnt get away from you ...

Great work there Joe, a very nice improvement since 2008. It will great to see this tree in a pot that fits in with it's design.

Cheers,
Mojo

The pot is the challenge. I have a couple of options but not sure if any will be exacly right. Hmmmmmmm have to see what presents it self come early spring.

Jow wrote: I went away during this last summers candle pruning period so i had to do my pruning a little early and in one go which meant the needle length is a little long and the lower branch is a little weaker in growth than the rest of the tree. Hopefully with this needle work and this coming summers candle pruning i will be able to get this tree nicely ballanced and with even small needles.

IMG_3808.JPG

You can see from the above image that i have left more needles on the lower areas of the tree and less on the upper regions. I left 3 pairs of needles on strong areas, 5 pair in average areas and 7+ pairs in the weaker zones. I look forward to next years growth where i will be able to get this tree displayable and hopefully also into a new pot.

Joe.

Hi Jow
Great trees mate!
Id be very interested to know what times you exactly apply the different techniques on pines. i know most of the time periods they apply different techniques in Japan, but what times in the season have you found best to apply them in Australia?

Thanks,
Hugh

Hi Hugh,

Thanks for the comment. I maintain my pines pretty much by the calendar. Most of the tasks i do on them are a little flexible but the candle pruning is pretty locked into a week or two's window.

-I repot early spring.

-I candle prune here in Melbourne mid December. (this last season i had to do it at the end of November and got longer needles)

-I needle prune in Autumn.

-I wire either in winter particularily if i have to do big bends or just after candle pruning. You can wire year round but those times minimise the amount of delicate buds you have a chance of knocking off.

That's pretty much it. It not to say you cant get away with doing these tasks at different times, its just what i have found works best for me.

The candle pruning dates are for my climate in Melbourne. I know canberra tends to do their's a little earlier and i would also do them earlier if i was in TAS. For warmer climates that still have seasons like Sydney you might be able to cut a little later? But i cant really comment on a date as the only way to know for sure is to ask someone who has tried a bunch of times.

As a general rule large trees are done a little earlier (a week or so) and smaller trees are done later.

I dont know how this technique would go in tropical weather as i am pretty sure it rely's on seasonal growth rather than year round growth.

Hope that helps.

Joe

Jow
Fantastic work i like this pine alot . started autumn thinning mine today, will take about a week or so to do the 13 i have. Again thanks for posting

I have 7 branches left on my last pine to be thinned. I have been thinning for the last few weekends. It takes a LONG time and as they refine they take longer and longer each year as they develop more growing tips. This year i have spent between 2-6 hours on each tree. Good luck with yours, be sure to share some pics!

thanks heaps Jow
im in the sydney area so later cutting then maybe. why is that you cut later in warmer climates, i thought it would be the other way around?

Hugh

its to do with the time between cutting the candles and Autumn/ winter stopping growth.
After cut the candles the new growth that emerges only has a limited time to mature so the needles it grows are shorter. If you cut early they have more time and grow longer. If you cut later they have less time and are shorter...... to a point. If you cut too late the tree will bud up but will not produce the second flush of growth, instead just bud out the following spring.

Warmer climates have longer growing seasons so you can cut later because the growth will stop later than colder climates.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Jow for this insight into your basic pine routine, very easy to follow.

Your second shohin pine is doing marvelously now. It put out some crazy growth this spring and throughout summer from a good fertilizing regime of mine.
I thinned her out last week and she is recovering as I am doing others now.

Regards,

Han.

......and, what a difference the JBP looks from when you started this thread to where and the way she looks now

Very nice work Jow, thank you for sharing.
Anthony