AusBonsai

Hi Everyone

With the recent talk about growing our black pine stock the Japanese Way, I thought I'll share a picture of one of my black pines that I grew from seed 9 years ago.

I was given a pine cone around 10 years ago by one of the nicest bonsai gentleman around, Brian Yates, who was the owner of Western Bonsai (now closed).

From that cone, I got 13 viable seeds. All 13 trees have always been grown in pots and wooden boxes, and all are still with me today.

This tree has only been in a Bonsai pot for 2 years. The needles are rather long due to it not being decandled this summer (to build strength).
This was the tree 4 years ago
Pot is wrong, but I've got an Ikkou and a Kamiya Ryuen pot in the more traditional rectangular style with cloud feet waiting for it.

All comments are welcome.

Regards
Mark

A few more from the same batch:
Before Before
Regards
Mark

And a chuhin that is still developing in its grow box:
From another angle: Regards
Mark

Very nice work Mark!

Interesting! Thanks for sharing.
I would be even more interested in a progression of any one of them [ if you could do it for all of them ] over those 9 years.

I've got several pinus elliottii [ slash pine ] roughtly 2~3 years old that I am trying to train into what you currently have.

Here's one of them:




I want to promote those smaller branches down at the bottom.

Hi xtolord

I'm not familiar with slash pine, but you should wire your tree to put some sharp bends in the trunk, especially the lower trunk. Then all you need to do is sit back and let them grow. Do not worry, if the tree is strong, the bottom buds will grow (even if you leave a long leader on top).

Cut the wire off after it has bitten into the bark a bit. The biting effect of the wire will cause the trunk to swell a bit, which is good. But be careful of letting it bite in too much. After that, remove the wire and let it grow freely for a few years(with lots of feed). Oh, and make sure you use wire that is thick enough.

Regards
Mark

Ok thanks!

Wire, give shape, let a sacrificial branch grow then cut back.
Is that all?

I did bend the others.





But I also wanted to have a literati or chokkan alternative for one or two.

Nice work Mark, the chuhin will be great.

Any things that you would do different next time?

Any tips for those growing from seed this year?

xotlord

Nice work, but it would be nicer if the bends started just above the roots. I normally wire my pine seedlings when I do the first repotting so that I can get the bend to start right at the roots. I guess it depends on what you are trying to achieve. If you are after Shohin trees, tighter bends are better. For larger trees, gentler bends will work better in the long run. Oh and make sure you spread the roots nicely when you repot.


Scott

Thanks. The Chuhin will be reduced over the next year or so, then left in the box for another year or two to close up any scars. My goal is to create perfect taper with no visible large scars.

And as to what would I do different in the future...I think I will leave the trees in their grow pots longer to get even thicker trunks. Also to close up any scars as I prefer my black pines to have no jins and sharis.

Regards
Mark

Scott

And one more thing...I will create more root on rock pines like this one (also grown from seed):
Close up:
The roots will be slowly uncovered over the next few years.

Regards
Mark

mwkoi wrote:A few more from the same batch:

JBP4.jpeg

Before

JBP4b4.jpeg

JBP3.jpeg

Before

JBP3b4.jpeg

Regards
Mark

Hello Mark, Do you have any updates on this trees? I’m new in this hobbies and i was surprised when i see this similar to my tree that i work today. At the moment i live i tree a lone now because i dont want to stress much.

Thanks
Eddy



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