AusBonsai

Hi, I bought this pine from nursery stock for $32 in a rush. When I got home, I found out that the branches are not symmetrical. I have done some wiring on the main trunk but didn't do any bending yet - got no idea what shape to bend it to. any suggestion? Thanks

Pays to shop wisely, take it back for another one.

kvan64 wrote: When I got home, I found out that the branches are not symmetrical.

Why would you want them to be symmetrical Kvan? Most things in nature are asymmetrical ...your tree is proof of that.

i wouldnt take this one back... i would feed it up and see where it goes, what did you pay for it -30 odd bucks?? not a great loss, not a loss at all, i think this tree has a lot of potential!

Greetings,
Now is the time to sort out the roots. Look and make sure they are nice and even and not wrapping in circles around the trunk.
The trunk needs a better taper, so let the lower branches grow on.
For a real experts opinion take the tree to the REDLANDS Society show at the Donald Simpson Centre, Bloomfield st, Cleveland. Tony Bebb is giving a demo at 10.00am this SUNDAY.
If you are up the coast, the Sunshine Coast club have a show at the Woombye Hall this weekend.

The reason it was not $300 is that it needs 10 years of work.
Good luck,
BB.

Thanks for all the inputs guys. I almost brought it back to return but the nursery ran out of Japanese white pine stock so I wouldn't have another replacement. Then I thought about it, just like Jamie, the tree is a rare speciment and over 3 yrs old. So 10 bucks for each year it got cared for. Not so bad.
The conclusion - I'll keep and feed it and see if it develops better. It seems to grow quick with just water now.

BB, I'd love to take it to the show and ofer to use it as demo stock. Just don't have da time to go at the moment. Maybe later on.
Tachigi, thanks for your point of view. I didn't have a lot of pines and the most pines that I saw were ....Chrismas trees so they ought to be symmetrical

Get rid of it.
Leave it out on your footpath and wait for someone to take it.

... now what was your address again?

Thanks for all the inputs guys. I almost brought it back to return but the nursery ran out of Japanese white pine stock so I wouldn't have another replacement. Then I thought about it, just like Jamie, the tree is a rare speciment and over 3 yrs old. So 10 bucks for each year it got cared for. Not so bad.
The conclusion - I'll keep and feed it and see if it develops better. It seems to grow quick with just water now.

BB, I'd love to take it to the show and ofer to use it as demo stock. Just don't have da time to go at the moment. Maybe later on.
Tachigi, thanks for your point of view. I didn't have a lot of pines and the most pines that I saw were ....Chrismas trees so they ought to be symmetrical:)

Decided to keep so I've repoted the white pine in a proper pot. Did some more wiring hope for a future slanting style. Will keep feeding as suggested and hope that the base of the trunk will get thicker.

should develop nicely mate, as for trunk thickening in the pot i dont think it will for a very very very long time. if your gonna keep it potted then you should work on development of the branching and get the needles looking nice!
pines need a lot of sacrifice branches down low to thicken there trunks. there is no easy way about this

jamie111 wrote:should develop nicely mate, as for trunk thickening in the pot i dont think it will for a very very very long time. if your gonna keep it potted then you should work on development of the branching and get the needles looking nice!
pines need a lot of sacrifice branches down low to thicken there trunks. there is no easy way about this

Is it a good idea to shorten the needles?

not so sure bout that, as for now i would say no while you are trying to develop the branching, if the branching was there then yes, needle reduction is one of the last things you do on a pine following up to show quality as such. thats about all i know. you want to develop it so i would let it go free for a few seasons now someone else with more pine experience might say different though

Do not shorten the needles. You want the tree to grow. If you shorten the needle why would it grow?.
With Pines they need to be finished in the syling before you start on needle reduction.
This tree should be taken out of that LITTLE pot and put in a grow box. It will take 20+ years to put on 2.5 cm of growth in the trunk in that pot. It will never be a Shohin either in that POT.
If you look at good Bonsai you, you will notice, all are Asymetrical as Tom pointed out nature is a wonderful Teacher.

Ps this is not a native it is in the wrong place. It should be in the Exotics

Not sure that is a White Pine, looks like a JBP in the pics.

MM

Mojo Moyogi wrote:Not sure that is a White Pine, looks like a JBP in the pics.

MM

I agree. How many needle's to a folicle two or five? if its two it is JBP. If its five it is a white pine.