AusBonsai

So I finally joined the local bonsai club and went on a dig - found this charmer. It grew on a rock surface so it was easy to get up but it didn't have a lot of roots. Still in ground. I liked the balance of foliage. And the main feature.

I started out with a plastic training pot, but it broke mid-potting... So I swore off plastic and built a wooden box instead.

The grow box is about 43 cm wide and the tree trunk is about 3 cm.

It's in 100% pumice with quite a lot of its original soil around the roots.

Almost a month later it has buds, but not gangbusters - the plan is to wait and see how they develop before I start fert. Trying to follow Ryan Neil's yamadori Pine knowledge.

Looks like things are going pretty well, new buds seem to me to be nice and healthy from your pics. I’d tentatively say it’s “out of the woods”... metaphorically as well as physically!

I never count pines as survivors till after mid summer. They are very slow to decide one way or another and can look good for a long time before collapsing. New shoots emerging is always a very good sign but I still don't count pines as survivors till they push new shoots the following spring.

All the indications are good for this one but it could still go either way at this stage.
In any case you should not attempt any styling until next year at the earliest. I'm sure your experienced club members will already have given you great info for your area and species and although I don't agree with all of Ryan's hype his guidance is generally good.

Yes, leave the foliage alone for a while yet. It helps the roots regrow and stabilise the tree.

Welcome to Ausbonsai. And a great start. Very jealous of those who can dig these in the wild, and i imagine Sweden can be pretty wild.

grant

Cheers for the input guys. I'll leave it be for at least a year.

I will eventually try to style it to "look like a big tree" - that is, a pine growing wild in Sweden, so I think it will differ some from the typical "bonsai-pine" Time will tell..

Thanks Grant! I like it here

Per PF wrote: ↑May 25th, 2021, 7:03 am I will eventually try to style it to "look like a big tree" - that is, a pine growing wild in Sweden, so I think it will differ some from the typical "bonsai-pine" Time will tell..

I think that sounds like a perfect style plan for this one. Look forward to watching it develop.

Cheers
Kirky

Nice find. We are envy here in Australia. Our pines have very long needles and not good materials for bonsai. Correct me if I'm wrong Aussies.

Thanks guys! I'm in envy of your local species and climates - that's what's great about the internet, and this forum in particular, we can share, appreciate and learn bonsai from each other although we're on opposite sides of the earth

Still looking good... New needles on all pads. I'm giving liquid fert once a week since it started growing.