The progress continues on a Japanese black pine I’ve been working on since digging the tree from Lone Pine Gardens some years back. This summer’s work consisted of decandling, thinning a few needles, and reducing the two temporary branches at the top of the tree.
Japanese black pine, approximately 18yrs old – before decandling
After decandling and cutback
The straggly branch at the top left is keeping the trunk alive until a couple of grafts take. I don’t need much growth here, but I want to keep the sap flowing past the grafts. The straggly branch on the right is part of the new apex. I’m letting it grow until the apex is closer in size to the trunk. Once enough grafts take and the apex has reached adequate size, I can remove these branches and actually get an idea of what the tree will look like as bonsai.
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Michael says
Great nebari. How have you developed it or was it that way when it was dug? Would you have any earlier photos of this tree, maybe with their date? Your techniques for developing black pine are always inspiring.
xwires says
Thanks Michael. I got lucky with the nebari – I actually have yet to do much root work with this tree beyond the basic root work I perform at repotting time. Basic rootwork can produce great results with pine in surprisingly short order.
At some point I’ll post older photos of the tree. I found a box of old photos but still need to figure out the dates.
Mark says
I have a similar situation on one of my scots pines. A bunch of twigs low on the trunk which will constitute a future canopy, plus a couple of sacrifice branches.
The future canopy lower down would benefit from decandling, but I’m reluctant to decandle it because I’m afraid the tree will abort so weakened branches on account of the much stronger sacrifice branches which I don’t decandle for obvious reasons.
Is there a way to tell how much (decandling) is just enough, or how much would be too much?
xwires says
Hi Mark – the best way to tell how much to decandle is experience. I’ve been comfortable decandling this pine because it’s very strong. Were it less vigorous I’d hold back. To reduce the contrast in strength between the top and bottom of the tree, I reduce the foliage on the temporary branches at the same time I decandle.