Bonsai Tonight

An educational website about bonsai development

Decandling black pine – making the cut

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After many years of decandling red and black pine bonsai, I find I still need to pay close attention as I work. It’s easy to cut too high or too low, cut at an angle, or accidentally cut nearby needles. If you can avoid these cutting mistakes, you’re off to a great start.

Making the cut

There are only a few things to keep in mind when making the cuts to remove spring growth, but each is important.

  • Make the cut square – angled cuts can yield uneven summer growth
  • Leave some new tissue – adventitious buds sprout from new tissue; cutting into last year’s growth will stimulate needle buds
  • Don’t cut surrounding needles – it’s easy to accidentally cut surrounding needles; make cuts with care

Don't make angles cuts

Bad angle

Don't make angles cuts

Bad angle

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Good angle

Decandled shoots and stubs
Plenty of new tissue

Don't cut nearby needles

Careful not to cut surrounding needles

approach with scissors closed

Approach shoot with scissors closed

open scissors at shoot

Open scissors when you get to the shoot

make careful cut

Cut with care

I’ll say more about how much new tissue to leave in a future post. Thanks to new decandling practitioner and sometime hand model Steve for help with the photos.

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Comments

  1. “Making the cut” in addition to “When to decandle” are presented so clearly… adding to your already stellar advice on maintaining black pine bonsai. Thank you, Jonas. It is wonderful to have a reliable source available for review on the internet when I can’t locate the article or video… or remember with clarity the advice of a trusted instructor. I’m indebted to several bonsai teachers; repeatedly, you capture the essence of their practice better than my memory recalls before your refreshment.

  3. Thank you again Jonas for a clear and easily understandable presentation. I ask again, when is the book coming out?

    • There’s no book yet, but I am working on it. Not sure what form it will take or when it will come to be, but I will be sure to make note of it when I have something to share. Thanks, Jonas

  8. Hi Jon – the posts are just here on the site right now. When I’m looking for groups of related posts I usually use the search box, the tags, or Google.

    Cheers,
    Jonas

  9. Do you have a book out or a place where your e-mails are aggregated? Your postings are gold. The best JBP articles I have seen. I can’t afford Boon but you are the next best thing. Thank you.

    Sent from my iPhone