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
Bad angle
Bad angle
Good angle
Plenty of new tissue
Careful not to cut surrounding needles
Approach shoot with scissors closed
Open scissors when you get to the shoot
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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Chris Cochrane says
June 14, 2013 at 5:18 am“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.
Jonas Dupuich says
June 14, 2013 at 7:22 amThanks so much Chris – I really appreciate it! Let me know if you ever have any suggestions.
Jonas
Juan says
June 14, 2013 at 8:01 amBueno Jonasito. Musy Bueno!
Mac says
June 14, 2013 at 8:04 amThank you again Jonas for a clear and easily understandable presentation. I ask again, when is the book coming out?
lartdes4saisons says
June 14, 2013 at 2:25 pmMerci jonas pour ces explcations tres claires.
Ou est qu’on peut acheter le livre? Merci
Jonas Dupuich says
June 14, 2013 at 2:48 pmThere’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
lartdes4saisons says
June 14, 2013 at 2:53 pmThanks for your reply and until the book i continue read you.
Sami
bruwno says
June 15, 2013 at 6:24 amthank you very much for the great information and photos.
now i can cut candles with less hesitation.
Bruno
Jon Britt says
June 15, 2013 at 4:35 pmYour posts are great. Do you have a place where they are all located.
Jon
Jonas Dupuich says
June 15, 2013 at 10:05 pmHi 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
[email protected] says
June 17, 2013 at 3:39 pmDo 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
Jonas Dupuich says
June 17, 2013 at 11:18 pmFYI – here’s a link to all of my posts on decandling (click “Older Posts” when you get to the bottom of the page for more):
http://bonsaitonight.com/tag/decandling/
And here are some recent posts in a different format:
http://pinterest.com/jdupuich/decandling/
Shirley says
July 4, 2013 at 11:56 pmJonas – do you have any suggestions for Mugo pines? i’ve had bad luck.
Jonas Dupuich says
July 5, 2013 at 12:03 amHi Shirley – I’d treat mugo pine like white pine; Michael Hagedorn has posted some tips here: http://crataegus.com/2012/10/02/what-to-do-with-white-pines-in-the-fall/