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How to not make seedling-cuttings

July 15, 2014 by Jonas Dupuich

I started my first batch of black pine bonsai from seed over 20 years ago. Most of these trees have been developed using the seedling-cutting technique. This year, I’m foregoing the technique and letting the seedlings grow freely for a change.

Pine seedlings

Black pine seedling – July 2014

Striking cuttings from seedlings can simplify the process of producing even root growth. This year I’m aiming to produce trees with uneven root growth. The idea is that natural root growth guided by selective pruning during repotting can also produce great surface roots. As I’ve often worked with seedling-cuttings, I’m looking forward to learning what differences, if any, working with non-seedling cuttings entails.

Pine seedlings

Black pine seedlings

The inspiration for letting the young trees grow freely this year? My visit to Miyakonojou this past winter. During this visit, I found evidence that great trees can be produced without the technique. I’ll let you know how it goes!

✕

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Filed Under: Bonsai Development Tagged With: Black Pine, Seedling Cutting

Previous Post: « Developing young pine bonsai
Next Post: Developing black pine – setting the first curves »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. mirko says

    July 15, 2014 at 5:28 am

    To do pine trees with exposed roots as you think you do?

  2. shahinisengupta says

    July 15, 2014 at 6:39 am

    useful piece of info. thnx for sharing 🙂

  3. Dick van Dreven says

    July 15, 2014 at 12:17 pm

    Dear Jonas,

    A couple of years ago I tried the seedling-cutting methode on my black pine seedlings. Living in the Netherlands I found that our growing season is barely long enough to establish good growth on te cuttngs the first year.
    One year later I didn’t make cuttings of the black pine seedlings. These are now in their second year and allmost as developped as the seedling cuttings that are one year older!
    And it stil will be possible to get an excellent nebari by pruning roots and growing in pond baskets.

  4. Adam says

    July 15, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    I was actually thinking if trying this, and then using a tourniquet on the tap roots after letting them grow for a few years. I used this method with an oak sprouted from an acorn, and got some good results (accelerated thickening of the trunk, and nice taper). Something you might want try experimenting with.

  5. bonsaibible says

    July 16, 2014 at 5:07 pm

    This seems very interesting, I’m quite curious to see how this will turn out 🙂

  6. L. Rolyat says

    July 17, 2014 at 5:09 am

    I have enjoyed browsing through your blog – I particularly enjoyed the Sierra juniper posts (couldn’t comment there because comments are closed). We have a tree here called a water berry (Syzygium species) which grows on the banks of the Zambezi River. The constant action by the rising and falling water level creates the most beautiful root and branch contortions – I would love to try to recreate this with a bonsai.

    • Jonas Dupuich says

      July 17, 2014 at 11:05 am

      Thanks for the note – it’d be great to see more syzygium bonsai!

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