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Getting the balance right – a follow-up

March 11, 2016 by Jonas Dupuich

One of the more common challenges with refining pines is balance. Last summer I wrote about a red pine forest  with uneven growth (see “Getting the balance right“). To improve the balance between trees, I decandled the weak trees early and the strong trees later.

Here’s how the pine looked last spring before decandling.

April 2015 – the trees on the right are strong

At decandling time, I plucked more needles from the strong trees to reduce their vigor.

June 2015 – the stronger trees are left with fewer needles

How did this turn out? Here’s the group planting in August.

August 2015 – the summer growth is mostly filled in

And here it is in January.

January 2016 – balance is good

The improved balance made exhibit prep easy.

Red pine forest as shown at Bay Island Bonsai’s 17th annual exhibit

I expect further adjustments will be needed to produce even growth again this year – and if that’s the case, I’ll repeat last year’s approach and see what comes this fall.

✕

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Filed Under: Bonsai Development Tagged With: Decandling, Red Pine

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Scott Shatrowsky says

    March 13, 2016 at 6:42 am

    Whoa, just 1 season and the difference is huge! Terrific looking Red Pine.

    BTW, have you considered doing a post on moss? Your method of cultivating it and what you do with the moss after a show?

  2. Jonas Dupuich says

    March 13, 2016 at 3:53 pm

    Thanks Scott – good question about the moss. I actually don’t cultivate it – I just collect it when I need moss for exhibits. After the show I either leave it in place or remove it, depending on the tree. Unless the moss is holding soil in place – like when the soil is mounded above the rim of the pot – I usually remove it.

  3. mnv says

    March 15, 2016 at 12:45 pm

    beautiful work

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