• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Bonsai Tonight

An educational website about bonsai development

  • Blog
    • How-to Guides
  • Podcast
  • Shop
    • Bonsai
    • Books
    • Soil
    • Soil (wholesale)
    • Supplies
    • Tools
    • Video Consulting
    • Northern California Bonsai Resources
  • About
    • Workshops

From landscape tree to bonsai part 5

December 22, 2017 by Jonas Dupuich

Six years ago, I started working on a large Japanese black pine that had been developed as landscape material.

Japanese black pine – 2012

Over the years I reduced the tree to a single cascading branch (for the full story, see links to parts 1-4 below).

Black pine – December 2017

Several years ago, the tree suffered some root loss and dieback. I wasn’t sure if it was going to make it, but it came out well last year and was ready for wiring and decandling this past spring.

This fall, I decided to thin some of the excess needles and repot the tree.

After thinning needles

I was curious to see how the roots were doing. It had been a couple of years since the tree was repotted and at last look, there were few signs of life.

I was happy to find that there were plenty of roots emerging from the half of the trunk that supported the sole branch.

New roots

I was surprised, however, to see how much old soil was left in the rootball. I’d removed as much as possible during the previous two repottings and removed the remainder this time around.

Plenty of roots on this side

Few roots on the other side

It took a little engineering to secure the tree in the pot, but a few chopsticks did a good job holding the tree tight.

Chopsticks for support

As you can see in the photo above, I used fairly large soil down below before adding a thin layer of small soil on top.

After repotting

I ignored, for the time being, the large jin. Am not yet sure what the plan is for it, but it’s not a given that it’ll stick around. If it’s reduced, the final tree will be closer to the following in size.

Without the jin – 15″ tall from the top branch to the lowest branch

Of course, the other side could also work.

View of the back – an option for a future front?

At this point, I’m most interested in maintaining the tree’s health. I plan to feed the tree well in spring but I’m not sure about decandling. I may wait another year for that.

Missed the previous articles in this series? Here they are:

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4

✕

Subscribe to Bonsai Tonight

New Posts Delivered Every Tuesday and Friday

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Filed Under: Bonsai Development Tagged With: Black Pine

Previous Post: « Wiring and repotting crabapple seedlings
Next Post: An approach to organizing a bonsai garden »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Vince Nguyen says

    December 22, 2017 at 6:57 am

    Great writeup as always, Jonas. One question, do you know the variety of this black pine? I have one just like it I think its mikawa but not sure.

    Thanks

    • Jonas Dupuich says

      December 22, 2017 at 9:01 am

      Thanks Vince! No idea which region this pine traces its genetics back to. It doesn’t look like the Mikawa I’m used to seeing, but it’s hard to say where and how it got its start.

  2. Nacho Pello says

    December 22, 2017 at 10:03 am

    Amazing, thanks for sharing all your work, is very educational and entertaining!

  3. Zack Clayton says

    January 1, 2018 at 9:39 am

    I like the root buttress better on the branch descending to the left better. It also seems to have a more interesting interplay with the trunk on that side.

Footer

Follow Bonsai Tonight

Subscribe

Instagram ● Facebook ● Twitter
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • About

P.O. Box 6560, Alameda, CA 94501 · 510-915-2025 · jonas (at) bonsaitonight (dot) com

© Copyright 2009-2023 Bonsai Tonight · All rights reserved · Privacy · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can opt-out if you wish. Accept Decline Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT