The pine below, grown from seed by Eric Schrader, is in the early stages of branch development. The major sacrifice branch came off a couple of years ago, and the tree has been decandled at least one or two times before.
Japanese black pine – 13 years from seed
Lower trunk (tachiagari) and surface root (nebari) detail
This spring, the plan is to reduce some of the longer branches and decandle all new shoots. Because I didn’t pluck the old needles last fall, I’ll pull some needles too. Here’s what the tree looked like after this work.
After cutback, decandling, and pulling needles
At this stage, that’s the only work that needs doing. But as spring is an acceptable time to wire pines (the best time is in fall or winter), I thought I’d get a jump on things and wire at least the main branches. After getting started, however, I kept adding smaller and smaller wires until most of the primary and secondary branches were wired.
After wiring – 19″ tall
In general, it’s best to simply let pines grow this time of year, but I’ve found it can make fall styling easier when the main branches are wired as this lets the summer growth fill in at the appropriate angle. I plan to start fertilizing the tree again in about a month and will continue fertilizing through the end of the year.
Sei Boku Bonsai Kai Exhibit This Weekend!
On June first and second, Sei Boku Bonsai Kai will host their 36th annual exhibit at the San Mateo Garden Center. Show hours are 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. both days.
Admission is free and includes entry to the club member plant sale and vendors area. Saturday features demonstrations by Steve Iwaki and Jerry Carpenter from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Dr. Bonsai will be available to offer styling and care tips. I’ll be vending at the event with tools, supplies and a selection of satsuki azalea bonsai.
Check the Sei Boku Bonsai Kai website for more information.
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Gilad says
What was the intent of the previous decandlings (before this work )?
Jonas Dupuich says
Hi Gilad! The main reason for decandling is to shorten the internodes. By increasing the total number of shoots on the tree, we can reduce the length of new shoots.
Lani says
Hi Jonas. Is the pine in solid akadama as the picture suggests? I was thinking that JBP would be planted in 1-1-1 Boon mix. Are you experimenting with soil variations by chance?
Jonas Dupuich says
Hi Lani! I noted the mix in response to Robert’s comment. I typically use 30% akadama mixes for younger pines and start using more akadama for more mature trees. More akadama means more water retention in the soil which slows growth and can help shorten internodes. Although the top dressing is 80% akadama (which preserves more moisture near the surface – this tree dries out quickly), the soil below is about 40% akadama.
And yes, I am always experimenting with which mixes work best for my trees! Thanks for the note.
Robert Paul Carrell says
Is this JBP sitting in a “grow” pot, i.e., larger pot to encourage growth?
Also, I recognize the akadama, but what is the white material? Are there other ingredients in the medium mix? Terrific development and learning photos for raising a JBP!!!
Jonas Dupuich says
Thanks Robert! The mix is akadama with pumice and some lava. The top dressing is Clay King, about 80% akadama and 20% pumice in this case. And the pot is “small” in this case because the previous container was much larger. As the transitions from trunk growth to branch growth I use smaller and smaller pots. The next time I repot – likely this winter – I plan to repot into a bonsai container.
Chris Neale says
Hi Jonas,
Is it a good idea to de-candle a JBP the same year it’s repotted?
Jonas Dupuich says
Good question Chris – it depends on the vigor of the tree and the extent of the repotting. If the root work isn’t too invasive and the tree is growing strongly, it can be OK to repot the same year as decandling. This is also true of shohin that are commonly repotted every 1-2 years. If there’s any question about the health or vigor of the tree, it’s OK to wait a year or to partially decandle just the strongest shoots.