This past January, I attended a workshop run by Daisaku Nomoto. As I was about to start plucking needles on a young pine, Nomoto recommended I leave some of the oldest needles in place. I asked why, and he suggested the following technique. Many branches on the young pine below have grown vigorously. Even after […]
Black Pine
Decandling season arrives
If you have a number of red or black pine bonsai, you may have noticed that there are new candles everywhere – a sign that decandling time is near. Pine candles It’s still a bit early for people who live in warmer areas, but people in cooler climates may have already begun decandling. The time’s just […]
How to pot pine seedling-cuttings
When making cuttings of young pine seedlings – seedling cuttings – it’s important to use a potting medium that retains moisture. An easy way to achieve this is by using a potting medium like sand. Its small particles retain moisture and enough air for new roots to develop. Although fine sand particles are good for […]
Pine seedlings
[8/16/16 – See the updated and expanded version: How to grow Japanese black pine from seed] I planted pine seeds again this year – black and red. The seeds came from Shikoku, Japan. It’s legal to import pine seeds – permits are available from the USDA – and the process is surprisingly simple. Once I got […]
From landscape tree to bonsai – part 2
There are only so many ways to make a bonsai smaller – and cutting and bending seem to do most of the work. As my newest pine was almost two meters tall, some cutting was in order. Although I have yet to decide on the future of the tree, it’s clear that I don’t need […]