Summer buds start forming on black and red pines within days of decandling. I try to wire trees that need it before summer buds appear to avoid damaging them. What do I do when small buds appear but I still want to wire a tree? When I’m feeling ambitious, I go ahead and wire with […]
Decandling
Decandling season isn’t just for decandling
Decandling season, typically late spring through early summer, can entail a lot more than removing spring growth from pine bonsai. It’s also a great time for removing extra needles, light cutback, and even wiring. Because the timing of the decandling is of some importance, I usually decandle my trees at the appointed times and then […]
A cutback-decandling technique
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 […]
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 […]
Brushing branches
I recently learned, a bit late, how to treat black pines that were decandled in fall – see “Fall decandling, year two” for details. After decandling the tree, I took the opportunity to wire it in a workshop with Akio Kondo. After reviewing my wiring, Kondo asked if I had a toothbrush. Too soft, he […]