matcha_bonsai
Sapling
Should I repot this little guy into a slightly larger pot? Any advice on what I should do with this little guy? I jut got it and I'm new to bonsai.
Advice on this little white pine...repot?
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Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Welcome to bonsai.
Changing pots depends what your aim is - maintain a small bonsai or grow a larger tree?
I think that pot is adequate for the tree now but I think the tree could have a bit taken out of the top as it looks a bit thick up there and a bit top heavy. That would help to balance the tree and current pot.
If you want to grow a larger pine bonsai then it will need a larger pot.
I think it is incongruous that you are in Japan but asking outsiders for advice on bonsai
BTW It does not really look like a white pine in the photo. Maybe a black pine? a closer look at the leaves would tell the difference. White pine has bunches of 5 blueish needles. Black pine has needles in pairs and darker green.
Changing pots depends what your aim is - maintain a small bonsai or grow a larger tree?
I think that pot is adequate for the tree now but I think the tree could have a bit taken out of the top as it looks a bit thick up there and a bit top heavy. That would help to balance the tree and current pot.
If you want to grow a larger pine bonsai then it will need a larger pot.
I think it is incongruous that you are in Japan but asking outsiders for advice on bonsai
BTW It does not really look like a white pine in the photo. Maybe a black pine? a closer look at the leaves would tell the difference. White pine has bunches of 5 blueish needles. Black pine has needles in pairs and darker green.
matcha_bonsai
Sapling
It's Shikoku Goyomatsu... which is white pine, correct?
I think I want to grow it larger... so yes, a larger pot would be necessary -- right?
And I'm asking here because I dont speak Japanese fluently haha
I think I want to grow it larger... so yes, a larger pot would be necessary -- right?
And I'm asking here because I dont speak Japanese fluently haha
matcha_bonsai
Sapling
BTW, here is a better view:
A little top heavy?
A little top heavy?
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Now I understand - Just seems funny when I read the initial post - someone from Tokyo needs to ask about bonsai?????And I'm asking here because I dont speak Japanese fluently haha
The new photo shows a different colour so much more like white pine and, yes, goyomatsu is white pine.
I think it is a little too top heavy for the current height and trunk thickness. Bonsai is all about proportion. Trying to grow something that looks like a natural old tree. So far this one is tall and skinny with a big cluster of foliage near the top. If you wanted to keep this tree as a small bonsai the top would need to be reduced.
However, what it looks like now is irrelevant because you want to change it to a larger tree size. That means growing it. Again, you always have a choice. You can keep it in small pots (just pot up a size each year or so) and it will grow and develop slowly so plan on a 20-50 year development program OR you can put the tree into a larger pot or into the ground somewhere and forget about it being bonsai for a few years. It will grow faster and you may achieve your goal in 5-10 years.
There is no one way to develop bonsai. So much depends on how you grow the tree, what facilities are available and your side goals during the process (maybe you want to keep it looking bonsai like during the transition).
A few things to be aware of, especially as you do not seem to know much about bonsai:
Pines do not live long when kept indoors. They need an outside position where they get plenty of sun to stay healthy.
Small pots are quite hard to maintain. It will need water at least twice a day in summer but too much water can also kill it.
Pines require special pruning and maintenance to keep them looking good.
We feed and water our bonsai to keep them healthy. That means they grow. That means we need to trim and prune to maintain a neat tree shape.
You have definitely picked one of the more difficult species for a beginner at bonsai.
How long are you in Tokyo and where is home? Do you plan to take this tree if/when you leave Japan?
matcha_bonsai
Sapling
Thanks for the great advice!
Yes, I want to keep it looking bonsai during the transition...which means a slower pace but I'm okay with that! I will 'pot up a size' every year or so!
I am planning to stay in Tokyo long term and I have this pine outside on the balcony with sun. I am now learning the basics of fertilizing, watering schedule per season, decandling/pruning, etc. now as well.
Yes, I want to keep it looking bonsai during the transition...which means a slower pace but I'm okay with that! I will 'pot up a size' every year or so!
I am planning to stay in Tokyo long term and I have this pine outside on the balcony with sun. I am now learning the basics of fertilizing, watering schedule per season, decandling/pruning, etc. now as well.
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
With slower growers as White pines repotting oftener than 5 years is bad idea. Allowing more free development in bigger container and with sacrifice branch to make trunk bigger will help greatly. Keeping roots confined and foliage more constrained trunk and tree development will be forever
.
.
JWP are very slow to grow “bigger” once put into a bonsai pot. The trees are “grown” in fields, then harvested, and potted in bonsai pots. In Japan, larger JWP would be very inexpensive, so if you want a larger one, it’s better to go and buy a larger tree. Keep this one as a small Shohin tree. It will take you 20 years, at least, to grow this into anything significantly larger if kept in a bonsai pot.
Japonicus
Imperial Masterpiece
Before candles form or after the candles open and form shoots, get the wire off. Especially the criss cross basket up high.
What @Adair said. Definitely purchase a larger one and keep this one small-ish.
I'm not digging the branch on the inside of the trunk curve, and early is best to correct. Like within the next few years
but after a repotting has recovered well and roots are re-established. That branch could also become new apex.
Either way, a removal is in its future one way or another if it were in my care. 2nd branch on the left would be my new apex.
Would increase taper.
If you're NOT going to reduce for whatever reasons, the top, upwards branch pointing to 11 O'clock is apex
and the branch/shoot under the current apex, pointing to 3 O'clock is top right branch. That is the least you could do for this tree.
Cut it high leaving a stub and seal the cut with cut paste, but not till later in the Summer. Here in US maybe July or February I would reduce
with harder drastic cuts in late Winter. You could do a minimal light cut now when needing watered, seal cut, cut paste dries, then water. In that order.
What @Adair said. Definitely purchase a larger one and keep this one small-ish.
I'm not digging the branch on the inside of the trunk curve, and early is best to correct. Like within the next few years
but after a repotting has recovered well and roots are re-established. That branch could also become new apex.
Either way, a removal is in its future one way or another if it were in my care. 2nd branch on the left would be my new apex.
Would increase taper.
If you're NOT going to reduce for whatever reasons, the top, upwards branch pointing to 11 O'clock is apex
and the branch/shoot under the current apex, pointing to 3 O'clock is top right branch. That is the least you could do for this tree.
Cut it high leaving a stub and seal the cut with cut paste, but not till later in the Summer. Here in US maybe July or February I would reduce
with harder drastic cuts in late Winter. You could do a minimal light cut now when needing watered, seal cut, cut paste dries, then water. In that order.
Yamabudoudanshi
Shohin
Hey! Another Tokyo newbie!
It's funny so many mention being in Japan and and asking here for advice. People have asked me the same. Fluent Japanese or not, most people who do bonsai in Japan are reclusive old men, so unless one of them happens to be your neighbor, it's not that easy to find people to talk trees with. I like chatting with the O-san at my closest nursery, but he's also a busy guy and doesn't have time to chat all day.
As far as online Japanese communities go... good luck.. Most of them are infrequently updated blogs at best. There are no forums like this.. none that I've found anyway.
A piece of advice, outside of bonsai nurseries, which there aren't many of in Tokyo, ヤフオク and メルカリ are your best tools for sourcing quality material. I haven't had much luck with home centers or the like. I've purchased two white-pines and one big shinpaku on Yafuoku and been very happy with my purchases. They've all come from bonsai nurseries in other parts of the country.
Anyway, welcome Matcha, maybe our paths will cross once all this pandemic madness has calmed down. Shoot me a message, and I can recommend a few places to check out in person too.
It's funny so many mention being in Japan and and asking here for advice. People have asked me the same. Fluent Japanese or not, most people who do bonsai in Japan are reclusive old men, so unless one of them happens to be your neighbor, it's not that easy to find people to talk trees with. I like chatting with the O-san at my closest nursery, but he's also a busy guy and doesn't have time to chat all day.
As far as online Japanese communities go... good luck.. Most of them are infrequently updated blogs at best. There are no forums like this.. none that I've found anyway.
A piece of advice, outside of bonsai nurseries, which there aren't many of in Tokyo, ヤフオク and メルカリ are your best tools for sourcing quality material. I haven't had much luck with home centers or the like. I've purchased two white-pines and one big shinpaku on Yafuoku and been very happy with my purchases. They've all come from bonsai nurseries in other parts of the country.
Anyway, welcome Matcha, maybe our paths will cross once all this pandemic madness has calmed down. Shoot me a message, and I can recommend a few places to check out in person too.
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