Big box store black pine.

[jkd2572]

People say that you can't find something worth while at box stores or normal nurseries. I only wish I would have taken before pics when I first purchased a few months ago. Black pines are Something you don't find here At local non bonsai nurseries. Well this spring to my surprise I found a place who had three of these. In my excitement a bought two of them without thinking for about $50 a piece. As I said before I wish I took before pics. With imagination you can tell where I cut off branches and how it might have looked before. It was a very pretty conical yard tree. I think I might have something in this one. I will continue to take normal black pine technique with the lower part while letting the top part grow to let the trunk grow thick. the trunk is about two inches wide at the base to give you proportion.

 

[Dav4]

That's a pretty good pick up for Home Depot. It would be cool to get a better look at the branching on that lower trunk...It's hard to tell but I suspect you'll need to grow the next trunk section as a sacrifice branch from one of those remaining branches? Good luck with it.

PS I wouldn't mess with it any more this year, and perhaps next year as well. Get it growing well, wire up your new leader and go from there.

 

[Vance Wood]

People say that you can't find something worth while at box stores or normal nurseries.

That is sometimes true but not always just like it is also true that not every tree you collect from 9,000 feet above sea level is going to be a magnificent bonsai hundreds of years old, it very well could be a piece of crap with altitude sickness. Without killing the tree, age is nearly impossible to discover. Most of the time age is an issue important to the beginner so age is only important to those who sell trees to beginners and need the Bull Doodie of age to add value to the tree. In short don't accept everything as graven in stone just because you read it hear, consider the sources, but follow what you think might work and don't mind taking blame if it fails. Sometimes great discoveries are made by those who don't know any better than to try this and do that. However I do draw the line at those who think testing the level of gasoline in the tank with a lit match is a little much.

 

[bonsai barry]

... not every tree you collect from 9,000 feet above sea level is going to be a magnificent bonsai hundreds of years old, it very well could be a piece of crap with altitude sickness.

Favorite quote of the week so far! (Of course, it is only Monday)

 

[bonsai barry]

Mine, too

I bought this tree for six bucks at Home Depot a few years ago. Obviously it is still in training but I think it will make a fine shohin in a couple of years.

 

[Eric Group]

Yeah you might have something there! I bought two JBP at a Lowes here in SC a couple Years ago, one died but the other has survived, even thrived. I repoted to a nicer training pot (big ceramic nursery shaped pot) with a glaze on it and some 50/50 bonsai to nursery soil mix a couple years ago to ease the transition to a full repot into bonsai mix this coming spring (I don't really know if that is the proper way to do it or not, but at the time I figured it would ease the shock of a full on bare root repot that completely chanced the dynamic of the soil...) I finally have all my branches set where I want them and just started refining the shape this year... I hope it will turn into something cool eventually.

I think you are off to a good start with this one, I see where you are going and I bet after a couple years of growing it out you will have a real nice tree once you remove that sacrifice branch!

To those more experienced with JBP than myself- is there a health concern for the lower branches if you just let a leader grow unchecked like that? I know there is a lot of consideration to be put into where the strength of the tree is focused with these, so would it perhaps cause a dramatic imbalance in the strength of the tree where the main leader is pulling most of the nutrients, and the lower branches he plans to keep get too weak or die off? Just wondering... I have only been working with these for 4-5 years and haven't had enough to do a lot of experimenting with this kind of stuff... I am mainly asking because i have another younger one that I was thinking of doing this with too.

Thanks!

 

[Eric Group]

I bought this tree for six bucks at Home Depot a few years ago. Obviously it is still in training but I think it will make a fine shohin in a couple of years.

WOW, that was a steal for $6!!!

 

[Dav4]

To those more experienced with JBP than myself- is there a health concern for the lower branches if you just let a leader grow unchecked like that? I know there is a lot of consideration to be put into where the strength of the tree is focused with these, so would it perhaps cause a dramatic imbalance in the strength of the tree where the main leader is pulling most of the nutrients, and the lower branches he plans to keep get too weak or die off? Just wondering... I have only been working with these for 4-5 years and haven't had enough to do a lot of experimenting with this kind of stuff... I am mainly asking because i have another younger one that I was thinking of doing this with too.

Thanks!

I think the key when using sacrifice branches with conifers (and deciduous trees, too, I suppose) is to not allow the branches/foliage below the sacrifice branches to be shaded to any degree.

...and here is my box store find from a few years ago...a JBP for maybe 30 bucks. It's been trunk chopped 4 years ago and was placed in the pond basket last year. The sacrifice branch has all its foliage way off to the left...everything near the trunk should end up being kept for the final design.

 

[Paradox]

You definitely can get lucky at the big box stores but it doesnt happen very often

 

[bonsai barry]

WOW, that was a steal for $6!!!

Well, what you see is a six buck tree plus two years in the ground and two in a pond basket.

 

[bonsai barry]

I think the key when using sacrifice branches with conifers (and deciduous trees, too, I suppose) is to not allow the branches/foliage below the sacrifice branches to be shaded to any degree.

...and here is my box store find from a few years ago...a JBP for maybe 30 bucks. It's been trunk chopped 4 years ago and was placed in the pond basket last year. The sacrifice branch has all its foliage way off to the left...everything near the trunk should end up being kept for the final design.

Nice fat base!

 

[jkd2572]

I purposely planted it at an angle so there would be minimum sun block on the lower foliage.

 

[october]

Wow, there is more box store good pre material pines in this thread than I have seen in about 10 years..lol.. That one for $6 was a definitely a find.

Rob

 

[Vance Wood]

Wow, there is more box store good pre material pines in this thread than I have seen in about 10 years..lol.. That one for $6 was a definitely a find.

Rob

Years ago I would get pilloried, vilified, criticized, ostracized, and called stupid for making such choices. I was told that it is impossible to find decent material at any nursery, particularly the big box stores. Now;---years latter, what a different song is being sung.

 

[october]

Years ago I would get pilloried, vilified, criticized, ostracized, and called stupid for making such choices. I was told that it is impossible to find decent material at any nursery, particularly the big box stores. Now;---years latter, what a different song is being sung.

Yes... I think the thing with that was that people were not looking at what could be, but was there at that moment. It was unimaginable to envision training a tree for 20-30 years. Chances are, if you have a tree, knowledge and patience, you will have a bonsai.

Rob

 

[Eric Group]

Well, what you see is a six buck tree plus two years in the ground and two in a pond basket.

Oh! LMAO!

I thought this was like a "take it home, hack some branches off, lay the foundation and viola" Kind of thing... Regardless, that is a great direction you are headed in! I hope it gets old a beautiful for you!

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes... I think the thing with that was that people were not looking at what could be, but was there at that moment. It was unimaginable to envision training a tree for 20-30 years. Chances are, if you have a tree, knowledge and patience, you will have a bonsai.

Rob

At the time there was an abundance of voices out there that had vested interests in their arguments against nursery trees.

 

[Poink88]

At the time there was an abundance of voices out there that had vested interests in their arguments against nursery trees.

There still is. Nobody will touch you if you do so now being experienced but me (being new), got this a lot a year or so ago and still do.

 

[Poink88]

I bought this tree for six bucks at Home Depot a few years ago. Obviously it is still in training but I think it will make a fine shohin in a couple of years.

Looks awesome. Great find and good job!

 

[Poink88]

Years ago I would get pilloried, vilified, criticized, ostracized, and called stupid for making such choices. I was told that it is impossible to find decent material at any nursery, particularly the big box stores. Now;---years latter, what a different song is being sung.

Thanks for sticking to your guns and paving the way for the newer hobbyists like me.