Cpl questions on this mame easter white pine...

[Daniel son STL]

So here it is when I bought it for $10

Here it is after torture twisting. Mainly to bring everything in tighter and appear a tad more developed and not so lanky.
Some may like it and some may not. I love it! Although still a tad tall.


And here it is brought down a little more which I thought had to be done. And as you can see, new spring growth. Here’s where my Q’s come in

Doesn’t have much taper but I’m not so much worried about this bc it’s so small and compact. I think I’m happy with the tree overall and would like to know the best way to build ramification in the foliage. Think that is what really makes a mame style bonsai look well developed, ramified foliage on such a small piece of material!

So from what I’ve read, cut almost the entire candle at the end of spring to keep short and promote backbudding/ramification, let grow long if still in development stage. But Its already in a finished tiny bonsai pot and I’m happy with it.

So any opinions or advise. I know some ppl might say to thinkin the trunk a bit more. Might be kind of hard though being in such a small pot!

Thanks again nuts

 

[Daniel son STL]

Not sure if this should have been posted in the pine section, but these are some pretty newbie questions lol

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Ramification and pad development is known to be very very difficult on eastern white pine... they naturally grow leggy apparently and dont push backbuds. Would look at candle cutting techniques... also maybe refrain from fertilizing like a normal tree. Going to be tough to keep this small.

 

[Daniel son STL]

Yes it’s definitely getting leggy from me fertilizing it. Bout wow didn’t know that!

I do like it the way it is though so I’ll just wait a cpl more weeks and the cut the candles back almost completely off. Unless someone else has some good advise about ramification on an Easter white pine.....

Thanks for the reply

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I have a million EWP in my yard in PA. Was going to experiment with them but havent put much focus because of the difficulties ive heard associated with training. I still want to... just not in a rush with the million or so trees up there.

 

[Adair M]

Ramification and pad development is known to be very very difficult on eastern white pine... they naturally grow leggy apparently and dont push backbuds. Would look at candle cutting techniques... also maybe refrain from fertilizing like a normal tree. Going to be tough to keep this small.

What you’re saying is true. Just look at how far apart the needle clusters are. Look at the distance the new shoots have grown from the base of the new candle to the first needle. You can’t shrink those.

 

[Tieball]

I’m just not a fan of trees bent unnaturally....but....I realize you may have a vision that I don’t know about. I have tried Eastern White Pine....it has its own plan when growing. Whatever I tried it ended up spindly with long needles. I have planted over a thousand of them....but tried to bonsai-develop only about 10 of them. Eventually they were all returned to the field for natural growth. However, I did not apply bending as you have so perhaps there are visual merits that will be achieved with your technique. I’m interested. The trees are fast growing in the wild...slow it seems for the first 2-3 years....then they take off growing fast.

 

[Daniel son STL]

Well that’s a little disheartening, seeing how I purchased from a bonsai nursery. Oh well live and learn. I’ll still make the best of this little guy though. I’ll throw some updated pics up in a year or so and we’ll see how it’s responding.

Thanks

 

[Japonicus]

I've been advised to not feed in the Spring on my JWP...
On JWP, and I'm pretty sure EWP we want to cut - cut the shoots, once the needles have hardened off
which is evidenced by the needle sheaths dropping. This will help to back bud.
I had 2 dwarf EWP, one I over worked last Fall, didn't survive. It was in the ground 10 years, remained there through the work last Fall.
The one in a large bowl like ceramic pot rocks on, but even though a dwarf, I would not attempt such a short stature given the characteristics Adair mentioned.
My dwarf EWP gained exceeding little height in ground for 10+ years, but branches did thicken (trunk too ), cross, and got out of control with no attention,
but the needle size, looks fair with an 18-24" height tree. Back buds produce shorter needles, but I haven't gained enough experience with these
to say this is (X is) how you reduce needle length, andX is a proper height to shoot for across the board for this species as a dwarf.
Yours however, we don't know it to be a dwarf, which would work exponentially against the height presented, I would think.

 

[Adair M]

Well, the pot is probably with $10. So you didn’t get ripped off.

You’ve practiced wiring.

You’ve learned EWP is not a good bonsai species, and if attempted, a bigger tree would be better than smaller.

So, I would say that you’ve gotten your money’s worth out of that thing. Perhaps not in the way you expected...

But you’re wiser now.

 

[Japonicus]

Oh!!! Do yourself and your trees a favor and get rid of that Irish moss before it flowers.
You can thank me later

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Well that’s a little disheartening, seeing how I purchased from a bonsai nursery. Oh well live and learn. I’ll still make the best of this little guy though. I’ll throw some updated pics up in a year or so and we’ll see how it’s responding.

Thanks

What nursery? I need to go pot hunting for some of my project trees

 

[amatbrewer]

Oh!!! Do yourself and your trees a favor and get rid of that Irish moss before it flowers.
You can thank me later

About 2 years ago I ignored the "don't let Irish moss grow" warnings because I loved the way the Irish moss flowed over the edge of one of my pots...It is now a daily chore for me to walk around with a pair of tweezers and pluck it from just about every pot I have.

 

[0soyoung]

If it is really a p. strobus cultivar of some kind, you can candle prune it just like JBP, @Daniel son STL. Timing may be a bit different, but the effect is the same --> shorter shoot with shorter needles.

 

[Ali Raza]

Looks like good deal. At least you will learn with $10.

 

[Daniel son STL]

Thanks guys.

Ditched the moss, thanks for the pointer.

Cass bonsai nursery is where I go. Great place!!!

Thanks osoyoung. That’s basically what my plan of action is, and see how it responds.

 

[Carol 83]

Thanks guys.

Ditched the moss, thanks for the pointer.

Cass bonsai nursery is where I go. Great place!!!

Thanks osoyoung. That’s basically what my plan of action is, and see how it responds.

I was at Cass a month ago. So sad for me they are retiring, it is only 7 or 8 miles from my house. But good for them, great guys.

 

[Adair M]

If it is really a p. strobus cultivar of some kind, you can candle prune it just like JBP, @Daniel son STL. Timing may be a bit different, but the effect is the same --> shorter shoot with shorter needles.

Uh... do you have some evidence to back this up???

I haven’t seen any EWP respond like you are describing.

 

[Daniel son STL]

I was at Cass a month ago. So sad for me they are retiring, it is only 7 or 8 miles from my house. But good for them, great guys.

Yes very unfortunate seeing how they are the only bonsai nursery in the area. And about 50 min away from me but always glad to make the trip because it’s such an awesome place. Now would be a great time for somebody to buy them out, or just open a bonsai nursery here in the midwest!

I’ve gotten some great discounts though lately bc they’re trying to get rid of all they’re stock!!

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Yes very unfortunate seeing how they are the only bonsai nursery in the area. And about 50 min away from me but always glad to make the trip because it’s such an awesome place. Now would be a great time for somebody to buy them out, or just open a bonsai nursery here in the midwest!

I’ve gotten some great discounts though lately bc they’re trying to get rid of all they’re stock!!

I'll see if I can check them out before they close. I heard about them last year but haven't been out there yet