Wulfskaar
Omono
Got a small 2nd flush going on right now.
Damping off?
- Thread starter Wulfskaar
- Start date
Wulfskaar
Omono
Some of my 2 year old JBP are growing new buds/candles. They are still very young and I obviously want to let them grow to increase trunk size, while not invoking reverse taper.
I'm wondering... do I remove all but 2 of them now, or do I wait until spring?
Also, is it better to select the larger ones for keeping?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
I'm wondering... do I remove all but 2 of them now, or do I wait until spring?
Also, is it better to select the larger ones for keeping?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Your pines are only 2 years old. Only need to thin out buds at sites you will keep in the final bonsai. most bonsai are developed with grow and chop so most of what you see initially is NOT bonsai as it will be chopped off at some stage.
If you are intending to retain the sites shown I would let all those buds open and grow through next summer. That will add thickening to the trunks. The very strong centre shoot will also suppress the other side shoots meaning they will be shorter and have shorter bare neck. After summer remove the strong centre shoot leaving more compact growth to make your trunk and branch.
If growing through summer produces reverse taper just chop below and new shoots will grow from the needles.
The only time I would prune trees this young is where I want shohin sized pines and really need to control growth and taper.
If you are intending to retain the sites shown I would let all those buds open and grow through next summer. That will add thickening to the trunks. The very strong centre shoot will also suppress the other side shoots meaning they will be shorter and have shorter bare neck. After summer remove the strong centre shoot leaving more compact growth to make your trunk and branch.
If growing through summer produces reverse taper just chop below and new shoots will grow from the needles.
The only time I would prune trees this young is where I want shohin sized pines and really need to control growth and taper.
Wulfskaar
Omono
Thank you Shibui! That perfectly answers my question! I will let them grow.
Wulfskaar
Omono
I potted a couple of these into 1 gallon pots to let them grow a bit more. They've come a long way since being those weak little seedlings!
Here is one of them.
Here is one of them.
Wulfskaar
Omono
I have a new issue popping up now with some these JBP's.
There are webs on the needles that seems to be tying the needles together at the tips. There are several like that. I found a spider at the tips of 2 needles and I'm wondering if it's a pest I should worry about and kill.
There are webs on the needles that seems to be tying the needles together at the tips. There are several like that. I found a spider at the tips of 2 needles and I'm wondering if it's a pest I should worry about and kill.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
The spider is not a pest. In actual fact it is a friend who is probably eating some of the pests that do come along.
I don't know any pest that binds needles in web so guess it is that spider or similar therefore not a problem.
If there is a pest in your area that produces webs I hope someone will chime in.
I don't know any pest that binds needles in web so guess it is that spider or similar therefore not a problem.
If there is a pest in your area that produces webs I hope someone will chime in.
MaciekA
Shohin
Wire your trunk ASAP. This will become much harder very soon.
Gabler
Masterpiece
How do you know that OP wants more trunk movement? There’s nothing wrong with formal upright trees.
Wulfskaar
Omono
I have several young ones at different stages and I plan to do a few different styles. I will be wiring some and not others.
I appreciate the tip though.
Wulfskaar
Omono
Lots of grow and all of these. This one has the biggest whorl of them all.
Wulfskaar
Omono
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
I have not had issues with bending pines in spring that seem to occur with junipers. Maybe I just haven't done enough to turn up problems.
FWIW I just wire right over needles on real young pines like that one. Those needles will drop off in a couple of years anyway so a little damage now is not long term problem.
Pines are very flexible for quite a few years so if you are concerned, defer bending until later in the year.
FWIW I just wire right over needles on real young pines like that one. Those needles will drop off in a couple of years anyway so a little damage now is not long term problem.
Pines are very flexible for quite a few years so if you are concerned, defer bending until later in the year.
Wulfskaar
Omono
Thank you!
Wulfskaar
Omono
Here is one of my bristlecone pines from this same batch of seeds in 2020. It's got some nice branching going on and could be a bonsai one day! 
Here is another one that has been growing in a very strange way. Maybe it wants to be a windswept or cascade design?
Here is another one that has been growing in a very strange way. Maybe it wants to be a windswept or cascade design?
Wulfskaar
Omono
Cut the candles off a couple JBP and wired according to this video:
On these, I plan to keep them relatively small as stated in the video. I have several others that I will let grow a lot more.
The first one I didn't cut below the ring of buds, hoping to get branching there, although I'm already second-guessing that decision.
On this one, I cut below the ring of buds, hoping to get more back-budding further down.
On these, I plan to keep them relatively small as stated in the video. I have several others that I will let grow a lot more.
The first one I didn't cut below the ring of buds, hoping to get branching there, although I'm already second-guessing that decision.
On this one, I cut below the ring of buds, hoping to get more back-budding further down.
Wulfskaar
Omono
It looks like some buds down below are actually starting to swell a bit. I was worried chopping these down, but this gives me hope.
Wulfskaar
Omono
Buds are continuing to swell and grow along the length of the trunks on all of these. With the JBP in the first 2 pics, I cut below the upper buds hoping for budding down below.
On the ones where I left the buds on top, those buds are really growing in now, but also have buds growing down the trunk as well.
On the ones where I left the buds on top, those buds are really growing in now, but also have buds growing down the trunk as well.
Wulfskaar
Omono
Here are some updates from this same batch of JBP from 2020.
The growth from the previous candle cuts on these two has been dramatic (at least for me).
These two have yet to experience any pruning to candles, although I did prune the roots last year.
The growth from the previous candle cuts on these two has been dramatic (at least for me).
These two have yet to experience any pruning to candles, although I did prune the roots last year.
As somebody starting on their bonsai journey, I'd like to say this has been a wonderful and encouraging read! I really appreciate the updates and details you've posted from your first few years of growth.
I'm on my 3rd attempt at growing from seed after the seeds from my first two sets either didn't germinate, or they germinated and then damped off fairly quickly. Very hopeful about the most recent set as they're from a more reputable seed source and going about 2 months strong now since sprouting!
I'm on my 3rd attempt at growing from seed after the seeds from my first two sets either didn't germinate, or they germinated and then damped off fairly quickly. Very hopeful about the most recent set as they're from a more reputable seed source and going about 2 months strong now since sprouting!
