Help needed with black pine

[AndrewS1983]

A friend recently gave me about 7 bonsai he has been growing for quite some time , I am fairly new to bonsai and am wondering what to do with these really long needles . Should I pluck or pull them or cut them short? Is aug 1 to late in Oklahoma to do this? Either way some advice would be much appreciated . I've been reading up on de-candling but I'm kinda lost I guess . Thank you

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

You are probably stuck with an exercise in patience for this year. Here is why:
1. Summer Decandling is more for finished trees; it produces multiple shoots where one is currently growing.
2. Cutting needles shorter does very little for the health of the tree, and ultimately, since cut tips brown out, you are still stuck with ugly.
3. This tree is too young to worry much about needle length. Get it in 100% all day full sun, feed it often, and think about what style you want to achieve. Work can start in March. Read up on sacrifice branches on pines.

 

[AndrewS1983]

You are probably stuck with an exercise in patience for this year. Here is why:
1. Summer Decandling is more for finished trees; it produces multiple shoots where one is currently growing.
2. Cutting needles shorter does very little for the health of the tree, and ultimately, since cut tips brown out, you are still stuck with ugly.
3. This tree is too young to worry much about needle length. Get it in 100% all day full sun, feed it often, and think about what style you want to achieve. Work can start in March. Read up on sacrifice branches on pines.

Thank you

 

[Potawatomi13]

Positive of species? Please add location to profile for best response.

 

[AndrewS1983]

Positive of species? Please add location to profile for best response.

I think he said it was a Japanese black pine in northeast Oklahoma

 

[0soyoung]

I think he said it was a Japanese black pine in northeast Oklahoma

I think @Potawatomi13 was impressed by needles that look like those of a p. ponderosa.

 

[AndrewS1983]

I think @Potawatomi13 was impressed by needles that look like those of a p. ponderosa.

Is that what it is a ponderosa pin the needles are extremely long 5-7 inches that's why I don't know

 

[Giga]

You are probably stuck with an exercise in patience for this year. Here is why:
1. Summer Decandling is more for finished trees; it produces multiple shoots where one is currently growing.
2. Cutting needles shorter does very little for the health of the tree, and ultimately, since cut tips brown out, you are still stuck with ugly.
3. This tree is too young to worry much about needle length. Get it in 100% all day full sun, feed it often, and think about what style you want to achieve. Work can start in March. Read up on sacrifice branches on pines.

I'll just add that in spring you may want to put it in a colander to help move things along, or slip pot in into one now.