Moyogi Black Pine

[edprocoat]

Al that is a sharp pine, the work you did trimming really brought out the trunk too. Did that cost an arm and a leg or did you need to throw in another appendage?

ed

 

[Smoke]

Al that is a sharp pine, the work you did trimming really brought out the trunk too. Did that cost an arm and a leg or did you need to throw in another appendage?

ed

Very affordable tree. Less than $500.00.

 

[Jason_mazzy]

update pics please!

 

[Smoke]

Ted Matson workshop today, so took this pine to attack some problem areas. I'll start with a few photos from the year.

In spring I had a good crop of buds. Of course the full shot is in July just before candle pruning.

 

[Smoke]

I had three areas I wished to concentrate on with Ted. The knobby apex, the middle tree verticle branch, and the large overly long first branch.

I can't find the thread, but BVF once said that he thought I would eventually cut it off as I did the branch that was on the right. I agree both were too low.

 

[Smoke]

So here is the before. This is in the college botony lab where we hold our club meetings.

Now we can see the long first branch low on the trunk, and the verticle branch is behind the long guy wire in front of the tree near the middle of the tree. Gives the impression of a slingshot.

 

[Smoke]

For the sake of time, I will cut to the final image with the apex cut out and nibbled, the first branch removed and turned to jin, and the middle verticle 3/4 inch two inch long branch stub bent 85 degrees backwards and out of sight from the front view.

To see many more pics and cool captions and all the gory details, check out the bunker

 

[Smoke]

Here is a few photos of whats been removed thus far.

 

[Nybonsai12]

Looks great with the lower branch removed. I think it may be hard to see from the angle of the last pic of the tree, but with the lower branch removed I feel like it makes the movement of the tree more visibile. How tall is it? Damn i want one of muranaka's pines.

 

[Lancaster]

Awesome. That pine is lookin fine now.

Removing the bottom branch really improved the image of an already great looking tree.

Good job, Smoke. Can't wait to see the progression.

Troy

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Looking good Al. Digging the taper, movement, and bark on this one.

 

[ChrisV]

Looks good!
That bottom branch kinda disturbed the whole composition so good choice of removing it.

 

[Smoke]

Update on the pine. Today I reworked some areas that needed reducing. I removed the clamp that held a branch in place and kept it secured with a guy wire. Rewired some areas and re placed their position. Shortened some areas and used a knob cutter to remove some old knobs. Reworked the apex area after removal of some branches last year. This area was really a mess. eventhough it is better now it will need more work, but at least I can concentrate on keeping new growth instead of always removing.

 

[Smoke]

Last year/this year

 

[Smoke]

Next month will be two years. As I got it and today.

 

[Smoke]

The two branches marked in red are the two present bottom branches, and the large one marked in blue was removed.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Coming right along Al. I wonder what it would look like if you tilted it toward the left a bit; maybe about the amount of a 1" block under the right side of the pot.

 

[Smoke]

enough?

 

[Adair M]

Al, you're getting too aggressive on the needle thinning. You need to let it grow some foliage. If you get really long candles this year, break them in half, but don't de candle this year. It's getting weak on you. Let it build some strength, and you can decandle next year. Fertilize heavily. But you already knew that! Don't worry about needle length, and don't cut them.

 

[Smoke]

Al, you're getting too aggressive on the needle thinning. You need to let it grow some foliage. If you get really long candles this year, break them in half, but don't de candle this year. It's getting weak on you. Let it build some strength, and you can decandle next year. Fertilize heavily. But you already knew that! Don't worry about needle length, and don't cut them.

Thats fair, I'll repost in two weeks and we can compare the two pictures.