Japanese Black Pine #2334
12yr old JBP from Muranaka Nursery, Nipomo. Nice trunk movement & base. $115.
Early Nov 2024 - the plan (SBBK-Val)
Late Aug 2024 - the cut
Gordon & Val guidance [Jun 2024]
For taper use a larger branch and raise it up—has 2 branches (buds)
Leave upper apex to tension against to elevate new apex
Enough taper remove this
Don’t worry about the bottom as straight, there is sufficient movement
Starting to bark up
Needles are generally darker and not showing new/strong growth—light colored needles. Check notes if I did that earlier.
Decandle new growth to last year’s needles. Can choose to cut back further—but branches bulk up trunk as much as a sacrifice
Does not prefer only an apical sacrifice as it bulks up the entire tree and does not help with taper
At this time, reduce needles to about 4-5 pairs, and all over the tree. Will stimulate new buds and growth.
While buds turn out to be small branches, do not fertilize until needle emerges—don’t feed/ encourage internode length but feed needle growth.
June 2024 Prior to decandling & styling
Japanese Black Pine, 12yr pre-bonsai
Spring fertilize, summer halt fertilizing and cut candles to leave a few mm. If you fertilize it will counteract the desired short internodes and shorter needles.
After hardened off, late summer fertilize, and select 2 lateral buds and cut remainder—develops ramification.
SBBK Clinic (Val 12/5/23)
Nice trunk, each section is small and tight internode between branches—until the top as they get longer. Along with longer internodes, the top had bar branches and pruning scars—best to remove.
Recommend to use the top as the sacrifice and select a small branch (tiny one) as the new apex. Eventually cut off and promote taper with short internodes.
Leave as much needles for potential branch budding. Can remove under needles.
Can reduce needles to slow down growth (top new growth leave 8-10 pairs, lower new growth leave 10-12 needles).
This is a good time to wire—consider pruning and de-candling in June.
Observed soil mostly lava and pumice, lots of heathy microriza.
[Future: remove sacrifice branch slowly, can this be air-layered?]
