Black Pine

[AndrewC]

Here's a JBP that I've been working on. It had some lower branches that were troublesome so I hacked them off about three years ago (can't remember exactly what I disliked about them). Now I'm concerned that the whole crown is too high up the trunk. It has crossed my mind to try and air-layer a new root system for it at the first or second bend... but that seems a bit drastic if it's not really necessary.

JBP_cropped.jpg

Do you ever get the feeling that you've looked at a bonsai so long that you can't really see it any more? That's how it is for me and this tree, which is my main reason to share it and ask for some feedback.

[bodhidharma]

I guess its time to start studying the Literati style to renew your inspiration for this tree. Undercut the branches and start bringing them down to develop your new style.

[Craig]

Andrew if you don't want it i'll trade you for something next time you come up this way

[Guy]

perhaps a slanter to the left?

[MattA]

Hey Andrew,

I am looking at the pic & I can see why you dont know where to go...

At the moment that trunk just does not work, it either needs some serious bending to break up the regular zigzag pattern. There are more than a few methods & threads on AB. A couple off top of my head that could apply would be Skippy's Pine he carved wired & bent the bejebus out of or AlpineArt's tall Austrian black pine (I think) that he compressed with cargo strapping. (I still havent got my head fully around that one).

Matt

Ok little play with Paintshop.

pine.jpg

The trunk was tipped to the right a little then the first bend taken a back to the left (ie straightening it). The bend just below the first branch is taken more to the right. Where the trunk leaves the first branch is also bent down to the left a little. I couldnt find a pot to copy in so tried to freehand one (poorly). All the angle changes were under 30degrees.Hope that makes sense.

[AndrewC]

perhaps a slanter to the left?

Thanks for the suggestion, Guy. I decided to go with slanting this one. Here's how it looks now. The first pic is after drilling, wrapping, and wiring. I undercut the two branches (right and back) and also drilled into the undercut to release some tension. I drilled the inside of the trunk bend in four locations (beneath the rubber), accidentally going right through the trunk once It still was a little too tight so I thought what the heck and drilled all the way through from front to back (90 degrees to the bend). I know this was not recommended but it did seem to help.

JBP wired.jpg

Next picture shows it repotted it into a plastic trainer on the desired angle. Hopefully it will settle in and recover from the work. Then I'll have to work on the nebari, maybe thread graft some new roots in on the front and left. There's some minor wiring still to do at some stage, too.

JBP on slant.jpg

[The Hacker]

Hi Anndrew.

Tree looks heaps better in the slanting style look forward to seeing it develop over the years

The Hacker

[Scott Roxburgh]

The styling is much improved, but do you think that you did a little too much too soon...styling again, then repotting this time of year

[AndrewC]

do you think that you did a little too much too soon...styling again, then repotting this time of year

Time will tell, Scott. The weather here has been very mild (maximums in mid to high 20's), and I did not interfer very much with the roots so I hope it will be ok.
AC

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Andrew,

I have same concerns as Scott has pointed out.

And I think the restyling has improved the tree substantially. It will be a nice one in the future.

Best regards.