AusBonsai

Hi all.
I've been reading about autumn pine work and maintenance work in general and was wandering how much of the information applies to pines growing on...

This is one of mine in a styro box, I'm quite happy with the growth side of it at the moment (for a beginner growing in the tropics) but I'm wondering if I should be pruning and decandling and needle plucking or just letting it grow.
I think I've been quite lucky to have the amount of branchlets and needles so low down but I don't want to loose them by having the rest of the tree out grow them?

People I'm so sorry for the horizontal pictures. Silly camera phone... and user.
Grant

Rotated the images for you.
Nice and healthy looking.

Depending on how large the tree you want, you will have to decide what route to take.
Cat back hard and get thos lower buds to shoot so you can use one to build a second trunk section of the tree. Remember to get some good movement in it by wiring.
Wait a few years then do again for the 3rd section.
Rinse and repeat as needed until the size achieved.

Other option is to use what is there and wire to get movement in the trunk.
trim back the top to stop them extending and force backbudding. Once you have some lower branchin options, Select what you want as Branches to using in the final design, and also sacrifice branches to thicken the trunk.

Ken

Thanks Ken.
I think that is were, being a beginner, I'm having the most trouble at the moment... actually visualizing the final design. Not just with this tree either...
I think I need to start getting some trees into bonsai pots and working on bonsai instead of growing trees in pots.
Thanks again for rotating pictures and advice.

There are a few things I did early on that I am pleased I did.
I planted half my trees at an angle some I wired and twisted into two directions
The best thing I then did was put half of them in the corner and forgot them.
I've challenged a lot of trees beyond their tolerance (ie I killed em) but the ones that survived in the back corner are gong to be cool trees. And the end design hasn't been considered yet.

BB, very astute to ask about the difference between developing and maintaining.
While pines are developing you can allow them to grow for 2 years but you must cut them back before the old needles die and fall leaving bare stems. Don't bother with needle pulling and candle cutting - let it grow then cut back hard every year or 2.
It is very difficult to envisage a finished tree from stock at this stage. Your tree will undergo major changes every year when growing on and will look completely different evry year until you are ready to slow the growth and make the final design.

Chris H has pointed out a very important aspect of developing bonsai - plant the stem at an angle. Very few really good bonsai have the trunk emerging from the soil vertical. Most arise at some sort of angle. If you develop good roots it is difficult to plant at an angle later so now, while the tree is young, is the time to get this right and at the same time take a bit of time to spread the roots around the trunk and cut bach the vertical down ones - you'll end up with much better nebari in the end.

If it was mine I'd probably do as Ken has advised - cut somewhere about the top of the coke can height - above the lower shoots and repot later in winter or spring and then feed and water well and allow another year of free growth and see what happens.