AusBonsai

Yes terrible pictures I know....

This is a Mikawa Yatsubusa supposely. On the negative, it has coarse branches - but they are getting better - and on the positive it has very straight and uniform needles. It is a layer from a grated pine
This is one of my seedlings from Kotobuki. it is better than Kotobuki for bonsai purposes IMO. I called it Shinfuku.

Like the rugged trunks and branching.
How small is small? There's not much in the photos to judge actual size and I'm interested in how tight you are getting ramification on these pines.
Also, is that a skirt of moss around the base of the trunks or something else?

shibui wrote: ↑June 24th, 2024, 5:20 pm Like the rugged trunks and branching.
How small is small? There's not much in the photos to judge actual size and I'm interested in how tight you are getting ramification on these pines.
Also, is that a skirt of moss around the base of the trunks or something else?

Probably about 25 to 30 cm. The tight branching is achieved by yearly removing of old needles (this time of year) as well as some new ones on strong shoots, and cutting the new shoots off rather late - when they are almost finished growing. Rinse and repeat. Remember too that these two examples are both multi budding. The silver growth at the base is the ever present lichen which grows on all the rough-barked trees down here. I scrub it off with a stiff brush each year but I don't usually try to kill it off entirely because it adds to the illusion of age.

Silver Scots pine. After needle removal

After a few adjustments.

A little red pine after stripping.
With flash

I brought the low branch right up against the trunk. One day it may be a feature of this tree.....