12 month for a JBP

[Jarrod]

After seeing lots of posts regarding JBP on here and having some thought provoking discussion with Ant last night I thought I would share sone photos of what a health JBP can do in one season if it's healthy and pushing growth. The technique used here is a fairly new technique discovered 50-60 years ago. It invovles cuting all candles at the same time and needle plucking. This is done, in Melbourne early December, around the 10th. It allows for lots of backbudding and also the new needles are much small with no "neck" to the candle. The first photo shows the tree as it was about a month or two before cutting. Notice the long candles, some 6-8" with long necks and big needles.

[Jarrod]

The next two photos show the tree the day after candles were cut and needles were pulled.


this was a strong section of the tree. I small section of the old candle was left. This is to allow sap to temporaraly flow past the buds at it's base and "weaken" it slightly. You will also notice that I have thinned a lot ofthe needles out. This is also to reduce the strenght in this area so weaker parts of the tree can thrive.

this was a weaker area of the tree. Notice that the candle has been cut off completely and the no stub was left, I have also left more needle pairs to try to bring the strenght to this area.


this is how the tree looked after all the work was complete.

[Jarrod]

Once the work above has been completed remove all ferts for 1 month. No liquid feeding either. Then start feeding heavily again.


here is the tree as it stands just a few days ago, notice the new candles have no "necks". Needle length on the new buds is uniform and much much smaller the the standard spring candle needles. It's hard to see but back budding is happening all over the inside of the tree as pleanty of light was allowed to get in.



another one jus to show how dense the buds are. They will be thinned in autumn.

[bodhidharma]

That is very interesting Jarrod and definitely worth a try. I have been doing something similar but doing the tree on a rotational basis starting at the strong growth areas through to the weak growth areas taking 1 month to 6 weeks to do this

[craigw60]

Hi Jarrod,
your pine looks really good I cant believe the growth its thrown out and as you say the needles look to be a nice uniform size. Your technique seems to be a lot more straight forward than some of the methods I have been taught in the past.
If you are interested one day it could be interesting to check out this Baloc bonsai guy. Seems he might have some rough old pines that need heaps of refining. Just the kind of work I enjoy.
Craig

[anttal63]

Well done Jezz; That tree is looking good mate. Even your photos have improved. Did Boon teach you that too?
Yeah Bodhi these are the techniques Boon Manakitivpart's teaches for Japanese Black pine. Plucking needles on jbp is impotant too not cutting. As long as they are plucked correctly with a good tweezer at the right time's of the year. They come out no prob and leave the sheath behind. This creates more predictable and even budding. IMO he is one of the leaders in modern day jbp management.

[Kelv]

Lookin good Jarrod! Can't wait to try it out!

[Jarrod]

That is very interesting Jarrod and definitely worth a try. I have been doing something similar but doing the tree on a rotational basis starting at the strong growth areas through to the weak growth areas taking 1 month to 6 weeks to do this

I tried that method for a few years and the result was average for me. Never got the timing right probably me just being stupid.... Though I always thought you didthe weak areas first? That might have been my problem. The rational behind this was that after you cut the weak areas the tree started to heal and throw buds, then the medium then the strong. By the end of the season the strong would have caught back up to the weak?? Made sense in my mind??

[Jarrod]

Hi Jarrod,
your pine looks really good I cant believe the growth its thrown out and as you say the needles look to be a nice uniform size. Your technique seems to be a lot more straight forward than some of the methods I have been taught in the past.
If you are interested one day it could be interesting to check out this Baloc bonsai guy. Seems he might have some rough old pines that need heaps of refining. Just the kind of work I enjoy.
Craig

yeah definately interested in getting to Baloc. Need some bigger pines... Though the price will need to be right!

[Jarrod]

Well done Jezz; That tree is looking good mate. Even your photos have improved. Did Boon teach you that too?

Thanks Ant, and no Boon didn't... Just gt used to the camera phone!

[Jarrod]

Lookin good Jarrod! Can't wait to try it out!

do it next year mate. Can give you a hand with one if you want. Worth seeing it done inthe flesh to understand it properly.

[anttal63]

Hi Jarrod,
your pine looks really good I cant believe the growth its thrown out and as you say the needles look to be a nice uniform size. Your technique seems to be a lot more straight forward than some of the methods I have been taught in the past.
If you are interested one day it could be interesting to check out this Baloc bonsai guy. Seems he might have some rough old pines that need heaps of refining. Just the kind of work I enjoy.
Craig

yeah definately interested in getting to Baloc. Need some bigger pines... Though the price will need to be right!

So will the nebaris!

[craigw60]

Yeah Ant the guy struck me as a bit rough. Its so hard to find people who work the roots well in a commercial nursery.Still as I said to Jarrod if something can be found that redeemable then why not
Craig

[Jarrod]

Definately worth the trip. Might find a gem in the rough! Then time will tell if the money was well spent!

[Bretts]

Nice work Jarrod. Remind me how you learnt this of Boon I was thinking about getting his two JBP care DVD's
Oh and although off topic I am excited today as I all of a sudden realised that my JBP seedling cuttings where way over due to go out in the sun.
The last one I uprooted to see how they where going only had one main root so I thought I had mucked them but before I took them out of the shade house today I uprooted another and it had 4 radial roots set perfect on the base and they are growing strong.
I was just going to let them grow out in the tray but now I am keen to get them into seperate pots.

After stating this though I say if there is decent trunks around then using Grants fusing technique I would think bad roots would not be a deal breaker on JBP.
I think good roots in stock is over rated. Takes no longer to get good roots than anything else hat may be missing!