Black Pine

Here is a pic of a black pine I bought in NOV 2007. Last year I cleaned it up and wired it. The next pictures are how the tree appears now. Please, I am looking for comments and suggestions. Thank you.

Hi Ricky,
I like your Pine and you have done well. I think when you repot it you should tilt it to the left a bit. This will lower the first branch a bit and make the tree look even better. To see the effect now just put a wedge under the right side of the pot or you could do a virtual in a photo editing program.
Geof

Thanks Geof. I definately agree with you. As you can see in the first picture that first branch has an unfortunate upward bend in it. That branch is very thick and unlikely to straighten, by tilting it to the left it hides this defect a little.

I'd also say that the soil needs some work. The pine is unlikely to stay healthy there.

Yes, thank you Jim. The tree is definately in need of a repoting. This will be done this spring.

I really like the movement and development of this little pine. You'll have a very nice tree in short order. Have you cut the needles on this tree? If so, why?

Chris

bonsaikc wrote:I really like the movement and development of this little pine. You'll have a very nice tree in short order. Have you cut the needles on this tree? If so, why?

Chris

Yes I did. It made it easier to get inside, clean it up and wire some of it. Why, shouldnt I have?

rickyricardo wrote:

bonsaikc wrote:I really like the movement and development of this little pine. You'll have a very nice tree in short order. Have you cut the needles on this tree? If so, why?

Chris

Yes I did. It made it easier to get inside, clean it up and wire some of it. Why, shouldnt I have?

To some cutting needles on a JBP is a big no no. The main reason is that the cut needle tips turn brown but if you don't intend to show a tree with the cut needles it's no big deal. Some feel cut needles might reveal that the cutter has not figured out the techniques to get small needles and has been slack in maintaining their JPB. If you don't follow the JBP cycle of work properly you won't get short needles. As for me, I will sometimes cut needles on my Japanese Black Pine, usually my developmental trees if I am trying to force work outside of the regular cycle. The key to getting short needles on a JBP is to time the work such that less time is left in the growing season to develop full length needles (along with some secondary factors). In Florida, I do two cycles of pine work a year. Sometimes, like has happened recently for me when I get behind on working on my JBP, I will cut the needles in the early winter and then pluck all cut needles in the late summer and the new needles that grow in the late fall are very short. The brown tips of the cut needles make it easy to tell which needles are older ones.

I wouldn't worry about the cut needles. Next year, when you get a chance the work in cycle, the tree will still look fine.

Thanks Rob.