bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - Emergency Help Pine Out Of Ground!

Dear Minnesota,
I'm glad you got it planted quickly....but it's CRITICAL that that container have drainage......if there are no holes in the bottom, take something and poke quite a few holes in it......or put it into something else WITH HOLES.
You may feel you've taken a lot of branches off the tree, but you haven't even started. You could take about 90 % off, and the tree would still be viable. Please, at this point, don't be too concerned with styling. The tree is still MUCH too tall and wide. Take AT LEAST half of the foliage off now. You can leave a couple of longer branches on to keep some needles on the tree, but most of the wood, especially around that beautiful base, needs to come off.
Incidentally, from what I can tell from the pictures, it looks to me like a Mugho Pine. That's a very good bonsai subject......and you have quite a nice mature one too. They grow very slowly, but make nice bonsai.
Is there a bonsai club in your vicinity? I think that's critical too....if you want to know what you're doing. If not, do you know of anyone in the area who knows about bonsai? Perhaps a local nursery has someone. Are there any Japanese gardeners in the area.....they frequently knowabout bonsai.
Generally, people are happy to share their knowledge with you....and you need that experience.
I've tried to do bonsai for years from books, etc., but I never really knew what I was doing 'til I joined a bonsai club. I can't recommend it more highly.
Again, DRAINAGE IS CRITICAL....so get some holes in that pot, (never mind what it looks like now....just call it a "growing pot", and that's fine. It's what the tree will look like in 3 or 4 years that counts.
If you're young and impetuous, (wanting to do things right away), go out and buy some small juniper at a nursery, and trim on that, etc.....but leave this pine alone for the winter.
Perhaps it sounds as though I'm lecturing you, and that's not my intent,but you're asking for advice and this is the best I have.
Good luck.
Your specific question: YES, these pines do bud back on bare wood, but there must be some green on the end of the branch....to draw the vitality from the roots. After you get buds opening near the trunk, then you can cut off the long branch.

Robert.......in Sta.Cruz

30-Nov-2002	#7
Robert bonsaiTALK Adept *MODERATOR GROUP* Join Date: Mar-2002 Location: Sta.Cruz, CA Country: usa USDA Zone: 9 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 214	Dear Minnesota, I'm glad you got it planted quickly....but it's CRITICAL that that container have drainage......if there are no holes in the bottom, take something and poke quite a few holes in it......or put it into something else WITH HOLES. You may feel you've taken a lot of branches off the tree, but you haven't even started. You could take about 90 % off, and the tree would still be viable. Please, at this point, don't be too concerned with styling. The tree is still MUCH too tall and wide. Take AT LEAST half of the foliage off now. You can leave a couple of longer branches on to keep some needles on the tree, but most of the wood, especially around that beautiful base, needs to come off. Incidentally, from what I can tell from the pictures, it looks to me like a Mugho Pine. That's a very good bonsai subject......and you have quite a nice mature one too. They grow very slowly, but make nice bonsai. Is there a bonsai club in your vicinity? I think that's critical too....if you want to know what you're doing. If not, do you know of anyone in the area who knows about bonsai? Perhaps a local nursery has someone. Are there any Japanese gardeners in the area.....they frequently knowabout bonsai. Generally, people are happy to share their knowledge with you....and you need that experience. I've tried to do bonsai for years from books, etc., but I never really knew what I was doing 'til I joined a bonsai club. I can't recommend it more highly. Again, DRAINAGE IS CRITICAL....so get some holes in that pot, (never mind what it looks like now....just call it a "growing pot", and that's fine. It's what the tree will look like in 3 or 4 years that counts. If you're young and impetuous, (wanting to do things right away), go out and buy some small juniper at a nursery, and trim on that, etc.....but leave this pine alone for the winter. Perhaps it sounds as though I'm lecturing you, and that's not my intent,but you're asking for advice and this is the best I have. Good luck. Your specific question: YES, these pines do bud back on bare wood, but there must be some green on the end of the branch....to draw the vitality from the roots. After you get buds opening near the trunk, then you can cut off the long branch. Robert.......in Sta.Cruz __________________ Robert.........in Sta.Cruz