3 year old Japanese Black Pine with Incredible Trunk...

Staselwood

Everyone,
Not sure how many people have purchased the new book by Bonsai Today, Masters' Series PINES? But i recieved it about a week ago in the mail and have been going through it reading different articles. One really Jumped out at me.

It starts on Page 113, Entitled "A real life example" its where they show a Japanese Black Pine started from seed and has been in the ground for 2 years and then put into a pot in its third.

My questions is this, has anyone seen a JBP grow this much in 3 years? or do you think this is a typo?

Sorry no photos, but the tree looks to be about 10" tall and have about a 2-3" trunk, tapering very quickly.

__________________
Jeffery Carr

Staselwood Bonsai Studio
Hanover, Ohio
cell: 740-403-0215

...Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now...

www.staselwoodbonsai.com

mailto:jcarr@staselwoodbonsai.com

Your Source for: Tools, Wire, Soil, Pots, Bonsai and More.

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bunjingi

Jeffery,
Yes, I have seen this done BUT in Japan and, to a certain extent, California. There are two conditions that, along with personal experience with this species, are vital to achieve this. One is climatic and the other is technique. In Japan, I visited a grower who is recognized as being one of the best at doing this (when I get home tonight I can post a picture of his 3 year old JBP's that are grown this way). We also visited the person who was featured in that article in BT - he is quite old now and does not do as much as he used to. The climate in Japan where these trees originate is perfect for their rapid development. Kenji Miyata is using a somewhat similar technique now in California (as are many others) with similar results. So, to acheive these results QUICKLY, you need the optimal climatic conditions. It will work best in environments that mirror the climate of origin. I have tried this here in New England and simply can't get that rapid a development (think about growing tropical up here in zone 5-6!). Our zone (and yours) puts us near the cold threshold for these trees as far as their optimal growth. It takes me 2-3 times as long to get what they achieve in their climate.
Secondly is technique. This we CAN control (and possibly modify to work in our particular climate). Using very well drained soil mixes, feeding robustly, watering abundantly, using colanders, etc. - in the growing stages - are all part of this. The person we visited in japan who specialized in this technique used ONLY coarse sand to grow these trees in during the develpment stages! (no akadama, etc.) He also used the colander method and abundant fertilization and watering).
You will notice in that article in BT that, after a year or two in the smaller collander, the collander simply placed in a larger one. One of the benefits of this is that you do not get the growth slowdown that occurs with repotting! Since the trees roots are not touched, the growth simply continues at a steady pace with some roots extending into the second larger collander, while many finer roots stay in the smaller one. In colder climates it may be faster to acheive this by growing the developing trees simply in the ground first. However, to get the nice taper, you will need to pay attention to the trees development by pruning, etc. at the right time.

John Romano
Rhode Island, USA the shohin state

Staselwood

Thats amazing, I have not seen that kind of growth, as well as bark development in three years on anything. I have a Large greenhouse and cant get tropicals to do that... (must be doing something wrong... haha)

Thanks for the reality check... I am going to start some colander pottings and see how much it really does.

__________________
Jeffery Carr

Staselwood Bonsai Studio
Hanover, Ohio
cell: 740-403-0215

...Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now...

www.staselwoodbonsai.com

mailto:jcarr@staselwoodbonsai.com

Your Source for: Tools, Wire, Soil, Pots, Bonsai and More.

soonami

Maybe I should get a copy of this book, my JBP seedlings are a year old and just about 3inches tall with only a couple sets of paired needles

bonsaial1

This black pine Kenji is working on is about ten years old. Kenji assures me he can do this in five here in Cal.

This pine recieved some candle pruning and needle thinning during a Hanford Bonsai meeting. We are very lucky to have Kenji here and I appreciate all the time I am able to spend with him. I just wish all you out of towners didn't need him so much, and he could stay here more often!

The final photo is going to be the front of the tree at the next potting. It's the shot with the pot shown at a 3/4 view.

ak

edit: that pot is worth as much as the tree!

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__________________
I been kidding the last seven years.
no.... really!

Ralph

That Kenji JBP really looks excellent. that is a lot of pine in that small pot.

__________________
Emerging from winter slumber
Bonsai trees burst buds anew
Spring is upon us!


-Paul S.

bunjingi

Here are a few photo's taken in Shizuoka Japan showing this technique. 1 year seedling in a colander; 2 year old seedling in double colander and 4 year old developing tree. You can see the long (up to 5 ft) sacrifice leader that is grown to: a) thicken the short trunk; and b) heal the wounds of previous sacrifice branches. Finally is a picture of one of his developed shohin black pine bonsai that was 6 or 7 years old from seed.
John Romano
Rhode Island, USA the shohin state

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Graydon

Short answer is yes. No it is not a typo. I am doing it in florida. Keys are fast draining soil (akadama and grit or pumice), watering three times a day and superfeeding (see the book for how to superfeed). I am using colanders and also pond baskets. Colander trick works well if you do not disturb roots and place one inside another.

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zube

This black pine Kenji is working on is about ten years old. Kenji assures me he can do this in five here in Cal.

O.K., I'll say it. From seed to the tree in pic#43184 in 5 years? Baloney. I don't believe it.
zube

(gorgeous tree, thanks!)

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