P. virginiana - some training advice needed

mistermoyogi

Greetings: This tree was collected eight years ago from a strip-mined site (coal) in northern West Virginia. I have been its caretaker for a little over a year - it was acquired from a fellow club member, who unfortunately has had to scale back his bonsai endeavors because of personal reasons.

I have read much about training techniques for two-needled pines; however, I am still a good bit confused - if I could just pin down a few specific techniques for this tree as follows, it would be great...I would like to of course maintain small needle size, as well as induce some further inner ramification. I do not wish to grow the tree out any further. Thanks in advance for your time and input.

Regards,
Tom Simonyi

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P. virginiana 2005.jpg (45.2 KB, 94 views)

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mike_p

Hi Tom
I can't be much help with that species of pine. However, I couldn't help but play with the image some. To my eye, it has the appearance of a mountain ledge growing tree that has been crushed by snow load and occasional falling rocks. The rounded part on top seems to me to conflict with that image so I made some virtual changes. BTW, thats a great pot! Very rugged looking.

Regards

Mike

Attached Images

p.virg.virtual.jpg (72.6 KB, 44 views)

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Learning the mechanics of bonsai is a matter of rote. Over and over again the processes are practiced until the hands and eyes know the moves.
Learning the art of bonsai may be more like water wearing away a stone, or climbing a mountain where the peak is always shrouded in fog and just out of reach.
Persist, and someday you may see the peak in sunshine. You may pick up the stone and it's a thing of beauty.

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Lee

Hi Tom,nice bit of material,and a beautifull pot,there's a book by Colin Lewis The art of bonsai design which will answer all your care questions and is a good source to go back to time and time again,in my virtual which is easily do-able,just a bit of wiring on the apex to hide the straight part of the trunk good luck.(any royalties colin

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jumiper_virt_lee.JPG (60.8 KB, 36 views)

Emperor Fish

Lee, hi.

Great though Colin's book is, I don't remember there being any information concerning P. virginiana.

Regards,

Fish.

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Lee

Hi Fish,we dont get this particular species in england,but(and i'm getting ready to be shot at)My two needled pines are treated horticullturaly pretty much the same,i have 4 different types of two needled pine and treat them all the same (pinus densiflora,mugo,sylvestris and thunbergii),allthough things are different for five needled pines.They all seem healthy,so if Tom starts off treating it as P.Sylvestris,he can adjust his feeding+watering regimes by assesing how it's developing.

mistermoyogi

Thanks to all of you...I will check out Colin's reference, and Lee - can't believe I missed such an obvious bit of needed wiring....nice to have other "eyes" taking a look - mine are not what they used to be.


Regards,
Tom