JBP suggestions

watchndsky

i feel like i need to wire these branches down some but am unclear on something

if i wire the branches down to a more horizontal level - the needles/candles that having been growing (vertically) will be pointing outwards rather than straight up and down. will they "self correct" over time or should i try to bend the branches down but curl the ends back up (where the growth resides)

the tree was in bad health last year and dropped a TON of needles, i repotted to a different soil mixture and it has had moderate growth this spring. before trying to style i was more worried about getting the tree back to good health.

so im wondering:

1) should i try to wire these guys down further or wait another season to let it build up some more stength (these branches arent as small as they appear and im worried about their flexibility over another growing season combined with the fact that im not all that great at fine wiring)

2) how should i wire
a) leave the growth at the ends vertical and try to guy wire the branch downwards some
b) wire the entire branch which will make the tips of the branches have their growth shooting out diagonally and horizontally
c) wire the entire branch and and try to wire the tips back up to a more vertical orientation

3) after they have been wired (aside from using candling techniques etc) should i try to develop more ramification thru grafting after a couple of seasons, since the wiring of the branches will mean more empy space between the trunk and ends of branch . or should i just hope that it will back bud alittle closer into the trunk after candling?

any suggestions or comments are welcome

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Mcspeed

I am thinking that wiring your JBP now will stress it more, if it is in a recovery mode now , I'd wait to style further seeing as you say it was not healthy recently. Health first. If it goes gangbusters all year, then maybe in the fall early winter when more appropriate for timing.

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bonsaikc

Wiring should be done before potting, not after. Let your tree grow this year. If the candles extend farther than you'd like, you can cut them in June, but odds are good they won't get outsized this year. About 4 weeks after potting is time to start feeding your tree.

As to wiring the branches down:

When wiring a Japanese black pine, we can help the tree balance its energy if we wire so that the candles are horizontal. The strongest ones expend some energy turning back up to vertical, but believe me, they will. If you wire so the candles are vertical, you will just be allowing them to concentrate even more energy at the tips of the branches when we are always trying to move that energy farther back in toward the trunk.

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Vonsgardens

Young branches, young tree, great opportunity for wiring and stimulating back-budding with candle work and wire. You will get good break back when wired next fall/winter.

John

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