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| New Starter advice https://www.weetrees.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16890 |
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| Author: | lufc92 [ 06 Sep 2017, 18:40 ] |
| Post subject: | New Starter advice |
Hi I have four "Jack Pine" bonsai, growing them from seed. they are about 6 months old I went on holiday for a few weeks and asked someone to look after them for me, but they forgot to rotate them every couple of days so I have come back and some of them are a liiiiittle bit bent out of shape. I didn't have any sticks to guide the growth but i will tie them gently to props now. I am looking for advice on when to start pruning or clipping the bonsai, as all the information i can find is for maintaining a bonsai when it is already grown as a sapling and has a solid trunk. Mine do not have a trunk yet and are looking a bit wild, i know pines are naturally like this but I am looking for some beginners advice any input would be highly appreciated, thank you! :) |
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| Author: | NickB [ 07 Sep 2017, 07:11 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: New Starter advice |
Hi Luc. At 6 months old, no Pine is going to look good, so you have a long road ahead. Now (September) is a perfect time to prune pines. However, it is vital to leave some needles on the branches that you prune. I would recommend no more than 50 % of a young branch. This should give some back budding going into next season and the plant will become more twiggy. As you have 4 plants, you can try different techniques. For example, prune one, allow another to grow unrestricted in a larger pot or even the ground, try wiring another, etc. This will help you determine what works and what doesn't. As always, photos will help us give better advice. |
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| Author: | sphagnum force [ 07 Sep 2017, 07:21 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: New Starter advice |
I wouldn't advocate pruning a 6 month old pine, I'd say it's at least another 2 years before you need to get the scissors out. |
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| Author: | Gary Jones [ 07 Sep 2017, 08:49 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: New Starter advice |
Welcome to weetrees and to Bonsai. The above advice is all sound IMO. Perhaps also get some other, older trees to work on while these very young ones are growing. |
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| Author: | Brendan [ 07 Sep 2017, 09:09 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: New Starter advice |
Hi Lufc Try post some pics of your trees. I visit family in Corby quite often and I have turned my father-in-law to bonsai. When I am next up there I'll try to remember to contact you and hopefully bring you a lonicera cutting or whatever other starter material I might have so that you can begin fiddling with some trees. There are a few nurseries around there that have both bonsai and also often quite nice raw material. I have a few trees I started from my Northants hunting. |
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| Author: | PeterBone [ 07 Sep 2017, 09:39 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: New Starter advice |
Some good advice here. https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/wiki/de ... g_cuttings |
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| Author: | Drew [ 07 Sep 2017, 12:42 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: New Starter advice |
I wouldn't be pruning a 6 month old seedling at all. Let it grow. I have seedlings in there 3rd growing season and may well do some selective pruning on the strongest ones this winter for the first time. If I were you in the first few seasons I would be more concerned about getting the roots sorted, laid out neatly and in free draining soil mix. |
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| Author: | lufc92 [ 08 Sep 2017, 13:35 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: New Starter advice |
As you can see, it isn't the most professional setup ever, ANY advice would be welcomed, I have a Bonsai basics book which I purchased whilst in Tokyo which gives me the basics about pruning, etc but it only talks about a proper sapling, not from seed, so it's better for someone who buys pre-grown bonsai, |
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| Author: | lufc92 [ 08 Sep 2017, 13:36 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: New Starter advice |
Other pics |
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| Author: | NickB [ 09 Sep 2017, 08:45 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: New Starter advice |
Luc - its important you get these outside. If left in a house over winter they may survive a year but will inevitably die off. They are outdoor trees and need a period of dormancy over the winter period. |
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