Bonsaify | Three Examples of Fall Work on Two Year Old Japanese Black Pine Bonsai Starters
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- You have a young tree and want to make it into a bonsai - but how do you begin? Two year old starters like Japanese Black Pine are to bonsai hobbyists, what a fresh ball of clay is to a potter. It's what Eric finds so exciting about starting a bonsai from scratch! In this video, Eric demonstrates three examples of what you can do with a two year old JBP starter. "Think of all the steps of bonsai design with the end point in mind!"
It's early October in the San Francisco Bay area. These two year old trees have been growing in the field for the past year. They were germinated in January 2020, wired as one-year-olds, and have now experienced two full growing seasons.
Example 1: Creating a Shohin bonsai
2:38 This tree has nice movement, acquired from it's first wiring as a one-year-old. To create a Shohin, the tree needs tight movement, which with Japanese Black Pine, can only be created by early wiring. By year two, the tree will already have too much wood. Eric looks at the tree to figure out his plan for it.
3:13 Eric decides to design it into a shohin-size tree. To do this, the trunk needs to get a lot bigger; he needs to set a starting point for all the primary branches, keep everything relatively compact, and most importantly, this is the best chance to give a cut point for sacrifice branch. Eric adds wire, and explains why he wires the roots.
5:18 The very good reason why Eric uses non standard wire techniques.
7:32 Sometimes the best way to avoid an "S" curve is to make an "S" and then change it - bending to give yourself choices in the future.
9:05 Eric explains why he removes most of the large side buds at the top of the tree.
10:40 For our climate, repotting is safe at this time. Eric puts it into a 6" Finofil pond basket, and anchors the tree to the side of the container.
Example 2: Creating a Bunjin bonsai
13:50 This starter will become a tall, bunjin style tree with an elegant line. First, Eric exposes the surface roots and removes those he doesn't like.
16:20 Wiring the tree, aiming for a nice tapering base. Eric creates twisting movement, avoiding the dreaded "S" curve, varying between gentle and sharper curves.
18:53 At the top, there are 4 side buds at whorls plus the main junction; Eric removes all but the smallest to avoid reverse taper at that node.
21:46 Repotting to provide for vigorous but controllable growth over the next few years. Eric shares how to create guide wires.
Example 3: Creating a Mame bonsai
23:17 Watch Eric start this tree on its way to becoming a very small, mini tree, or mame. Eric plans to pot the tree into an Mitunobu Ito mame container: www.bonsaify.c....
25:05 Why does Eric trim off more roots than in the first two example trees?
26:13 Watch One Big Cut!
27:45 Eric repots the tree into a tiny container.
31:19 One final note on seasonality - pay attention to this!
Please comment, like, and share this video. Subscribe to our channel for more regular bonsai content!
Music by Bensound.com
Over 30 yrs in Bonsai and it is good to see the younger generations teaching properly. You rock dude! Loved and subbed.!
Thanks and welcome! 😌
I can honestly say this after seeing thousands of bonsai vids. This is the best one! 👍
Was it my evil twin that did it?
Liked it twice. In my mind.
I really appreciate that you do things a little differently than some other people, and have success doing it. Plants are pretty resilient if you don't push them too far and give them what they need to recover and grow :)
I really appreciate this video. My six pack of Black Pine seconds will be here today and I don't really have much experience with pines other than a small Mugo. This is extremely helpful, easy to understand, and confidence building. Thank you!
Were the pines roughly this size or bigger?
@@Dmslide77 They were roughly that size. I got a couple of really ugly ones :-) but there's still hope.
@@jeremystandifird5884 wdym by ugly? Thinking of ordering some
@@jeremystandifird5884 what do you mean by really ugly ?
@@Dmslide77 significant wire scars and severe chops that wouldn’t work if you want to keep the tree roughly the same size. It will require cutting way down low to get past it. But like I said, there’s hope and I knew what I was buying, it’s worth it.
Dude I love your channel.
This is one of the most helpful videos on black pines I've seen. I've bought a few of these starters and then I look at them with no idea what to do next. Plus I'm scared of when I can do it because JBPs can be so fussy. This helped me in many ways.
Another Bonsaify Banger!
Thanks for the tip on the pond baskets -- great deal!
Any time!
love love these~ I have some small JBP so this was perfect!
The starter I bought from you just arrived, and then this video comes out? Perfect timing! I may just have to order a few more!
Nice! Just let us know.😎
Bonsai that are very beautiful and luxurious, cool, in fact, can inspire bonsai mania
great tips. early development is really fun.
It really is!
This has been so helpful showing how the roots are shaped for shonin or mame. Explains what you see later.
Dude! I bought a couple of those from you at the GSBF.
Great job! Thanks !
superb! In spite of spring hitting here in Brazil, these ''seasonally specific'' videos will help a bunch! Will give it a watch. Thanks!!
thanks for the video, my pine has only grown for about 1 month, I hope it can be as good as what you made 😁
Great video - Will use these ideas for the 6 I just bought from you sir. Keep the videos coming
Awesome, thank you!
Right on time I was just about to pot up some 1 year old pines I will try this thank you for your time
Nice video Eric. I’ve had great results with pumice/akadama/lava with Japanese black pines. However, I live on the east coast and acquired my plants from a somewhat local grower.
My first batch of JBP were grown in P:A:L so it definitely works. I think that perlite is probably faster though - albeit a bit more finicky to get right.
Michael’s evil twin is hilarious! 😂😂😂
Fantastic, thank you so much.
Would you be able to turn this into a small series where we can follow up on these trees or other types of trees through their development? Kind of like a journal series almost.
Interesting idea. I'd say we will likely be doing that, although using the same trees time after time may not be feasible.
The two-year fall work on JBP is among the most important when it comes to early development as it sets the trunk line which later become impossible to significantly alter. Once this is complete, if you are growing out a larger trunk, much of the work is years off - e.g. you may do no more than a couple quick trims each year for about the next five years....
@@Bonsaify Ahh I see, makes sense. Thanks for the reply!
thank you
I friggen love your videos!
Great video. lots of information.
very helpful.
I have some seedlings 8 month old, im in NY are and the cold here hit hard I will try some of those techniques in the spring!!
Brilliant thank you! Hit me like a sledgehammer, when you said think about future cut sites... :( probably should have hmmm ,pls explain more about the cut site stage and your thinking behind it.
Hello I love your videos I’ve got quite a few one year and two year old Japanese Black Pine I was thinking about putting one in the ground to maybe help fatten up. What are your thoughts on putting a piece of plate underneath it so the roots go out? And if you like that about how far down should the plate be from the roots
Thank You 🙏✌️
I have a few hundred JBP from cuttings that are 1 yr to 3 yr old, some good ideas here, hoping to sell some off since it's a lot of work to keep them all up but I also grow Italian Stone Pines so another fun tree, same age range and have my first one (I sold the rest) that is growing adult needles. I don't really see they are longer than JBP, don't know why people say they are.
good bonsai work 👍 greetings 🙏
Nice ❤️
Hi what soil do you use for pines in development? Thanks. Love your videos
I want to see a little tour of your specimen trees 😲
Hmm. Considering it. We're concerned about security, particularly given the recent spate of thefts in the Los Angeles area.
@@Bonsaify That's extremely sad. I don't blame you. I'm glad we don't have that problem in N.C
I love the way your alter ego steps in like they tend to do. Mine just mumbles in the background.
Is there a follow up video on the last tree? I'm curious if it survived the procedure.
It did survive, but you'll have to take my word for it since I sold it last fall. It was one of the trees in the fall pine release.
hello where do you get the bowl with the skull feet? on the back of the shelf. your explanations are great.
That is a Thor Holvila bonsai pot: www.holvilabonsaipot.com/
Great video. Question. I have a few Japanese black pines that are very thick for being only a year old. After wiring, do I need to place them in the shade? I live in Orlando Florida, and believe it or not, they thrive here.
Well, first congrats on good growing! Wiring itself and bending shouldn't cause enough damage to a seedling to make it need shade. But, with intense sun and stress you can get sunburn on the needles, particularly if the bending exposes the undersides to harsher sun. I don't typically advocate any shade for pines, but I know growers who use 30-40% shade cloth in very hot areas to mitigate sun. Any more than that and you'll risk not getting enough buds and slow growth. I don't recommend you use natural shade from buildings or large trees for bonsai as it's too inconsistent.
@@Bonsaify thank you very much. I needed this info. The last thing I wanted to do is kill my two young jbp. The good news is there’s new candles already beginning to show. Thanks again
❤❤❤❤❤
How do I know what species my tree is
I would love to get a couple young black pines but I haven’t seen them at my local nurseries.
We have them on bonsaify.com.😎
Awesome I’ll check it out . What is the best soil to grow black pine seedlings ?
I live in the PNW Washington , rains allot here .
Love ur channel!! I just received the 7 black pines I ordered from u. They all look great. I’m up in Washington State (I think zone 9…….?). I’m curious as to what kind of fertilizer do u use? If any. I will not be repotting em until early spring, we sometimes get bad winters. I plan to over winter them in a greenhouse to protect em from the severe winds and cold. And since I’m in a much damper PNW weather then Cali. Should I repot em using a similar soil medium to what u have em in currently? Or change it up slightly? Any AND ALL info/help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. More importantly, THANK YOU! For the healthy trees u sent, I’ve had some bad luck ordering plants/trees online in the past.
On a tangent……… Bonsai has saved my life. I was in a very dark place for several years and literally was ready to just give in and give up…… in a 5yr stretch, I lost 9 people very close to me. 11 if u count dogs, which I do. I tried therapy for a couple yrs with little to no success. I tried drinking n drugs for several yrs, which yielded (in my opinion) better results then therapy. Realistically not really tho, my girlfriend of 6yrs broke up with me. And rightly so, I was a mess. Long long story short, if I didn’t get into my bonsai and carnivorous plants hobby, I honestly WAS going to commit suicide. Thankfully I’m past those feelings. I now have things that depend on me and that makes me feel useful and wanted. I’m really sorry for this absurdly long comment! Take care
Fertilizer - Try Dyna-Gro (we sell small bottles) but really any fertilizer regularly applied is good!
Soil - I like perlite/coir because it's cheap and light and works well for young plants. For older plants I use 1:1:1 PAL
Thanks for your interest and good luck with your trees!
A complete novice here, but on the wiring aspect, I've recently had a go at wiring a juniper and a spruce. I've probably done it horrendously, but it's worked and the movement of branches and trunks is how I want it. So does it really matter unless you're working on a specimen tree?
I regularly modify wiring technique to suit my needs. Whether to avoid scarring, save wire, or whatever - use the tools and materials how you see fit.
In my teacher's view - the wiring of a tree should itself be beautiful - the technical skill of the stylist should be evident in the wiring. However, as you note - this is really only relevant on a nice specimen tree.
Also I am right around Kansas City Center of the United States I was thinking I needed to wait until getting into spring before I report my young JBP ? What is your location or do you think it would be fine to maybe transplant now since it’s not so hot or wait till the spring push
can the taproot be cut?
let there be a balance of other roots
Yes, there isn't really a taproot in the true sense on young pines when they are grown in containers properly. But root trimming is key to a good bonsai.
Where do you buy pumice these days? Im in the East Bay and used to get it at a nursery in Moraga, but they closed.
Hi John, I get it from Jonas (bonsaitonight.com) who sells it by the bag. Since you're local I'd recommend you touch base with him, he's located in Alameda. One note - I do recommend carefully sifting pumice and then washing it also. Fresh mined pumice can sometimes contain excess sodium, which cause poor growth, but washing it removes this problem.
so if you are not doing a shohin, would you spread the roots outward radially?
No, I wouldn't. I've seen this mistake made by a number of growers - it leads to overly flat nebari and difficulty at putting the tree into small pots. When the roots are arranged into a cone shape, the large roots go downward, but smaller roots start to form the nebari simultaneously - effectively building taper in the nebari and root system. I suppose I should do a video with more details.
@@Bonsaify That would be greatly appreciated. For us newbies it helps so much to have things explained. If you know not only how to do it but why, it makes so much more sense. A beginners and/or intermediate set of videos with each skill would be awesome! I appreciate every nugget of knowledge you are willing to share. I am in Canada and there isnt anyone near me who does Bonsai. Oh! the JBP seeds I got from you are all coming up! So precious, keep those JBP videos coming haha :)
Great useful video. You said your soil mix was perlite and coco coir. What ratio? I assume these techniques would be applicable to Japanese red pine as well. Correct?
I don't grow red pine usually because I don't like the budding pattern, and the way they can reverse-taper so quickly. But yes, the same techniques are applicable. For the soil: 80% perlite and 20% coco coir. Good Luck!
Where do get your coco coir from in the Bay Area?
@@Bonsaify the coco coir is the block with pressed fibers that growshop usually sell?
I buy it already hydrated in bags as loose soil, texture is like peat moss potting soil.
But, I believe it does also come in compressed blocks. Just don't confuse it with rock wool which does not decompose and would be difficult to remove from the roots later.
@@Bonsaify thank you!👌🙌
Tried to find the seller on eBay for the basket pots but couldn’t find him , do you have a link? 🙏🏻
Here you go:
www.ebay.com/itm/173853286215
I've seen growers (some)) just leave the wire on and let the tree grow over to fatten them fast. In tree farming for example that would make for an unwanted tree come harvest. How is wire that is never removed perceived by master growers? Chump move or no?
Well, I've never seen a tree with an embedded wire that I liked. It seems to never go away, and you can't disguise what it is either.
@@Bonsaify Thank You, Eric!
Does the smallest pine live now?
Happy to report that it is doing well and starting to look kinda cute!
@@Bonsaify I very like small pine bonsai and I try to grow too. Could you show it in your next videos? ) Thanks.
I'll see if I can gather up some of the past subjects and do an update. But sometimes remembering which tree it was is like finding a particular zebra in the herd.
@@Bonsaify It should be simple. This is the very small pine in the very small clay pot ).
greetings from Mexico where you are located
We are in the San Francisco Bay area - zones 10b (our house) and 9b (our growing grounds)
Nice. Updates on these?
The tiny one I sold last year. The other two - 🤔. Tbh I have a couple thousand pines in those baskets…and I lost track of which were in this video. 🤷♂️
@Bonsaify thanks. We're at the Rendezvous. Thought we'd see you, but looks like you aren't here.
hi !! what is your soilmix you use for black pine please
Hi! For young pines, I have confirmed that over the past two years with thousands of pines the best mix for seedlings (that I've tested) is 80% perlite (1/4-3/16" size, sifted or no) and 20% coco coir. Larger Perlite and coco is also very good, but if the perlite is all small (like sand consistency) then it is not as good.
Our recent test with Pumice/Bark were not nearly as good, and Pumice:Lava:Akadama was also inferior in terms of speed of growth.
For older pines, because speed of growth is not as important, I still recommend 1:1:1 Akadama:Lava:Pumice.
👍👌🙂
hi what mix are you holding pine trees in. greetings
These are all grown in 80% coarse perlite, 20% coco coir.
Wow, with older trees, do you also use this mixture?
and next to the 4-5 year old sargentii kishu and Itoigawa?
Show me that mame in 8 months. Looks scary!
Hi what is temperature in winter where you live?
We are in USDA Zone 10B(30-35F), while our growing grounds is 9B. (25-30F) According to web resources Japanese Black Pine are hardy to Zone 5. However, with bonsai, you would need to protect roots from temperatures below 28 degrees preferably. The USDA zones do not account for root hardiness, only for the top of the plant.
@@Bonsaify thank you
How ofthen you watering
Depending on weather once every 2-5 days. Perlite retains a lot of water. With more frequent watering the washed pumice may be a better option than how it appears in these test results.
You grow them very fast. Can you share your secret?
I just realized I'm to old to start to learn to do bonsai, especially these black pines. Turn 70 in a couple of weeks.😒
The journey is more enjoyable than the result IMO.
Try working with other plants like Thyme or other small woody shrubs. Lots of plants can be bonsai’Ed just experiment
You can do mame with them like his third example! If you want large trees there are some that grow really fast. And like Eric said, the journey is what is the most fun. 😊
First!
First to watch??? :-)
@@Bonsaify I’m saving the rest for tomorrow as it’s 1am here! I have a JBP seedling, so this is just what I’ve been looking for 👍🏼
I'm afraid most of my wiring techniques are non-standard.
Don't worry, you have plenty of opportunity to learn!