Pinus Strobus-Don't hate

[Giga]

Honestly that should be planted in the ground not in a bonsai pot. Mine is a cultivar that struggles with conformity, yours is too young and regular strobus(very long needles). You can planted it and keep those lower branches cut back and let a sacrifice branch go.

The thing you need to understand is the P strobus are single flush and the needles won't reduce much. It's not like a JBP that can be decandles or is a JWP that already has small needles. Strobus may be the most difficult pine for bonsai there is That pine is a very long term project and even then you may just want to enjoy the tree as a tree rather then bonsai. But hey you can always experiment, Good luck with what ever you decide.

 

[Mike MoMo]

Unfortunately I can't plant it in the ground, townhouse rules. The best I could do is put it in a large planter and let it grow a few years. Yeah this tree is gonna be a very long term project, yet all I can do is love it one day at a time. Thanks Giga I really appreciate the advice. Strangely enough I have never been a great fan of pines so over the next decade a relationship can form.

 

[Giga]

Here's an update - havn't done any fall cutbacks yet, but things have bounce backed a little so I may do a little wire as well. I've had a lot go on latly so this guy got away from me a bit.

 

[Giga]

Things r starting to move and I think I have a lot to play with this year



Much wire needed come fall

 

[Adair M]

Treat for needlecast.

 

[0soyoung]

Treat for needlecast.

Looks like normal winter yellowing, to me.

 

[Adair M]

Looks like normal winter yellowing, to me.

Maybe you're right. Still, a little prevention goes a long way... when the candles are growing is when it infects. And doesn't really show up until much later, when it's too late to treat.

 

[Giga]

Maybe you're right. Still, a little prevention goes a long way... when the candles are growing is when it infects. And doesn't really show up until much later, when it's too late to treat.

This is normally what it goes threw every winter, but I can treat anyway. What's your fav way of treating?

 

[Adair M]

Spray with copper fungicide. Do all your Pines.

If you ever really get an infection going, the "nuclear option" is using a granular systemic. I use Bonide InFuse. You can get it on Amazon. Or Clearys 3336.

 

[YukiShiro]

liking the many buds for next season!

can't wait for the next wiring session

best regards
Herman

 

[Giga]

Spray with copper fungicide. Do all your Pines.

If you ever really get an infection going, the "nuclear option" is using a granular systemic. I use Bonide InFuse. You can get it on Amazon. Or Clearys 3336.

I've use Bayer systematic twice year on all my tree's so it's why I don't think it's needle cast, and I spray with lime sulfur over winter.Although I did stop by and get some copper fungicide and I will be treating this and a few other trees as preventative spring treatment.

 

[Jurriemr2]

I like P. Strobus. My children are petting iT when i allow them. Mine is 35 jears old now. I really love iT. Nice bark And soft needles. Watever people say about P.strobus. Go one with iT.

Greats

 

[Nybonsai12]

I have similar needle color on mine as well. It's been said time and time again why strobus make poor bonsai and while I agree I still have mine despite it's frustrating behavior. It's brittle in comparison to other pines I've worked with, difficult to bend, has long needles, and doesn't backbud much, certainly not reliably. What I have witnessed though on a few occasions is that if a shoot dies, it will push a new bud closer to the trunk! And where I am the wooly adelgids love em!

Giga,
Whats the reasoning behind leaving the entire cluster of buds? Will it not overcrowd the ends of the branches? I'm assuming you did not select and remove buds last fall?

 

[Giga]

I have similar needle color on mine as well. It's been said time and time again why strobus make poor bonsai and while I agree I still have mine despite it's frustrating behavior. It's brittle in comparison to other pines I've worked with, difficult to bend, has long needles, and doesn't backbud much, certainly not reliably. What I have witnessed though on a few occasions is that if a shoot dies, it will push a new bud closer to the trunk! And where I am the wooly adelgids love em!

Giga,
Whats the reasoning behind leaving the entire cluster of buds? Will it not overcrowd the ends of the branches? I'm assuming you did not select and remove buds last fall?

I find the branches super flexible and have never even came close to breaking one. Last fall is when my dog past away and I just never got to fall work on this tree. Though more buds popped up since I have done this or have not done bud selection, I'm going to try something this year and see if it plays out.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

There is the option of letting all the buds develop, even forego breaking candles, then do serious pruning, select branches, so only two remain, in autumn. If a tree is vigorous, or pushing long internodes, by selecting the shortest shoots to keep, you can slowly tighten the tree up.

The above was an option Peter Tea suggested using in certain situations, not necessarily all the time, but he did feel it was a good option. He did say that using fall branch removal, and bud selection, you can largely eliminate the need to break candles in spring. The fall work is focused on choosing the right branches to keep, strong or weak, depending on where it is in the tree. Balancing growth and directing growth are the goals.

 

[Victorim]

Hi Giga / Leo,

Have been thinking back and forth on my Strobus for the last couple of days on how i want to proceed with him. Candles are extending now. Was originally going with a complete decandle in about a month's time, but I'm not so sure it's a good move any more.. mind if i pop up some pics here tomorrow and see what what you think?

 

[GGB]

Been waiting all winter to unveil my yamadori P. strobus and went outside today to discover it was knocked completely out of the pot by a squirrel. I'm praying that bud break still happens. I've been drooling over this thread for a while wishing I could relate/chime in. Time will tell...

 

[Victorim]

Been waiting all winter to unveil my yamadori P. strobus and went outside today to discover it was knocked completely out of the pot by a squirrel. I'm praying that bud break still happens. I've been drooling over this thread for a while wishing I could relate/chime in. Time will tell...

ah come on you cant say that and not even pop a thumb nail on! go on.. waffer thin

 

[Guy Vitale]

Hi Giga / Leo,

Have been thinking back and forth on my Strobus for the last couple of days on how i want to proceed with him. Candles are extending now. Was originally going with a complete decandle in about a month's time, but I'm not so sure it's a good move any more.. mind if i pop up some pics here tomorrow and see what what you think?

You don't want to decandle pinus strobus, they can put out a second flush, but it greatly weakens the tree. When I did this, I got a great second flush, but it took the tree 2 years to recover. I reduce the buds to two beer branch and reduce one very short and the second a little longer. This helps develop branching and a short branch to prune back to when the longer branch gets too long. These don't reliably back bud well.

 

[Victorim]

You don't want to decandle pinus strobus, they can put out a second flush, but it greatly weakens the tree. When I did this, I got a great second flush, but it took the tree 2 years to recover. I reduce the buds to two beer branch and reduce one very short and the second a little longer. This helps develop branching and a short branch to prune back to when the longer branch gets too long. These don't reliably back bud well.

Aye thats the conclusion im coming to. Lot of conflicting info on strobus around the web, and nothing in books Thanks. Have you worked with more than one or two?