Help me pick a front on this JWP

[Giga]

B as well and nice pine

 

[JudyB]

I'd like to see more angles as well. There are always lots of options with these, and I sometimes don't think there are right or wrong, just different things to highlight. I see that with mine regularly.

 

[Adair M]

I'll take some more pictures tomorrow.

By the way, it has been in the "Original" orientation for a long, long time. When I worked the roots to get it in the pot, I found three layers of old screening where the tree had simply been up potted. Didn't even bother to remove the old screening!

 

[coh]

I'll take some more pictures tomorrow.
By the way, it has been in the "Original" orientation for a long, long time. When I worked the roots to get it in the pot, I found three layers of old screening where the tree had simply been up potted. Didn't even bother to remove the old screening!

I've found that in a number of pots as well. Annoying!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

B for sure, it hides the awkward bend in the trunk nicely. Compacting the upper left will make this a very powerful tree. Just playing around in PS...for what little it's worth...

 

[sorce]

B.

Sorce

 

[Adair M]

I'll retweek the pads for the B orientation, and post a picture. Might be a couple days. I've got things to do tomorrow.

Thanks for the virts!

Oh, Brian, this one is one of my "bottom" trees, or had been. Maybe restyled, it won't be.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Cannot see enough to fully judge. But enough I can see to know that what ever it is should hide the awkward bend in the trunk. Both change in angle and change in front can be used at once. Lower trunk bark very attractive it is and should be emphasized in any design. The base perhaps could be planted at a different angle coming off of/out of a rock adding another dimension. Possibilities it certainly has but time it may take to get where you wish to be.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Change of opinion I have. Picture C. Rotate tree so lowest branch is moved about 15% (percent/not degrees)toward camera(clockwise). Tip tree to right about 40% or so from pictured angle. Left branch hiding bend will need to come down as will all left side branches. Perhaps a new apex should reach outward to the right rather than upwards.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Nice tree. I think I like B best.

Would you (or somebody) be willing to write a tutorial on Japanese white pines outlining the care for them in terms of the techniques and timing of pruning, candle pinching, needle management. Please?

They are so different from JBP with regard to those things. I have a JWP and I'm so confused over the differences that I've been afraid to work on it so I don't do something wrong. Problem is if I don't do anything, it won't be manageable at some point.


Thanks

There is a Bonsai Today/Stone Lantern published book on JBP and JWP that should be helpful. Do not have JWP but do have young Limber and Bristlecone pines(5 needles). There is good info in there.

 

[Adair M]

Potawotami13 is referring to the "Pines" book in the Masters Series. From Stone Lantern.

That book is made up of reprinted articles from Bonsai Today. Many, if not all, of which are translations of articles originally published in Japanese.

There is good info in the book. But many of the articles are written by different authors, so the techniques vary from one to another.

 

[Nybonsai12]

Funny how climates differ and you are able to wire now Adair...It's still booming heat by me in the 90's and none of the needles on my JWP are yellowing and getting ready to drop. Everything seems later for me this season...Stuff like this is good though as it helps me get a feel for differences in what can happen during a growing year.

Adair, I like B. I'm surprised you would have bought a grafted white pine! the horror!! lol i kid i kid...

The pines book is a good source for the limited info out there on white pines. Brian Van Fleets book is an excellent source of info on black pine, well worth the money for the download! perhaps if someone could convince him to make one for white pines.. hint hint hint

 

[Dav4]

Ny, you can wire conifers year round...but there's always a preferred time. Hot weather doesn't mean you can't wire, but it does mean you've got to be careful making severe bends. At other times of year, wiring may or may not damage extending candles/needles. I wire when I have the time, typically, though I do try to do it most often during the dormant period, and sometimes after de-candling.

 

[Adair M]

Right after decandling is a good time to wire JBP. In two or three weeks, the new adventitious buds break and begin to grow. They're extremely fragile. So hold off until they harden off, which for me is around Halloween. Or a bit later.

Nybonsai, I guess since our spring starts earlier than yours, the JWP needles harden off, and the tree sluffs off the old needles earlier. You have a better climate for JWP than I.

Ok, so I went out and tweeked the pads for Plan B. I rotated the front a little more so the the key branch comes forward more, and less straight out to the right. It helps.

I also cranked a back branch up near the apex to be a new apex. It's still bare up there. If this survives the bend, over the next three or four years, it might look ok again.



Now, from this angle, it looks to me that I need to lower that lowest branch on the right. That's going to involve rebar and guy wires.

It might have to wait until I repot. I need a good anchor for the guy wire. I would use heavy wire run up from the drain holes.

Now, this pot is an Antique Chinese pot. Kokufu-ten quality. I don't want to take a chance on breaking it by applying pressure.

Oh, the copper wire you see directly in front of the trunk isn't a guy wire. Just an indicator showing the front, and new planting angle.

 

[Dav4]

Looking pretty good!

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

the twist does the trick.

 

[coh]

Oh, the copper wire you see directly in front of the trunk isn't a guy wire. Just an indicator showing the front, and new planting angle.

I can just picture Adair frantically removing any guy wires before taking the picture (or possibly photoshopping them out)

Looks pretty good, I think the rotation helped. I agree with lowering that branch. Rebar time!

Chris

 

[Adair M]

I can just picture Adair frantically removing any guy wires before taking the picture (or possibly photoshopping them out)

Looks pretty good, I think the rotation helped. I agree with lowering that branch. Rebar time!

Chris

Guy wires have their place to supplement traditional wiring. Just not used as the only training technique.

I know you were just ribbing me!

I'm a really poor photographer. The tree really does look much better in person than that photo. I didn't set it up exactly right, and my angle is a little off...

Regardless, the tree looks a whole lot better than when I started. You should have seen it before the wire! Ugly!

 

[coh]

Getting good pictures of bonsai is probably one of the hardest things we do. I sometimes take pics of trees that I think look pretty good, and when I see the pics I think "what is going on here?" Is the tree really that bad or is it just the photo? Probably a combination of both.

I've spent a lot of time during the last 2 National Exhibitions helping Joe Noga with the photography. Well, I am just one of the helpers who bring him trees and then watch while he sets up and takes the photos. He's a professional, with a full set-up, and most trees take many shots with many adjustments to lighting before he is satisfied. And then he spends countless hours afterwards making adjustments before the albums are published.

Even with all that, when I look through the albums I realize that many of the trees just don't look as good as they did in person.

Chris

 

[Adair M]

Getting good pictures of bonsai is probably one of the hardest things we do. I sometimes take pics of trees that I think look pretty good, and when I see the pics I think "what is going on here?" Is the tree really that bad or is it just the photo? Probably a combination of both.

I've spent a lot of time during the last 2 National Exhibitions helping Joe Noga with the photography. Well, I am just one of the helpers who bring him trees and then watch while he sets up and takes the photos. He's a professional, with a full set-up, and most trees take many shots with many adjustments to lighting before he is satisfied. And then he spends countless hours afterwards making adjustments before the albums are published.

Even with all that, when I look through the albums I realize that many of the trees just don't look as good as they did in person.

Chris

Joe is the best!

When we take pictures at Boon's he has a side light, and we step back, then zoom in to fill the frame. I didn't do all that.