Help me pick a front on this JWP

[Adair M]

About "Shoot pruning":

Shoot Pruning is the process of shortening a candle that has grown out its needles. This is done primarily on the strongest part of the tree, and it's purpose is to maintain "balance". That is, weaken the strongest parts of the tree so that the weaker parts will stay healthy.

The timing is critical. It must be done before the shoots are hardened off. So, early to mid summer is the time to do it. If you wait too long, the shoot will not produce buds for next spring's growth. When you prune the shoot, you must leave at least 4 or 5 bundles of needles on the shoot or else risk losing the shoot.

Note that the purpose of this is balancing, not backbudding.

I have never employed this technique. My JWP seem to always be weak, do they do not grow vigorously enough to justify shoot pruning. I suspect it is due to my climate.

 

[Adair M]

Here's an update on this tree:



I did a HBR repot on the front half of the roots. I found lots of old soil that had been there probably more than a decade. It's should grow better now. I didn't stand it up quite as straight as I pictured it before. This picture is taken a little too high. It looks better when viewed from a little lower angle.

I've mossed it up and I'm going to show it at the Atlanta Bonsai Society show on the 19th and 2oth.

No, I don't like the reverse taper of the nebari. Now that it's in better soil, the roots might do better.

 

[JudyB]

How about lowering it to the soil, and putting the widest part of the tree as the base? Could be the picture angle, but the waist that the planting height gives it right now isn't helping.