Pine Seedling

Bpswieringa

Sapling
Messages
32
Reaction score
70
Location
West Michigan
USDA Zone
6a
I started this from seed about three years ago from one of those bonsai from seed kits for a birthday present. I’ve since learned what kind of patience it takes to start from seed. I’ve been learning a lot about deciduous trees but I know next to nothing about pines. Does anyone have advice how to treat this seedling? Wire etc. IMG_1591.jpeg
 
Seed to bonsai does take time but it's good to see some people taking on the challenge. Someone needs to start and develop new stock.

Some pines retain juvenile foliage for a few years but something not quite pine about the growth habit of that seedling. Spruce could be correct or maybe Cedar?

There are many different ways to get from seedling to bonsai. To some extent it will depend on what your definition of bonsai is - thin trunk, bushy 'mallsai' or older looking, thick trunk bonsai that looks like a real, old tree.
I prefer grow and cut, meaning allow it to grow as much as possible then chop down to a lower branch which now becomes the new trunk, followed by more cycles of grow and chop. This gives thick trunk with twists and turns that can look much older than a skinny trunk with no taper. Sacrifice branches can also accelerate trunk thickening and can then be converted to dead wood features in the final styling.

I can see that you've already wired to get some initial shape into the young trunk and that's very worthwhile, especially for conifers, to get some bends into any parts you think may be useful in the final shape. Can't help with actual shape because almost any shape will be OK for some sort of style.

At some stage soon you will need to prune to maintain some foliage in any areas you think might be part of the final bonsai. Conifer foliage only lives around 3 years then drops off, leaving bare wood. Most conifers are reluctant to bud from bare wood so maintaining some viable growth that can be used in your bonsai is important. Selective pruning usually stimulates new buds from the existing needles. Those new buds then grow into new shoots in the areas that you want.
 
I started this from seed about three years ago from one of those bonsai from seed kits for a birthday present. I’ve since learned what kind of patience it takes to start from seed. I’ve been learning a lot about deciduous trees but I know next to nothing about pines. Does anyone have advice how to treat this seedling? Wire etc. View attachment 602496
It looks like a spruce🤨. A very different tree.
 
My approach to developing stock from seedlings, regardless of species, is to square away the roots first, meaning the tap root has been removed, and the remaining roots are hopefully well placed to create a decent radial spread around the trunk. I wire movement into the trunk early on... basically at soil level... and allow the seedling to grow. Allowing apical branches to run will thicken the trunk below, and periodically cutting back to lower branches destined to become the next section of trunk will build more movement and taper.
 
I would absolutely agree that is a spruce. A very basic introduction to spruce care can be found here. The guidance isn't exhausting, but will certainly get you started.
 
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