Pinus Nigra "nursery stock"...looking for advice on next steps

[ashintz2]

Hello everyone,

First post after gaining lots of information from browsing these forums for quite awhile! Looking for some advice as I take on a new/unfamiliar bonsai challenge for the first time. Earlier this year I was given a large (at least in relation to other bonsai I've worked with before) Pinus nigra by a family friend that they ended up not using for a landscaping project. For starters I am in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, USDA zone 5a.

Pictures of the tree from multiple angles are posted below! The tree is currently in a 10 gallon nursery container, the trunk at base near the soil is roughly 2 inches in diameter, and from soil to tip the tree currently stands 36 inches tall. I feel like it has decently dense growth throughout, and the trunk has a nice natural curved shape to it.

When I first received the tree, the root ball was wrapped in burlap that was visible above the soil line. Earlier this year during spring I removed the tree from the container so that I could remove the burlap and found the soil inside to be a very thick, dense clay. I removed the clay from only half of the root ball (figured this would be less stressful) and re-potted back into the same container for the time being and fertilized. I did not do any root work besides removing the clay-like soil during at that time. Besides that I have just let the tree be, and it seems to be doing well!

I understand that this will be a very (very) long project, but because I haven't worked with a tree of this size before, I guess I am just looking to learn and for advice on what to do next.

My ideas for some next steps:
- Remove clay/bare root remaining half of the root ball and replant into a more bonsai friendly soil medium
- Thin out foliage/branches to get a better view of the trunk
- Trunk chop, identify new leader (I am fine if this ends up being a larger/taller tree)

Just curious as to what order would be preferred for the above steps, if there's anything I'm missing and what time of year would be best for each step.

Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!

 

[Paradox]

Hello everyone,

First post after gaining lots of information from browsing these forums for quite awhile! Looking for some advice as I take on a new/unfamiliar bonsai challenge for the first time. Earlier this year I was given a large (at least in relation to other bonsai I've worked with before) Pinus nigra by a family friend that they ended up not using for a landscaping project. For starters I am in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, USDA zone 5a.

Pictures of the tree from multiple angles are posted below! The tree is currently in a 10 gallon nursery container, the trunk at base near the soil is roughly 2 inches in diameter, and from soil to tip the tree currently stands 36 inches tall. I feel like it has decently dense growth throughout, and the trunk has a nice natural curved shape to it.

When I first received the tree, the root ball was wrapped in burlap that was visible above the soil line. Earlier this year during spring I removed the tree from the container so that I could remove the burlap and found the soil inside to be a very thick, dense clay. I removed the clay from only half of the root ball (figured this would be less stressful) and re-potted back into the same container for the time being and fertilized. I did not do any root work besides removing the clay-like soil during at that time. Besides that I have just let the tree be, and it seems to be doing well!

I understand that this will be a very (very) long project, but because I haven't worked with a tree of this size before, I guess I am just looking to learn and for advice on what to do next.

My ideas for some next steps:
- Remove clay/bare root remaining half of the root ball and replant into a more bonsai friendly soil medium
- Thin out foliage/branches to get a better view of the trunk
- Trunk chop, identify new leader (I am fine if this ends up being a larger/taller tree)

Just curious as to what order would be preferred for the above steps, if there's anything I'm missing and what time of year would be best for each step.

Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!

You could start looking at which branches will not be part of the final design and start cutting them. I wouldn't remove more than a quarter to a third of the foliage.

Next spring try reducing the root ball by no more than half (a third probably better) and half bare root (ie clean out the clay on one side of the root ball) and put that side into better soil. Do the other side the following year

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I would start thinking how big do you want it when it’s “done” and what style. I agree you should decide on what you want and don’t want and then cut off what you don’t want in the late summer. You want to thin it out so the parts you want will get more light and avoid creating inverse taper by having too many branches from the same spot.

 

[ashintz2]

You could start looking at which branches will not be part of the final design and start cutting them. I wouldn't remove more than a quarter to a third of the foliage.

Next spring try reducing the root ball by no more than half (a third probably better) and half bare root (ie clean out the clay on one side of the root ball) and put that side into better soil. Do the other side the following year

Thanks for the advice! I've already removed the clay from half of the root ball (did that this spring), so next spring I will plan on removing the other half of the clay and reduce the root ball.

 

[ashintz2]

I would start thinking how big do you want it when it’s “done” and what style. I agree you should decide on what you want and don’t want and then cut off what you don’t want in the late summer. You want to thin it out so the parts you want will get more light and avoid creating inverse taper by having too many branches from the same spot.

Thanks for the reply! I'll plan on removing a few branches in late summer, but like Paradox said above I won't plan on removing more than a quarter to a third.