Questions regarding JBP

[Nybonsai12]

I have really been struggling in terms of know what to do with my black pines. They are both in the ground. I look at them everyday without a clue on how i plan to train them. I did some wiring today thats about it. ^Those articles are a good start.

There is tons of information on the web including this forum. Brian Van Fleet's book and his blog have a lot of info. Eric Schraders blog(right in his sig on this very page) has a lot of info and Bonsai Tonight blog does too.

There is a thread somewhere in this forum with links to all the topics about pines on Bonsai Tonight. If you find it you will have reading to do for days. I understand all too well that reading is one thing and implementing is another. But it's all part of the learning process.

 

[bilbocannon]

There is tons of information on the web including this forum. Brian Van Fleet's book and his blog have a lot of info. Eric Schraders blog(right in his sig on this very page) has a lot of info and Bonsai Tonight blog does too.

There is a thread somewhere in this forum with links to all the topics about pines on Bonsai Tonight. If you find it you will have reading to do for days. I understand all too well that reading is one thing and implementing is another. But it's all part of the learning process.

Awesome cheers. I couldnt agree more. I have found pines to be the hardest for me to wrap my head around. I have read countless articles/blogs but havent really had a chance to implement them yet.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

There is tons of information on the web including this forum. Brian Van Fleet's book and his blog have a lot of info. Eric Schraders blog(right in his sig on this very page) has a lot of info and Bonsai Tonight blog does too.

The challenge is to filter out the conflicting and incorrect information, and there is a lot of bad/outdated info to find on pines. Fortunately, there is very little daylight between how Jonas, Eric, Adair, and I approach pines. So it's a matter of matching your learning style to the teacher's, and the results you're trying to achieve. Then pick one "teacher" and stick with him/her (if you like Eric's trees best, follow him!). This eliminates a bunch of conflicting information, which you don't need while you're still sorting it all out.

 

[Dav4]

Awesome cheers. I couldnt agree more. I have found pines to be the hardest for me to wrap my head around. I have read countless articles/blogs but havent really had a chance to implement them yet.

It's funny...pine techniques seemed so complicated at the beginning, too, what with the differences in growth between species as well as place in development, meaning what you do to a 3 year old tree in the ground will be different then what you do to a 20 yr old tree in a pot. Still, work with them for a few years, really think about what you want when you're considering doing something to the tree and try to understand what will happen if/when you do it. Eventually, the techniques with the timing all start to make sense...jut takes time.

 

[Adair M]

"Pines".

Not all "pines" should be treated the same way. Japanese Black Pines and Japanese White Pines are very different! Techniques that do amazing things for JBP can kill a JWP.

Pick a particular pine, and learn it. Once you have it pretty well figured out, then you can learn the next, and learn the differences.

For most people I recommend they start with JBP. They're vigorous and are more tolerant of mistakes. Yet they respond to good techniques. You can see within 6 months if the tree is responding well to the work you've done.

 

[M. Frary]

For most people I recommend they start with JBP.

Unless you live out of their range. Then mugo and scots are a couple good pines to work with.