Whats Going on in Smoke's Backyard?

Worked on some shohin pines today. Yes the needles are cut. I have a method. Like it or not it works for me. The nasty one in the small hex pot will be lifted this year to expose some more rootage. It will eventually be negari style.

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Very nice small pine collection you have Smoke.
Thanks for the link. It is the 1st time I found your blog. I bookmarked it.
It is very interesting that I have been using same training technique on my JBP seedlings. They respond very well. This technique was used by Mr. Richard Ota at least 25 years ago. Because I can see the result of his work after 25 years, I decided to use this technique of training on pine.
Bonhe
 
Sorry I have been lax about writing for a year or so. Just when things looked like they were starting to ease up a bit, I was back at the doctors doing new tests. Oh yea, the blood sugar was way out of wack, and now type two Big D.... the good news I have already shed twenty pounds and by Christmas I will post a pic of me working on some tree that you may not recognize me in. Already a pants size smaller. Just on pills right now and I aim to keep it that way. Gonna be next to impossible to work on trees if I go blind!
 
Sorry I have been lax about writing for a year or so. Just when things looked like they were starting to ease up a bit, I was back at the doctors doing new tests. Oh yea, the blood sugar was way out of wack, and now type two Big D.... the good news I have already shed twenty pounds and by Christmas I will post a pic of me working on some tree that you may not recognize me in. Already a pants size smaller. Just on pills right now and I aim to keep it that way. Gonna be next to impossible to work on trees if I go blind!
The good news is that you are loosing weight! :) A lot of people doesn 't need to take med any more when their weight are down to the IBW! Just in case you don't know yet, try to follow Dr. Dean Ornish's regimen.
Now, when you are working on the tree, be careful with any small wounds to your fingers. High risk for infection! Stay away from juniper nana, San Jose or any tree with sharp needles or thorns! ;) I am serious!
Wish you luck on your health.
Bonhe
 
Very nice small pine collection you have Smoke.
Thanks for the link. It is the 1st time I found your blog. I bookmarked it.
It is very interesting that I have been using same training technique on my JBP seedlings. They respond very well. This technique was used by Mr. Richard Ota at least 25 years ago. Because I can see the result of his work after 25 years, I decided to use this technique of training on pine.
Bonhe
What technique do you speak of?
 
I suspect the one where wire is used to twist up a young pine and the tree is allowed to engulf it.
 
Bwaynef and Eric Group are correct! :)
Bonhe
 
ShohinMugo05.jpg ShohinMugo copy.jpg Not meaning to intrude on this thread but yes you can use wire in this manner to create some interesting results. The trunk on the Little Mugo was created this way, mostly by accident in the beginning but as the tree healed the trunk became very interesting. Provided is an image of the tree before the major cut back and change in planting angle.

If you look above the major Shari you will notice another spot where a branch was removed and a bit of die back occurred around the shards of the dead branch. I am thinking at some point, connecting the two elements by hollowing out portions of the bottom shari and linking it with the dead branch element leaving the living bark element intact between the two.
 
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View attachment 119646 View attachment 119645 Not meaning to intrude on this thread but yes you can use wire in this manner to create some interesting results. The trunk on the Little Mugo was created this way, mostly by accident in the beginning but as the tree healed the trunk became very interesting. Provided is an image of the tree before the major cut back and change in planting angle.
So there are wires embedded in the tree? Also, do you plan on continuing the shari? I think it would be a good idea, but either way a beautiful tree
 
So there are wires embedded in the tree? Also, do you plan on continuing the shari? I think it would be a good idea, but either way a beautiful tree
The wire was removed but it had cut deeply into the trunk and took about two years for it all to close and scar up. I do plan on extending the shari at some point but I have learned with Mugos you are better to point the tree in a particular direction and then wait and see if the tree takes the hint and goes there. The Shari was too an acident. I removed a major branch down low that caused the life line to take that part of the trunk with it. This is why I caution about removing large branches without thinking things through. Thanks for the compliments on the tree.

Another point about Mugos that I have learned to take advantage of. They can do wierd and strange thins in response to wierd and strange things you may do to them. Sometimes the results are, as in this case, shocking. It is in your response and reaction to these things that can make a good tree out of a box of dog biscuits. This is why I seldom throw out a tree I may have screwed up. Remember this; everybody wants to have some spectacular Yamadori. Did you ever think how these Yamadori trees get to look the way they do? It's because nature screwed them up and they survived. Every body will tell you that you cannot imitate a Yamadori, I agree but if you start going down the road trying to imitate Yamadori by throwing out your mistakes you may be discarding a good first step.
 
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The wire was removed but it had cut deeply into the trunk and took about two years for it all to close and scar up. I do plan on extending the shari at some point but I have learned with Mugos you are better to point the tree in a particular direction and then wait and see if the tree takes the hint and goes there. The Shari was too an acident. I removed a major branch down low that caused the life line to take that part of the trunk with it. This is why I caution about removing large branches without thinking things through. Thanks for the compliments on the tree.

Another point about Mugos that I have learned to take advantage of. They can do wierd and strange thins in response to wierd and strange things you may do to them. Sometimes the results are, as in this case, shocking. It is in your response and reaction to these things that can make a good tree out of a box of dog biscuits. This is why I seldom throw out a tree I may have screwed up. Remember this; everybody wants to have some spectacular Yamadori. Did you ever think how these Yamadori trees get to look the way they do? It's because nature screwed them up and they survived. Every body will tell you that you cannot imitate a Yamadori, I agree but if you start going down the road trying to imitate Yamadori by throwing out your mistakes you may be discarding a good first step.
Very great point; I appreciate your bonsai wisdom.

Have you tried actually leaving the wire in, and if so, how did that go?
 
Very great point; I appreciate your bonsai wisdom.

Have you tried actually leaving the wire in, and if so, how did that go?
I will let you know tomorrow, I have a Spruce that I know the wire is totally ingrown and impossible to remove. I have done nothing more than keep it alive for years, maybe it's time I look at it.
 
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