JoeR
Masterpiece
Well its big...
Thats about it.
Maybe formal upright? Chop?
Thats about it.
Maybe formal upright? Chop?
Zuisho White Pine
- Thread starter Brian Van Fleet
- Start date
Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
Looks nice and healthy. Surprised there isn't any swelling down low where those 3 bigger branches emerge from the trunk. I guess because it's a slow grower? Looking forward to seeing what you decide on for a design.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
No swelling yet; but I'm keeping an eye on it. Pretty soon, I'll have to do a little branch selection and get it down to one or two. Right now, I'm just letting it grow, and while it looks leggy, it has so much foliage in close to the trunk, that I've not felt a sense of urgency to start pushing it back toward the trunk. If I go upright, I'll probably need to graft a branch or two into the trunk above the first whorl.
It's plenty healthy, so I'll probably just keep growing it in an oversized bonsai pot.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
I don't know what Julian uses, but this one just gets my regular feeding program. I use Eco-Vie every month or so to add micronutrients; been using it for probably 10 years now.
Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
My guess was that it lends itself to upright and the soonest workable tree, right? I didn't realize you would need to graft in though. But if not formal you'd have to chop and wait awhile?(clearly you have no problem with that! What's a few more years).
Looking at the pics I was thinking the same thing about the foliage, it's so nice and tight to the trunk. Even with those strong growths at the tips it doesn't look like the interior is struggling at all. Zuisho are so special. I've been debating getting a layer from Julian Adams to put in the ground, because they are so ridiculously hard to find to being with, even more so on their own roots. I hate waiting, but this thread shows how worthwhile it can be.
You dug it up for the move, right? If not would you have left it longer in the ground?
Looking at the pics I was thinking the same thing about the foliage, it's so nice and tight to the trunk. Even with those strong growths at the tips it doesn't look like the interior is struggling at all. Zuisho are so special. I've been debating getting a layer from Julian Adams to put in the ground, because they are so ridiculously hard to find to being with, even more so on their own roots. I hate waiting, but this thread shows how worthwhile it can be.
You dug it up for the move, right? If not would you have left it longer in the ground?
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Right, at this rate, I wouldn't mind waiting another 10 years. Not like I'm all caught up and need something to work on!
I definitely would have left it in the ground for a few more years, just wouldn't want the roots to get too far away.
I bought a jar of "micro max" when I bought my Zuisho from Julian at the Silhouette show. I could list the ingredients if anyone is interested. He says it's only necessary in the spring when the new needles are forming.
He told me quite an interesting story about how he got started with Zuisho. He purchased a sick one from Bill Valavanis, and was able to nurse it back to health. Later, he discovered the micronutrients. If he didn't use them in the spring, the new growth would be rather yellow and weak. If he did use them in the spring, the new growth would be strong and green. All year. Feeding more often than once in spring appeared to have no effect, so it is apparently only needed in the spring.
He also said that his success rate with cuttings is 6 percent! And, he has a sophisticated cutting misting system. Otherwise, he says, he'd be less than that. He says airlayer get is the way to go. Nearly 100 percent.
The one I bought was air layered in 1998. The bark is beginning to get flaky on the trunk. They go thru a flakey stage before they begin to develop plates of bark. Mine has one big flake that has separated from the trunk and it's only a matter of time before it completely falls off.
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dirk hoorelbeke
Omono
I like the development. There is little taper in the first part of the trunk. I guess that is the reason why the bottom branches are not creating a reverse taper, they do not pull strong enough compared to the top growth. Nice to see experienced people take time to develop this stock...
garywood
Chumono
It is refreshing to hear a response that understands the process
Not just starting over year after year.
dirk hoorelbeke
Omono
Sometimes i remember things i read on blogs (like yours). Experimenting helps to click what you read in place. Is there a way to increase the effect of these branches without reducing the top growth?
Dirk,
My experience with sacrifice branches has been that until the sacrifice branch is the tallest, it had little effect. Once it gets taller than the rest of the tree, the tree will direct its energy there, which will cause it to get thicker. And the parts below will thicken faster than the parts above.
So, in Brian's case, if he were to stake one of those low branches up so that it was taller than the current apex, it would thicken up the base of the tree faster. Then, of course, he'd have to deal with having a large scar to heal when he removed the sacrifice.
My experience with sacrifice branches has been that until the sacrifice branch is the tallest, it had little effect. Once it gets taller than the rest of the tree, the tree will direct its energy there, which will cause it to get thicker. And the parts below will thicken faster than the parts above.
So, in Brian's case, if he were to stake one of those low branches up so that it was taller than the current apex, it would thicken up the base of the tree faster. Then, of course, he'd have to deal with having a large scar to heal when he removed the sacrifice.
dirk hoorelbeke
Omono
Thanks, this confirms the way i was thinking. Since this is a slow grower it might be good to start styling some branches to be "keepers", giving it movement, character and correct branching. It will also make it more clear where to graft new ones. The ones you do not keep at the long run you could use as sacrifice. I do not know if staking them will induce faster growth in the first years without holding the top back. It might help to reduce the basic branches on those sacrifices so the top bud will get more power and elongate further so it takes over faster. I don't know how fast these close their wounds, it will not be that fast i guess? This is what i like about bonsai, we don't know everything and we depend of the tree, choices...
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
45" wide, 32" tall now, with a 2.5" trunk at the soil line, 12 years old. May be ready for some work in a few more years.
I still haven't removed anything from it, except a bunch of pine cones!
I still haven't removed anything from it, except a bunch of pine cones!
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I hope that when you do remove stuff you grow it out as cuttings. Odds are that's how yours was developed.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
This one was grafted in 2004, but odds are good I will attempt some cuttings. I keep a few cutting flats going at all times so its pretty easy to throw a bone to the future me. Right now they're stuffed full of Itoigawa, Tosho Chinese quince,and Ezo spruce (see last photo, got 4 out of 27; took 2 years!)...and a couple Chishio J. Maples. They don't always take, but it seems like something is always growing in them!
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
COOL! Do you just stick them in there as you work?
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Pretty much. I used Dip 'N Grow with the Ezo, but usually don't bother with rooting powders. I already have too many trees as it is.
