I'm new to growing conifer bonsai and need a bit of help with my Japanese black pine. I'm aware that the tree pictured will never be a prize specimen but you have to start somewhere. The tree is roughly about the height I want it to be. The candles are about 3 inches long but what should I do now? I'd guess that I need to cut out some of the top branches and shorten the candles to about one third of their length but any advice (including, start again!), would be most welcome.

My pine-skills are sub-par. So I can only refer you to a reliable website, in the hope that it helps..
www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Pinus.html

I cut the candles right about when they have that leangth. However I usually have a lot more candles on each growing tips. I am not sure about the health of that tree. So Will not make any advice. I would just cut a small bit of the tops. If it is left growing theese candles Will be very long soon. But it is your tree and I do see a risk.

Depending on where you are will dictate how you treat it, in countries where the tree is very vigorous then it is possible to get a second flush which means that the candles are completely removed. But elsewhere it may not be possible to produce a second flush in which case the candles are not cpmpletly removed.It is too soon to do it anyway, another two to three weeks yet.

Thanks for your replies. I live in Scotland, quite close to Edinburgh, where we are having an unusual period of warm dry weather.

Tom

There are several groups of the Scottish Bonsai Society why not make contact with them, and you may well find that there is a group close to you where you can get a lot of help. I doubt that you will get two flushes, so it is probably better to half prune the candles rather than remove completely. In other words treat as you would a Scots Pine. Looking again the candles are not long enough to prune yet.