Tropfrog wrote:

So starting the third year now? Looks very small for their age.

The biggest JBP is a bit over 2yo.
The other two are a bit under 2yo.

Also worth mentioning, that the latter two were grown making cuttings out of the seedlings. The first one grew naturally.

Tropfrog wrote:

Decandeling would not cross my mind on that small trees. Inverse taper develops when there are many old big branches growing at the same plave. The branches that develops now will need a few years before they gives you problem. For now, I would let them grow to help the tree streangthen. In the long run some of them needs to be remowed

I understand that inverse taper would install over years. I was hoping to prevent that from the start due to several reasons:

1. The energy would be distributed over, let’s say 4 branches instead of 7 branches (Of which 3 will be cut off and thrown away)
2. Making the cuts later, even with concave pliers, it will leave a mark. I would be avoiding that.
3. I could improve the shape while growing the bonsai.
4. I would get to practice bonsai techniques (I think this weighs the most, although I don’t want to ruin the trees)

When it comes to your 1 reason. when you remove buds early the energy that yould go into 4 branches instead of 7. Meaning a lot longer internodes. To prevent that from happening on mature trees we shorten the candles in early summer. 3 buds removed and half of 4 candles removed. That is a lot of potential foliage removed on a very young tree. Foliage that could be used for the most important thing in this stage, trunk thickening.

Yes, it can be done, but the time frame to build a bonsai will be very long. I would say, growing in small pot and anually removing buds will take 50 years to build a bonsai. But it will proboably be a really awsome one if done correctly. I dont have 50 years left in this life, so I aim to build decent trees in 20 years. Big pots or ground and very careful pruning at the latest possible date possible without ruining the shape of the tree.

We have a saying in Sweden that the best way to reach goals is to "hurry slowly". I think that it applies well on bonsai. You dont win a marathon by sprinting the first 100 meters.

Nice to see people are continue to grow JBP's from seed

I started a batch in 2018 following the Bonsai Tonight/Today articles. Here's my progression so far: shumibonsai.wordpress.com/tag/japanese-b...pine-from-seed-2018/

That is quite an achievement in 5 years! Not even my trees in ground has gained that trunk size in five years. Well done!

Very happy to see these pines are still alive after such long time!

I would remove the excess candles to be honest. Think how you want to develop the tree. I would let 1 bud grow tall. Keep 2 smaller buds, and remove all others.

The 2 smaller ones you use to build your tree. You keep them short, make sure they get lots of sun, and every year you just half the candles as they extend to multiple the number of branches and reduce the distance between whorls. These will develop a mass of growing tips and you can start building a tree, with a long whip growing overhead. The first one is a sacrifice which over time will be cut off.

I am starting a bunch of JBP seeds this year too. Looking forward to comparing notes over the years.

I have repotted 1/3 JBP!
Here is a photo with its roots and another with the final result (not to other beginners: be extremely careful with new buds, they fall off very easily).

leatherback wrote:

Very happy to see these pines are still alive after such long time!

I would remove the excess candles to be honest. Think how you want to develop the tree. I would let 1 bud grow tall. Keep 2 smaller buds, and remove all others.

The 2 smaller ones you use to build your tree. You keep them short, make sure they get lots of sun, and every year you just half the candles as they extend to multiple the number of branches and reduce the distance between whorls. These will develop a mass of growing tips and you can start building a tree, with a long whip growing overhead. The first one is a sacrifice which over time will be cut off.

I am starting a bunch of JBP seeds this year too. Looking forward to comparing notes over the years.

Would you share your opinion on this specific scenario?
Which branches would you leave to grow?
Would branch #3 (thickest) generate more taper than others?

Is this the lowest whorl of buds? Or are there lower buds?

If there is nothing below, I would keep the strongest (3) to form the new leader, and allow this to grow as tall as it wants. The two weakest (6&7) would be my "keeper" branches, which I would keep supressed. (2, so even if one dies you still have lower branches).

As 2023 is about to end, here is my current progress:

One JBP	Two JBP

Question at hand:
The single JBP in a ceramic pot is of a darker green (it went even deep purple when the weather is cold).
The 2x JBP seem to have a lighter green. Also, these 2 seem to have many more needles 50% turned brown.
I am wondering if they are healthy?

PS: In the following spring I will repot the 2 JBP into bigger training pots (informal upright + cascade).
PS2: Thank you everyone for the tips of which candles to keep/cut. <3

I authum JBP shed three year old needles. But in your photo it seems like they are shedding a lot more. And the needles looks very thin. Like they are very week and the tree don't want to keep them. The formning of new buds looks good. I would say the trees are weak, but will survive.