Great! Thanks for your feedback Auk, really appreciate it.

Then it seems that in at least one way I am on the right track.

Br
Magnus

So what about the trunk. We all seems to agree that keeping the tree this size would demand a thicker trunk

I would like a trunk with lots of mowement.

When i purshased this tree I thought it was perfect. The trunk was the thickest possible, still possible to bend.

I dont really understand how you guys bend something thicker than this. Do you have any secret tips on how to bend thicker materials?

Off cource the question not really relates to this particular tree as it is already bent. But what I look for in nurcery stock is allways for trunks as thick as possible but still possible to bend. If I can go for thicker and still bend that would be awsome.

Br
Magnus

Young pines up to 5cm thick can be bend by hand.
Thicker will require a piece of rebar as leverage. Use raffia around the areas to be bend to protect it from breaking out.

Take time. Do not attempt to bend these in one go, but bend over hours or in some cases, weeks.

Some examples
Big juniper branch bendL


Going from a fairly straight branch to a knot.

Thanks a lot lb. I really appreciate it!

Will look for thicker trunks in the spring to try it on.

How about maples? My local nurcery is selling out trees now, really cheap. Straight trunk maples, maybe 4-5 cm. Will that be possible to bend slowly?

Br
Magnus

maples will snap. You are better of cutting those down low, growing a new trunk. That will also get you better taken than the trunk typically sold in nurseries.
Or go to different nurseries.

So I thought, Thanks a lot.

When taking about taper. In niwaki pines it is common to cut a thicker leader in order to make a thinner branch the new leader. Creating a better taper. That was my intention in this tree. Isnt that a common practice in bonsai as well? There are at least one post suggests that was the wrong thing to do.

Br
Magnus

www.growingbonsai.net/growing/trunks/

Yes, I have read that one before. How do that article relates to the question about the method of cutting the top and make a new leader of a branch?

Br
Magnus

Tropfrog wrote:

Yes, I have read that one before. How do that article relates to the question about the method of cutting the top and make a new leader of a branch?

Br
Magnus

It is one of the methods referred to; www.growingbonsai.net/grow-and-cut/

Yea, that is The grow and cut method not really suitable to pines. Would you consider what I have done beeing cut and grow method?

Br
Magnus