Eastern White Pine

Fletch, what do you think would happen if in a strong area with 3 buds, I pinch that 2 weakest ones and thus directing energy to the third strongest one? This strong one would be cut off after the needles harden and just as the tree begins to produce next years buds. This way I would shorten the internode and keep the needle size shorter on the 2 remaining shoots with the hope of the energy drawn by the sacrificial shoot would produce back buds.

I see a bonsai in thereā€¦
Cut off top 2/3. Just below the negative SPOT on right. A little wire. Feminine oval pot. Lean a little to left for movement.gind a new top on left.

I think the needles on the pinched candles would be excessively long because the strength that was going into that shoot is now going into a smaller area. That being said I have never tried the technique you just asked and experience is the best teacher. I do know that for long needle single flush pines the two method I mention prior have proven results.

Guy, I just re-watched the stream ā€œmulti flush pinesā€ https://live.bonsaimirai.com/archive/video/multi-flush-pines I know a multi flush stream seems odd for your case - EWP, but in this stream he goes into a great explanation ( a short side video) about the three types of trees - side by side and explains the different ways to handle each - multi flush, then short needle single flush, then long needle single flush. Seeing the 3 one after the other it made it easier to figure out the best way to handle each and the difference. It may give you an answer. Good luck.

Thanks Jim, I need to make some time to rewatch this!

KurtP, are you talking about my tree in the original post or other subsequent trees, I think they are all bonsai worthy. With regards to mine, I do plan to shorten the apex, I currently have a sacrifice branch to thicken the trunk, so that will be coming off, and it does need a rewiring this year, Iā€™m still deep in development, but I like the idea of an oval pot and possibly removing the lowest branch to give it more of a feminine feel. The issues Iā€™m having it to get better backbudding to increase branch, thus shorter needles and internodes, EWP is not known for either, similar to the Ponderosa Pine, so Iā€™m contemplating treating it like one. Thereā€™s been great advice on this tread, you donā€™t usually get that when discussing EWP, most usually just poo-poo the mere mention of the idea, sometimes me as well when beginners start asking what to do with them.

Love your great trees!:heart_eyes:

Good work so far and nice tree::wink:

Thanks WL. Guy and I have spent a lot of time with them. In my case, I have a ways to go in order to get them where I would like them to be. Suggestions from those participating in the Stream will help that process along. Thanks to all.

Agreed David, a productive discussion. I think I may go buy a few 1 gallon landscape stock and try some of the suggested methods like single flush long and short needle methods as well as the 3 bud method of pinching 2, letting 1 grow out and prune off after hardening. I donā€™t want to experiment too much on mine, itā€™s my only one and I have many years into it.

Your original post tree. Looks healthy. Early springā€¦chop it or wireā€¦
Global warming got my only EWP last yearā€¦

Thanks Kurt, I do plan to rewire, but definitely looking to encourage some backbudding. No chopping for this tree in the foreseeable, being long needled/long internode, this tree will remain larger.

Eastern white pine faithful (hopeful?),


In an earlier comment on pinus strobus (March 19) I said that last summer after the needles hardened off, I pruned a number of stronger shoots off. I also said that no buds were reproduced over the rest of last summer. I hoped that perhaps they might emerge this springā€¦Well very small buds (adventitous) have appeared. It is early yet and I donā€™t know if they will create new candles/shoots but without Ryanā€™s mention of this technique on Japanese white pine, I would never tried this method. Iā€™ll keep you all informed either way.

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One other suggestion of letting one candle grow untouched in areas of three buds and pinching the other two as a way of shortening long internodes and producing shorter needles on long needle single flush pines by cutting off the long sacrifice shoot at the end of the summer, I am lucky to get two buds, let alone three under my bonsai culture on my strobus but I have seen multiple buds on some Japanese white pine. If the situation presents itself, I will try and see what happens.

great looking pines.

Thanks. Hopefully they will get better.

Check out my recent eastern white pine post.

Check out my recent eastern white pine post.[quote=ā€œmotorcitybonsai, post:8, topic:634, full:trueā€]
Davidā€¦Duuuude, youā€™re killing it. Love the EWPā€™s!! The literati styled tree is great, but that semi cascade is amazing!
[/quote]

I want to start by thanking David for some advice tonight that lead me to finally register in this forum.

I have worked with Pinus strobus for 6 years. My first two years in bonsai were fairly weak but I have gotten much more serious in each of the last four years.

My heavy gauge wiring skills are still terrible, though. I apologize in advance. Hereā€™s one of my strobus in a Fushu pot. It isnā€™t a show-stopper, but for a species that many consider unusable for bonsai, I think it is respectable.

I have no education or background in bonsai. Aside from a few classes at Bonsai West or New England Bonsai Gardens, I have only learned through trial and error or online tutorials.

Best,
Joe

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I rather like the container Joe. Deep for a younger tree in itā€™s development stage. If you can. can you post a photo of the back of the tree so that we can see the branching? Thanks.