Sacrifice branches, black pine Part 2

Back in March we looked at using sacrifice branches to develop a JBP in the ground. Today, let’s revisit the same JBP and look at how to develop the “final” branches while it’s in the ground. Remember, sacrifice and final branches have very different roles, and are treated very differently.
For a refresher, click here for the article: https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2013/03/02/sacrifice-branches-black-pine/

Sacrifice branches are allowed to grow long, so long as they don’t:
-Shade out the final branches
-Weaken final branches
-Create bulges or reverse taper

Final branches are developed concurrently and are developed mostly like any branches on a JBP in a pot. Even final branches can be thickened by the use of sacrifice branches.

Here is the JBP in the ground, 4 months later; easier to tell sacrifice from final branches, isn’t it?

Since its candle-cutting time in my area, I use that technique to keep the final branches’ internodes shorter, while the sacrifice branches make the whole tree fatter.
Lowest-left branch is first. The upper shoot in the photo is the final branch. The lower shoot in the photo is a sacrifice branch used to thicken the final.

Panning in closer. This year’s candle is green/buff in color, last year’s growth is turning gray

After removing this spring’s candle:


Moving to the first right branch:

After candle-pruning all remaining final branches:

Moving to a smaller JBP in the ground, with a very tall sacrifice branch used to thicken the entire trunk. I tied it to a length of rebar so it didn’t blow over…it’s very top-heavy right now, relative to the strength of the roots. Another year or so later, it shouldn’t be necessary.
Before:

After:

During this process, a few of this year’s candles were left on the branches which will be used as sacrifice branches to thicken the final branches, as seen on the lower right branch.

This fall, the sacrifice branches will be needle-plucked to ensure they don’t shade out final branches.

Candle-cutting continues

Last week, weak candles were removed, and some new needles from the strongest areas were plucked. Today, one week later, candles from the medium-strength zones were removed. After 2 weeks, the remaining, strong candles will be removed, completing this year’s candle cutting exercise.

Spring growth on JBP is removed in the summer to promote more ramification, and a shortening the remaining time to grow before dormancy means needles and internodes are shorter as well. We start with weaker shoots to give them a head start, and finish with the strong shoots to help balance strength overall.

Before phase 2:

After phase 2 (with a “helmet head” appearance I’ll have to endure looking at for the next 2 weeks):

What was removed this round? About half of what will be removed this year was removed in this second phase:

A peek under the tent shows that the ramification is building; which means plenty of branches to work with this fall when it’s time to prune and re-wire.

More on this one in a couple weeks. Saturday, we’ll look at sacrifice branches vs. final branches on a JBP developing in the ground.

tool and A Box of Rain

A quick post about my favorite one…easy. Danny Carey.

Oh…favorite bonsai tool. Well, not as easy to Pushit down to one, but when I grab a fistful of tools and H.ead out to the benches, after less than 10,000 Days of practicing the craft, here are the most Useful Idiots that more than Vicariously join me at the benches…okay, I’ve hit bottom with the song references…

From left:
Shears: trimming current growth and small branches; up to matchstick size.
Wire cutters: as the name implies…the only tool we should be using to cut wire!
Knob cutter: when removing a branch, it leaves a dimpled wound in the branch or trunk. This is especially good for trees with a large cambium, so the resulting callus doesn’t protrude.
Chopstick: good for everything! Loosening up crusty soil, removing spider webs and dead leaves.
Pliers: sometimes guy-wires need to be tightened, and sometimes good for giving a wired branch just one more tweak.
Tweezers: good for grabbing yellow pine needles and damaged leaves, and weeds from pots.

Happy Independence Day weekend for our American readers! Head on out and get some bonsai work done. Always Grateful for it, but if it rains any more here, I may need a snorkel to get out there to work on these soaking specimens!

Hawthorn:

Zelkova:

Cherry:

Five-needle pine: