Repotting My Japanese Black Pine, The Bonsai Zone, Feb 2024

[@mick681]

If I had been watching someone else root pruning this tree I would have said, "you have just killed this tree." However having seen most, if not all, of your videos I am quite confident that it will flourish. I have severely root pruned after plucking up courage to do so and I wait now to see if I have the same survival rate as you have. Thanks for the inspiration Nigel.

[@dk2614]

Hi Nigel. Have you seen the technique of taking a cutting of a black pine seedling? It's done super early as the seeding begins to lignify. And the advantage of the technique is it guarantees a perfect radial root system with such reliability that some Japanese nursery's avoid it because it is too perfect. If you haven't seen it it's worth a look. The pines book published by Stone Lantern in Vermont gives a great step by step tutorial on it.

[@Thimbrethil]

Is’n it like… hard to pul off?

[@dk2614]

@@Thimbrethil it would be difficult for a first timer. But once you've done it successfully it becomes routine. The most difficult part would be with damping off. But that can be remedied with warmer conditions and moving air.

[@CharlieMcLaughlin-z3b]

Love your knowledge.. very educational.. keep passing on the knowledge

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

Great gifts from Barb!

[@mikec3820]

i use the nail or surgical type scissors too. nice and sharp for clean cuts. happy bonsai'ing nigel and everyone!

[@zimmy1958]

You have a great collection thanks for sharing and all the tips you give.

[@phillipwaterman5721]

Great video of you r bonsai s thanks Nigel keep up the good work

[@michaelmott7402]

Another great job on this black pine Nigel. Your collection is so massive I don’t know how you keep track of them all. I have to keep a log book just so I know what I did and when I did it. You must have a eidetic memory to keep track of them all and that’s not including what you have in your home.😊 God bless you. Another great video for another great year I hope 🤞

[@bradleyc9538]

Having 10 years worth of video footage might jog the memory 😉🤣

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

Nice tackling of the roots. That is why you are the Master of Root Pruning. Dr. Nigel, root surgeon. Weather is getting hot and cold. I know what you mean. Hot and then cold, especially this morning. Nice updates. Your repot will give this tree new life come spring.

[@arcemasterbonsai]

i love the weather info

[@baldyeti]

Evergreen roots seem so finicky for such tuff trees. Fantastic job yet again, good sir. BTW, little butter, salt and pepper, and those freeze dried grubs might be tasty 😏

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

Serious growth on that little tree! Great updates too! We are just coming out of a cold spell. below -20C at night, last few nights. Back in the pluses today.

[@Thimbrethil]

I love how gnarly those roots are :D, and true, even more crazy XD

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Nice to see that black pine a few years further on. We are just getting another drop in temperatures ourselves but not quite as bad as yourself :)

[@DavesBonsai]

Spring wants to be here!!!

[@lukasmihara]

The root system might be a bit one-sided, but the side that has many roots surely looks pretty nice already! I hope it'll recover well 🌲 I also still have a couple of pines I'd like to repot. I know they can be repotted a bit later than some others, but since it's already april, I'm not sure if it's still fine. Maybe I should just try and take it out of the pot and have a look at the root. If I see growing tips, I'll wait for next year and just put it back in the pot as is.

[@YasuiBonsai]

It always amazes me how much root you are able to take off. I have become some what of a student. Although I’m not sure I can supply the after care you do for the tree to survive… but we will see 👀

[@TheBonsaiZone]

Thanks, all the trees are doing well so far, but it's still early!!

[@veziovignanelli2926]

buongiorno buona giornata e grazie

[@Denkar11]

I realllllllllllllly like that apple tree, Nigel.

[@kathyvettraino2267]

Me too, it looks like an aged apple tree found accidentally deep in forgotten woods.

[@Steves_Backyard_Bonsai]

Great job omen those Pine roots Nigel. I think it will do fine. In the flashback segment, the tree had branches. What happened to those?

[@kathyvettraino2267]

I came here to ask that also! There were three, now there is one.

[@hsvfanjan17]

They were cut off in the last pruning video iirc. There's a playlist under each video showing the progress if you want to watch it in full

[@zimartiste1]

i love your job, i think you the only one ton explain the system roots and how to cut it...sorry for my english, i'm french...

[@t3dwards13]

At least you aren't raking out emerald beetle grubs...think two centimeter cheese curds! Lol They attack my potatoes every year.

[@n8tyler]

Nigel, you made reference to a work shop...I'm watching this two years later so no bueno for me attending those workshops...Do you support any other workshops or training venues? Thanks for any info...

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I haven't done any workshops for a while, but I do host some of the bonsai meetings in Kitchener Waterloo!

[@n8tyler]

@@TheBonsaiZone I live in the PNW (Sequim, Wa)...Just hoping you still did work shops. Really enjoy your work and positive disposition. Your videos are really helping me in so many ways. Thanks a ton for responding, I'm sure you must be overloaded with email traffic.

[@MrDoggy2024]

If we cut the tip of the branch and it doesn`t have buds, but have nedles what will hapen?

[@TheBonsaiZone]

My hope is the new buds will form along the trunk line, time will tell!!

[@MrDoggy2024]

@@TheBonsaiZone I was asking about a branch. Will it die if it doesn't have buds and only have needles or it will eventually produce new buds after some time?

[@chasingthefish9042]

​@MrDoggy2024 at the base of each needle or needle scar should be a bud or the ability for the tree to produce a bud. From my experience if you have green on a branch it should back bud. Pines have strong apical dominance meaning they always try to grow upwards side branches get sacrificed for increased strength at the top. That said if the top is reduced the tree releases a chemical downward to other buds. The buds respond by enlarging. Same goes with strong branches that'd how you get back buds and ramification in pines. Two flush pines like jbp show this in a shorter amount of time then a single flush pine making it easier to understand.

[@TheBonsaiZone]

They can wither away and die, but usually some new growth comes out in the same area!@@MrDoggy2024

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌👌

[@dkstott29]

Thoid...😂😂

[@pennyduncan5980]

❤😊

[@justlucky13]

Foist

[@D.RBonsai4601]

Not foist👊🏻

[@chaiwatpotichanid]

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