Welcome back to another installment of #ProgressionThursday. Today, a small Japanese Black Pine that I've been training for a few years. My hope is to continue to shorten this tree so it can be considered a "true" shohin. At the moment, I think it might be a touch too tall.
As Purchased - Summer of 2018
I styled the tree for the first time later that winter. I like the movement of the trunk and think there can be several fronts and angles for this tree, but so far, I like this look the best.
Winter of 2018
In the summer of 2019, I decided to decandle the tree. I fertilized heavily in the run up and it responded well.
First Decandling Summer of 2019
I pulled needles in the fall of 2019 (Sorry no pics!). Here is a photo of the tree coming out of winter dormancy. Other than a little bit of winter burn, I think it's looks good. The candles are quite small.
Spring of 2020
I moved in the summer of 2020. The move was from St. Louis to Nashville, so not just down the street! The move was stressful for me and the trees. As we adjusted to our new surroundings, I decided not to decandle this year. In retrospect, I believe the tree would have been fine, but nonetheless, the needles have grown long again and I'll look to decandle again in 2021 (and maybe some new shoes as well!)
Fall of 2020 - Wiring by the Fire
The Tree Today - November 2020
Bark Close-Up
Final Before and After
Another year or two of refinement along with a nice pot should serve this tree well and allow me to call it a true shohin!
What trees are you working on this fall? Post up your JBPs, I'd love to see them. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram and stay safe out there!
-PeaceLoveBonsai