Pruning back strong pines – John Hanby Bonsai

These pines were amongst several trees that my student Dave brought to a recent one to two session. All the trees were in excellent condition with good colour and dense foliage masses.

This vigour has enlarged and extended the profile of the canopy but has also resulted in new and stronger growth inside which we can now prune back to. The tree will return back to its smaller intended size but will have greater density and better ramification.

A small grafted Japanese white pine, strong and healthy but losing its shape.

This will be the new front. It is now more obvious that the branch on the right is the main first branch and that the movement in the tree is from left to right.

This white pine is on its own roots and in the half cascade style. The canopy is almost becoming square or box like.

The tree’s height is restored and it is better balanced. Now we can see the base of the tree and the lower trunk.

A yamadori Pinus Sylvestris where once again a bush like foliage mass is hiding the movement in the trunk.

A more tree like image with the trunk line exposed. The broad triangular canopy is much more in the Japanese bonsai style. Another option would be to reduce the foliage mass further and create a lighter almost literati style tree with the foliage tighter to the trunk.

Following this pruning some needles would be reduced from all three trees to allow more light and air to enter the canopy. This needle thinning would also be used to balance the vigour in the tree and help strengthen any weaker lower or inner branches.