mature bonsai in need of a overhaul

13 years ago

hello im new to gardenweb and to bonsai. my wife's grandfather raised and shapped the bonsai tree that i aquired 2 years ago. up to this point i have done nothing to it. it is a very old (i cant tell you exactly but definately over 10 years, could be more like 20) what i am guessing to be a black pine, its about 3 feet tall. my wifes grandfather is now 95, and used to be an expert gardener. for a while it looked good, i sunk the pot in my back yard. then it went brown and i thought i killed it. now it has started to grow again, but the needles are SO much longer than all the original needles. i went to a budist temple in LA this weekend (memorial service) and saw what real bonasi should looke like and got inspired, but its been so long since it has been mantained i dont even know where to start. i obviously want to keep it looking good (gardening is a new found hobby) and id hate to kill a truely awsome tree that i have come into ownership of. i will try to post pics if i can figure it out, they are also posted in my profile =D thank you in advance!

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Comments (3)

mike423
13 years ago
I am unsure as I have no personal experience to say so, but I've been told by many people who live in California that their climate is not suitable for growing pines. This is due to the fact that they need a dormant period to rest (which is provided by winter temperatures)witch are not present in most of California.

I would never recommend sinking the pot in the ground or for that matter even placing the pot on the ground. this is due to the fact that over time the roots will grow through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot and into the ground. this can cause retardation of the overall root structure in the pot as the tree focus most if not all of its energy in the new 'in ground' roots. This can also then cause problems when the tree is removed and those roots are severed as the in pot root system is weak and or inactive.

When you say it almost died and that you haven't preformed maintenance on the tree, it sounds like this might have been due to the tree being 'root bound' (too much roots in the confined space of the pot for them to function properly). The tree is probably in dire need of a repotting and root trimming.

If you are a newbie looking to learn more I would recommend going to your local library and reading up. Another good choice would be to see what local bonsai clubs are near your area (and there are quite a few throughout California) so you can talk to individuals that are well adjudicated in the art of bonsai and know what works best for trees your geographical climate.

-Mike
larke
13 years ago
www.evergreengardenworks.com/articles. Really good site for blk pines... do nothing except very infrequent watering right now until you've seen all the info. It's from a real expert.
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mike423
13 years ago
I also Have found that pines (especially older specimens) do way better with an introduction of some Mycorrhizal Fungi. The fungi is also found in and around the root ball with Pines in nature. This will help the tree to have a better moisture and nutrient uptake, vigor and stronger resistance to harsh weather conditions.