JBP Summer Candle-Cutting Time Again

Last summer, due to lots happening at our house (kitchen Reno, France trip, lost a dog, got a puppy, all the things…) my trees rode very much in the back seat. I didn’t candle-cut them until nearly the end of July, and the response was ok with the Arakawa and the 350 black pine, but the larger one, my ‘Peter Warren JBP’ didn’t respond well. The growth was weak, even though I didn’t candle-cut the lowest branches.

However, this spring’s growth has been positive all-around. They’ve been getting good sun and heavy feed. So let’s jump in and see the work this summer.

First up: The Peter Warren JBP

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Before candle-cutting.
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After. This year, all candles were cut throughout the tree.
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Good night shot

Next up, the Arakawa JBP from Telperion Farms

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Last year, I did not cut the candles on the lowest left branch, so it could extend and strengthen.
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This year, all candles were cut except the interior of the lowest left branch.
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Night shot

And finally, the 350 JBP.

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Before. For some reason, this one was very strong this spring, and quite a few shoots had 3 candles. in these instances, I cut the candles just below the junction of the three candles so a knob wasn’t left behind.
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Halfway done. Notice how the wire scars are still visible in the bark pattern of the trunk?
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Done.

Also, my annual promotion for the book that details the development of this tree from Brussel’s nursery stock is available here:

https://www.blurb.com/b/5043580-developing-japanese-black-pine-bonsai?ebook=459886

Next week, I’ll start feeding again.

Summer trimming on Itoigawa and Kiyozuru Shimpaku junipers

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These two junipers are wired and scheduled to be re-wired this winter, so I’m not letting them get out of hand. While I don’t want to prune them back too hard, I do want them to have plenty of light and air circulation.

The work in this case, is to shorten strong runners, eliminate weak and yellowing growth, and reduce each shoot to a few tufts of foliage that emerge in an alternating pattern.

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Before
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Top half complete
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After

A view into the apex shows what remains. this will allow another round of growth this year, and offer plenty of shoots to choose from when it’s time to wire it out this fall

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Next up is the Kiyozuru itoigawa. Similar plan, though it doesn’t need as much refinement work this fall.

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Before
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After

The Kiyozuru seems to have a strong late summer flush, so it may be necessary to tidy it up again before winter, but the Itoigawa should be fine until fall work.

Spring Haircuts

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Had a warm afternoon recently and decided to do a little pruning.

First up, Prunus mume which has yet to bloom.

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Typically Ume is pruned back to 5 nodes, then the first and second leaves are removed to encourage interior leaf buds. Ume tend to get leggy over time and the interior buds aren’t always viable.

Next up, the ginkgo.

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I’m letting this one get a little taller, so the leaders of the two primary branches were trimmed back to 3 nodes, otherwise the shoots are pruned back to 1-2 nodes, and the spurs are not touched.

Trident Maple, root over rock.

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Tridents grow strong. Cut back to 1-2 nodes, and then remove the remaining large leaves to allow light to the interior.

Satsuki azalea

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This is about to bloom, so I’m only trimming back long shoots so the tree looks great in bloom. It will get a heavier pruning in a month or so after flowering ends.

Finally, Hawthorn, which required a little more effort, since I lost a branch in the upper right.

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I like to let this one run strong for a couple months.
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Starting from the top, working down.
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This branch, important in the upper right, has weakened over the last few years and did not survive the winter.
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Here is the spot it was removed.
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After a couple branches were wired into the gap, pruning is complete for the spring.

What’s next? It’s late April, so my feeding routine is in place: organic cakes on and weekly fish emulsion. I’m also routinely applying fungicides on those prone to disease: particularly the hawthorn, quince and black pines.