Here’s a six year-old pine with a large sacrifice branch.
Six year-old black pine
It’s great that the sacrifice branch has grown this much, but it’s getting big relative to the future trunkline.
Sacrifice branch
Future trunk
If I had reduced the sacrifice branch a year or two ago, it would have grown less but the future trunk would be thicker. To help the future trunk gain strength, I’ll reduce the foliage on the sacrifice branch.
Upper section of the sacrifice branch
After reducing the upper section of the sacrifice branch
Lateral section of sacrifice branch
After reducing lateral branch
After making just a few cuts, the tree is now much smaller.
Cutback complete
I’ll remove the rest of the sacrifice branch after letting the new trunk thicken for a year. In the meantime, the only work will be to rewire the new trunk to make sure it has the right shape before it continues to thicken.
Registration Now Open for ABS/HBS Bonsai on the Bayou
The Houston Bonsai Society and American Bonsai Society are co-hosting Bonsai on the Bayou next April in Houston, Texas. The event will run from Thursday, April 11th, through Sunday, April 14th, at the Marriott Westchase hotel. The event will feature an exhibit, workshops, vendors area, raffles, live and silent auctions, and demonstrations from headliners Ryan Neil, Boon Manakitivipart, and Enrique Castaño de la Serna.
I’ll be vending at the event and leading a workshop on shohin red pine bonsai. Learn more about the event and register online here.
The post Bonsai Development Series #10: transitioning to a new sacrifice branch appeared first on Bonsai Tonight.