My Black Pine – Part three – John Hanby Bonsai

Part two of this trilogy finished in 2018 when the tree had been wired, styled and left to recover.

September 2019 – the tree has continued to grow well and is more evenly balanced.

October 2019 – after some cleaning out of needles and seen here from the proposed new angle and front.

March 2020 – The tree is ready for repotting.

I wanted to remove as much of the poor inner soil as possible whilst leaving some of the outer rootball intact to sustain the tree and alleviate stress.

Almost finished and the tree is snug in an expensive genuine Tokonome pot from Japan.

I think the pot suits the tree and brings out the power in the trunk. The deeper pot is also a good health choice for a pine like this.

April 2020 – The character in the deadwood I created is really showing well.

November 2020 – The tree had a sluggish start after the repot but has recovered well during the growing season.

The tree after removing needles and selecting/pruning shoots.

I am really pleased with the progress this tree has made in the last three and a half years. He has a new angle, a new front and a new pot and once again stands proud. The foliage is tightening up and becoming more compact, the needle length is good and in scale, and he is growing in balance. Now it is a case of onwards and upwards!