As Winter comes, so does the time to thin the needles on the Black Pines.  I must admit this is not a process that I enjoy and generally I put it off as long as I can.  However it prepares the tree for the new years growth so the efforts really pay off in the Spring.  What better way to prepare for 2010′s growth than thinning the needles on New Year’s Eve?

Black Pine full of needles

I’ve had the black pine for a couple of years now, and it is doing pretty well.  My needles are showing a bit of yellowing, but nothing too much to be concerned about.  Overall a pretty easy tree to care for. 

Close up of full canopy

You can see that the growth on the pine is very full.  Black Pines like to top grow, so all these needles will block out the light needed for the lower branches. 

Black Pine after needles are thinned out

You can see how much thinning the needles opens up the tree to more light.  It could use further thinning, but that will do for today.  Leave lower branches with more needles than on top so that these branches remain strong. 

Close up of thinned branches

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I recently learned a new technique for making real life photos look like scale models of the real thing.  I had to give it a try on a photo I took at Kunio Kobayashi’s Bonsai Garden in Tokyo Japan.  It’s a amazing how it makes these huge bonsai looks so small.

Kunio Kobayashi's Bonsai Garden - Mini Version

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I was able to work on finishing my latest Daiza this past week end.  I went on a camping trip so this was the perfect project to work on while watching the fire. 

Finished Daiza

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I haven’t done a Daiza carving for quite sometime, and today I felt motivated to do so.  Using Rosewood I carved this little Daiza in a couple of hours.  It still needs a lot of refining and a nice finish.  However it really made this rock look good.

Daiza Rough Carving

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