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Sorry for posting without a topic title, it wouldn’t let me enter text there, not sure if it’s mobile friendly.

I bought what I think is a Black Pine from Takayama in Japan roughly 4 years ago, took it home to Liverpool England and loved it ever since.

Tried my best to look after it, when it’s good weather I’ve left it outside sometimes overnight and it’s never gone wrong.

I left him outside about 2 weeks ago and never brought him in overnight and it rained and went quite cold. He’s since lost his colour in the leaves and seems to be getting slowly worse.

The first two pictures are when he was younger and had leaves a really energetic green colour, the last picture is him now with lifeless leaves.

I’m not even 100% sure he is a black pine, but I know I’ve done something wrong. What do I need to do to cure my bonsai tree?

Massive thank you in advance for anyone that can offer help or any type of caring information to aid my bonsai tree in becoming healthy again

Thanks

Peter

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There are something odd in your story. Black pine is a temperate species and cannot be grown 4 years in a row without winter dormancy. Eigther it is not a black pine or you are a bonsai wizard.

I grow my black pines outdoors all year round in Sweden. Some protected in greenhouse, some fully exposed.

Hello Tropfrog,

I’m glad you replied as you seem to be the person who gives most advice on this forum, thank you.

Here’s some pictures:

Early days (4 years ago)



After repotting for the second time (about 3.5 years later)



So I repotted 6 months (ish) ago and he was completely fine until I left him outside and overnight it went cold and rained a lot, this is him now:



Hopefully these pictures come through ok, I have sprinkled fertiliser pellets from a bonsai online shop on top of the soil, that was the guidance given in the instructions.

What should I do?

Bradderd wrote:

Hopefully these pictures come through ok, I have sprinkled fertiliser pellets from a bonsai online shop on top of the soil, that was the guidance given in the instructions.

What should I do?

I am no expert, but I know you should never fertilize a sick tree. How you kept it inside for 4 years without dormancy is still unknown, this is a temperate species, meaning it must have a winter dormancy. But yeah, don't use anymore fertilizer.

Yes it is hardy and must be outside all the time.

Thank you for the help I’ll remove the fertiliser immediately. Do you know what the tree has lost colour in leave or can you suggest a cure?

Is this true for winter months? He usually goes outside throughout the day solely on sunny warm days, never in cold or high heat?

I am impressed. Not by the development over 4 years wich is not even close to average. But to keep it alive mostly indoors without dormancy for 4 years! That is a really good job.

How long was the candles in the springs the last few years and did you shorten them? How much?

If you are in the nortern hemisphere and risk of frost is over, I would recomend to bring it outdoors now and leave it there. Never bring it indoors again. If it survives thrue the summer in authum it will prepare for winter rest and be perfectly fine during the winter outdoors. Come spring you will be amazed how much this species grows. Up here in scandinavia my jbps now have 10cm candles and most of it grown in the last weeks "heatwave" of 15-20c.

And, yes....Never fertilize an unhealthy tree. Fertilizer is not food for the tree, it is vitamins. If uptake is limited due to health it will accumulate and burn the roots.

Hello Tropfrog!

Thank you for replying.

I have never cut the candles, didn’t know if I needed too. The fours years of growth are seen by the incremental bursts of pines every centimetre or so, I bought the tree very young and no idea how to handle it, just watched some YouTube videos about how to care for it. I have reported it twice in total.

I have cut two branches below the growth point last year to see if they regrew with a split and they did.

If it’s ok with you I’d like to follow ur instructions as to how to look after the tree, you seem to know what you’re doing. What do I do to restore its colour?


Many thanks for helping Tropfrog, it’s very appreciated

Peter

So if I leave it outdoors now it will heal ok? What about during winter time and snow?

Hmm. I get confused here. A healthy black pine grows 20-40 cm long candles in spring and early summer. If not decandeled they quickly grow out of shape. A small tree like that maybe grow less, but A few cm and no need to decandle is a sign If a struggeling tree. Look at herons video about it shows quite clear what you would expect:



Repotting black pines is very stressful to them. It is very important to do it carefully and right. Every second year is far too often. It takes time to recover from last Repotting.

Where are you located? Pines cannot be grown outdoors all over the world. I am in Western Sweden similar to usda zone 7. Here it is on the limit for its hardiness, but I know people growing them in central Europe similar to usda zone 6. I guess our winter wetness is the issue for us.

I am not sure this tree can be save, no guaranti. But the best you can do is put it outdoors in a shaded position and slowly during 4-6 weeks move it into full sun. Once there leave it there.