Pines

Details

Category: Pines

Published: 15 Mar 2026

• fertilizing
• black pine
• pinus
• red pine
• aleppo pine

 
A picture tells more than 1000 words.  This one shows you when to prune black pine needles and stop fertilizing (May in our northern hemisphere) and then when to start fertilizing again AFTER the new buds have formed and hardened off.
Courtesy of @MakeMoreBonsai
https://youtu.be/uE3L-DVHEug?si=rEgRe-XTPAYRfkQP

The idea of this article is that it grows, while sharing my research findings and insights in handling Japanese black pines (kuromatsu).

Details on Double Flush Pines Care

Details

Category: Pines

Published: 25 Sep 2025

• pinus
• single flush pines
• scots pine

Spring Candle Pruning & Shortening

MidSummer is Pine Time

Do keep in mind that the preferred time for major pruning work is mid summer.  In our time zone that is July.

October Care

October is one of the rare time slots where the sap flow on two needle pines is low and the tree can be needle plucked.

 

Care Guide

You can find an exquisite care guide for Scots Pines in the resources section of bonsainut.com. 
(Find the download link to the PDF in the upper right corner of the page)

 

My personal keynotes:

• Spring: bud reducing
• Mid Summer: Pruning in July
• Early October: the only window for needle plucking (!)