r/Niwaki

This shore pine is a few years old now and I've been candle pruning each spring to slow its growth, but would like to move into more intentional niwaki or sukashi style of pruning. I'm a little overwhelmed where to begin, and specifically what to do with the one branch which has taken off as a leader. Can I cut that one for height, or just continue to pinch those candles off completely? Thanks for any advice! I've watched youtube tutorials but those are more about maintaining a tree that is already pruned in this style, not getting a young tree into that shape initially. Thank you!

Bought from Oregon jap black pine. First spring in Omaha Nebraska. Hopes of letting them grow 16ft idk. I want to eventually train them to have the cloud shapes. Anything I should do now? Or let nature take its course a few years.

I forgot to take a before picture. Thinned it out a lot and plan to train some separation between the pads. The uppermost branch is in the process of being air layered. Thoughts?

After giving some air underneath the tree, and pruning it a little, this is what i have😁

Now ill just let it grow for the rest of spring and summer, and then figure out what to do from there.

I think it depends on how the tree responds, but i would love to hear some early suggestions on where to go in the comments (any critique or advice is appreciated)

Northeastern Illinois zone 5, 5th floor patio facing west into the prevailing winds

In a fit of wild recklessness last fall i bought this big five gallon white pine. Praises be to the tree gods it survived the winter! I”m looking to prune it in a kind of niwaki/bonsai style and keep it in the existing pot long term. I’ve heard in the bonsai community “a pine can only take one insult a year”, so in that light, I’m wondering if i should… do nothing for a year and let it adjust to the transplant? Candle? Prune (to what degree?)? Train? How much stress can this tree handle? I feel so responsible for this beautiful little tree and I’m so pleased it survived, i dont want to knock it back too much !!

I planted this Japanese Black Pine last year with plans to train it using Niwaki techniques. Any tips on where to start? I’d like to keep it to a manageable height of 10ft or so. It’s about 5ft tall now.