I use a mixture of Akadama , Kiryu, Bims (a porous lava stone product) and Japanese split (sharp split). With Mugo Pine I add even more Bims to this mixture, because of its capability to retain water without becoming sticky or losing its shape! (The soil stays loose and porous). I also add pine litter (compost) to the mixture to promote the growth of mycorrhizal fungi, which all pines need for their survival. This mixture is fine for me because I live in Northwest Europe where it rains a lot, so I need this kind of soil structure. I am also in a position to water the trees when it is very hot, sometimes even twice a day! (What I am trying to say is that you must adjust the soil mixture to your own weather conditions! With the help of some local knowledgeable bonsai enthusiast, this should be no problem.

Do not let pines dry out completely trying to reduce needle length; you will get those from using the proper techniques I explained! And when you water: water thoroughly! With the mixture I use there is almost no way you can overwater the tree. But don't let your pines stay too wet for too long; when it rains for days on end, tilt them to one side with a piece of wood underneath one side, so the excess water can run out of the soil. Even better: put them under some shelter or cover them up with a plastic sheet. Also, you must remove all solid fertilizer cakes from the soil surface when it rains for a long time, to prevent root burn! Japanese White Pines are especially prone to this.

This is best done from Fall to early Winter when we have plucked and thinned out the tree. You can get a better view of what you are doing, and there is less change of damaging the new buds.

• Be sure to check wires frequently, especially on young and rapidly-growing pines.
• With Japanese Black Pine you can wire the branch tips out level with the ground because the tree is strong enough to force the new bud growth upright, but with Japanese White Pine, be sure to turn the very tips upright.