This Japanese Black Pine Pinus thunbergii (黒松 kuromatsu) finally made its way into my garden.  It was field grown specifically with bonsai in mind.

When I started working on this tree it had been potted in a large round training pot.  I repotted it in January 2008.  The roots were incredibly healthy, having spent 2 years in an open bonsai soil mix.  It was obvious that it had been well trained not only in the field, but also after being potted.

In November 2008 I added a few more grafts to some key branches.  The timing was not optimal for the grafts to take, but with the mild San Francisco Bay Area climate there was success.  Over the next few years more grafts will be added as needed.  The major cuts will heal with the added energy of the extended sacrifice branch.

I'm thinking it will be show ready in 3 years, and a knockout in 4. 

My apologies for not cleaning the pot for the photos.