Small Scots pine with problems..

Hi all

I bought this tree in 2018 from the Bonsai Bootsale at Markham Grange in Doncaster for £30..

It had very bad inverse taper from where a limb or trunk was removed!, Also, Every branch was of the bar variety!, There wasn't a lot on the tree when I bought it but it really put out a lot of candles so gave a little more to work with!

As I bought it..


This was the original front, The bad inverse taper really sticks out like a sore thumb!


The foliage came on surprisingly well though!



I found a bit of stone from the garden and used my angle grinder to cut a rounded out slot to hide the bad taper, It was a little too tall so had to dig down in to the (Rubbish) compost!


I also jinned some branches but think i'll remove them as they still look too much like bar branches, Also I think i'll remove the very bottom branch at the left, It's difficult to see as i'm not very good at taking pics!!


The bottom branch is covered in this pic to try and get an idea of the tree without it!


I'm not very good with Pines and really don't know why I buy them, I usually forget to pinch the candles and end up with very long limbs with just foliage at the tips!, This one should have been removed frpom the rubbish compost and put in something a little more free draining as the needles are very pale, It will go in new compost this coming spring- It was pushed to the back as I had no idea what to do with it but I had a go whilst furloughed from work!, I'm much happier with it now actually!!


John

Nice job with the rock and the development. It looks like the apex goes away from the viewer in the last picture. Do you plan to pull it forward?

Marty Weiser wrote:Nice job with the rock and the development. It looks like the apex goes away from the viewer in the last picture. Do you plan to pull it forward?

It does go away from the viewr, I think that's whyy the other side was the front!!


Hi Marty

I think i'll maybe wire it with strong wire and try to bring it forwards but it's very stiff, I may break it if I try too hard!



John

John,

I wonder if you could use rebar anchored behind the stone and at the large jin about halfway up? You could then pull the apex forwards and perhaps somewhat to the left with copper or steel guy wires. The wires could be tightened over a period of a month or so with less chance of breakage. Yes, it would look ugly for a bit with the rebar, but if it improves the tree then it may be worth it.

I have a three Scots pines that are fairly skinny where I am using rebar to keep the trunks in the right position. In two cases, you actually have to look to see the rebar since it is parallel to the trunks.

Marty Weiser wrote:John,

I wonder if you could use rebar anchored behind the stone and at the large jin about halfway up? You could then pull the apex forwards and perhaps somewhat to the left with copper or steel guy wires. The wires could be tightened over a period of a month or so with less chance of breakage. Yes, it would look ugly for a bit with the rebar, but if it improves the tree then it may be worth it.

I have a three Scots pines that are fairly skinny where I am using rebar to keep the trunks in the right position. In two cases, you actually have to look to see the rebar since it is parallel to the trunks.

That's a good idea!!, I did it a couple of years ago with a patio Acer about five feet tall but it was sort of weeping over so I wired it to a brush stale, I took the stale off this year and it's stayed erect!!


John