Bonsai Gallery of Walter Pall: Scots Pine nr. 5

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Scots Pine) # 5

90 cm high
Around 100 years old
training pot
from a tree which was collected in Austria in 2005

This is a Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris, which was collected in Austria in 2005. It found it's way into my garden in spring of 2007. As one can see it looked quite promising. As with most Scots pines the nebari did not look so good. Well it was buried under the gravel.I decided to unbury it and repot the tree right away. A great nebari appeared. The tree looks a lot better already in the round pot. In October of 2007 the old needles were plucked and it looks better again. Now the pine needs another vegetation period to stabilize in the new pot before serious styling can begin. In summer of 2008 the pine now looks quite healthy. It was decided to go all the way now. So the operation started by Lena cleaning the trunk and the branches. Then the first decisions were made to cut off major branches. Lena then plucked all last year's needles. This can only be done when a tree is very healthy. The result looks promising. Now we have to decide how to go about the final styling. Then the tree was analyzed with all assistants. Lena, David and Alex each had their say. It was decided that there were two options for the top: one was better, but it would mean to seriously bend and endanger the top. The other one was easier but not quite as good. So to take the easier (safer) route would mean to cut off the other one and just do it. But we decided to go the difficult way and seriously bend the top. It might die though after this rather brutal treatment. So we left the other option as insurance branch. Should the drastically bent top eventually die we still have the insurance branch and can create another top. David then got the task to do it all with Alex assisting him. First the branch was watered to be more flexible. Then a bicycle tube was applied tightly. This is as good as raffia, cheaper and the color looks fine. It is also easier to apply and take off again. Then very thick copper wire was applied. With a couple of branch benders then the top was seriously bent. It did not crack. We'll see how it takes it. In my opinion the chances for survival are higher than 80 %. Well, we still have the insurance branch. Just in case you feel sorry for the mistreated branch and the brutal operation don't forget that the other option meant to cut it off, kill it right away!! Then the result of bending the top. Then the pine was wired and the branches were styled. The wire that bound the tree into the pot was loosened and with a strong guy wire that tree was tilted into a more upright position. Then are quick and dirty virtuals to show what the pine would look like if the sacrifice branch was removed finally. It will take another year before this decision will be made. If the sacrifice-insurance branch is needed it will be placed over the top and a new crown will be styled. The pine will get a smaller pot eventually, of course.