Scots Pine Obsession

[Sthlmbonsai]

So, since I have an obsession for scots pines I guess I might as well put up a thread and perhaps get feedback on the process of the trees.
I collect yamadoris so all trees in this thread is trees I've collected.

Enjoy and feel free to comment.

First of, this is a small tree I really like. This is after the first styling.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Very nice. How long is this tree from collection?

 

[Soldano666]

Nice age on that bark

 

[AaronThomas]

Awesome obsession to have!!!
Nice tree!

 

[Tbwilson33]

Any advice for collecting scots? Just found a few I’m hoping to collect this weekend they are in rock ledge...

 

[Sthlmbonsai]

Any advice for collecting scots? Just found a few I’m hoping to collect this weekend they are in rock ledge...

Rock ledges can be good and bad if you ask me. If you're lucky they're easy to dig because they're in a crevice and just need to be lifted, and sometimes you might get almost all of the roots intact. If you're unlucky they have the roots continue down in a crack of the rock and then you might as well leave it.

 

[Tbwilson33]

Rock ledges can be good and bad if you ask me. If you're lucky they're easy to dig because they're in a crevice and just need to be lifted, and sometimes you might get almost all of the roots intact. If you're unlucky they have the roots continue down in a crack of the rock and then you might as well leave it.

It seemed “loose from side to side. I’m just curious about how much root loss is too much. If it’s going to die by my hands I’d rather just leave it as it is...

 

[Shima]

Scots are also my fave.

 

[clem]

It seemed “loose from side to side. I’m just curious about how much root loss is too much. If it’s going to die by my hands I’d rather just leave it as it is...

Did you ever collect yamadori pines before ? i ask that because the first times we collect pines, it is usual/highly possible that the pine die, because we make mistakes, not only during the process of collecting (for example to keep carry on collecting even if it seems that the rootball doesn't look well) but also after : to know how to fix the tree in the container, to know how to let the tree recover in a place without to much Wind, with sunlight but not too much "heavy" sun (depending on your climate), to protect if it rains for days in winter etc etc. So it is better to collect first younger trees to acquire some experience and not collect old tree at first, IMO.

If the tree is very weak, if the tree is very old and you can't have a rootball with soil, if you don't see little rootlets (only big roots that will be cut), it's better to not collect and decide to "prepare" the tree for example if you can come from time to time to feed and water your tree, you can cut (totally or partially) some roots (but leave intact some other roots) and put some compost/sphagnum moss around the cutted roots, to help it make new root tips.. The scott pine is able to make new root tips after a big root is cut (totally or partially) but the soil need to be humid and fertilized to enable new roots to survive/grow etc etc

If the tree doesn't move at all when you try to move the trunk, it is maybe because the major vertical root is going Inside the rock cracks. If the tree moves very easily, it isn't good, it is probably because it has only few long roots so it is (for me) better to not collect it and maybe start to prepare it (cut partially a big root and put sphagnum moss and water every month for example to stimulate new root tips)

The advise i could finally give, to not kill a nice yamadori, like i did with my friend previously and regret, is to stop collecting a tree (to leave it) if it doesn't go well during collecting process (to not carry on collecting if you see that the rootball will be alterred, broken etc)

My2cents but i love scott pines too

 

[Tbwilson33]

Did you ever collect yamadori pines before ? i ask that because the first times we collect pines, it is usual/highly possible that the pine die, because we make mistakes, not only during the process of collecting (for example to keep carry on collecting even if it seems that the rootball doesn't look well) but also after : to know how to fix the tree in the container, to know how to let the tree recover in a place without to much Wind, with sunlight but not too much "heavy" sun (depending on your climate), to protect if it rains for days in winter etc etc. So it is better to collect first younger trees to acquire some experience and not collect old tree at first, IMO.

If the tree is very weak, if the tree is very old and you can't have a rootball with soil, if you don't see little rootlets (only big roots that will be cut), it's better to not collect and decide to "prepare" the tree for example if you can come from time to time to feed and water your tree, you can cut (totally or partially) some roots (but leave intact some other roots) and put some compost/sphagnum moss around the cutted roots, to help it make new root tips.. The scott pine is able to make new root tips after a big root is cut (totally or partially) but the soil need to be humid and fertilized to enable new roots to survive/grow etc etc

If the tree doesn't move at all when you try to move the trunk, it is maybe because the major vertical root is going Inside the rock cracks. If the tree moves very easily, it isn't good, it is probably because it has only few long roots so it is (for me) better to not collect it and maybe start to prepare it (cut partially a big root and put sphagnum moss and water every month for example to stimulate new root tips)

The advise i could finally give, to not kill a nice yamadori, like i did with my friend previously and regret, is to stop collecting a tree (to leave it) if it doesn't go well during collecting process (to not carry on collecting if you see that the rootball will be alterred, broken etc)

My2cents but i love scott pines too

Yes first time and thank you from your response

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

It seemed “loose from side to side. I’m just curious about how much root loss is too much. If it’s going to die by my hands I’d rather just leave it as it is...

With scots pine this is pretty variable. I have one that was collected perfectly, everything intact as if it came out of a pot. It's dying.
I have another that was ripped from the dirt, almost no roots whatsoever. And it's doing great!

Save the best for last. That's something I want people to know. I killed a few very nice specimens because I thought I was skilled enough - I mean, I've been handling plants for over a decade. Our climate isn't harsh on pines, so I have to sift through roughly 400 specimens before I find a single one that speaks to me on a bonsai level. I started with the best, and left the plain old ones standing. Now I wish I reversed that process. Experience really helps, and it takes a few years of collecting to develop that experience.
If you never handled pines before, or just a few, I can advise you start experimenting with some cheap nursery pines or even seedlings to develop a feel for what pushes them over the edge. They're "just plants" but the way they behave, sometimes is exactly as every other plant, and sometimes it's the exact opposite. It's hard to lay a finger on that, especially in written text.

But, scots pines are forgiving. They like it rough but timing is essential. A bit too early or a bit too late, and everything will fail no matter the after care. That too, is something I learned the hard way.

 

[Sthlmbonsai]

I'm just going to cut in here with my latest collected Yamadori. I call it "The Swan" for obvious reasons. I was lucky enough to find that this tree had a root system growing vertically in very thin soil which just had to be lifted from the rock. The trunk itself sat steadily on the rock but I was able to get it loose eventually. The pictures follow the process from first finding, until I planted the tree in a wooden box with pumice today.





After digging the tree out. Big root system intact on both sides of the trunk.

Plastic bag filled with moss. Great way to keep the root system wet during transport.

 

[clem]

Nice tree, and thanks for sharing. Sometimes people are superstitious and don't want to show untill the tree has well recovered.

Looking at the first pic of your tree taken above, it seems that the trunk is twisted and has fused together, making a big base.

 

[Sthlmbonsai]

Nice tree, and thanks for sharing. Sometimes people are superstitious and don't want to show untill the tree has well recovered.

Looking at the first pic of your tree taken above, it seems that the trunk is twisted and has fused together, making a big base.

Thanks. Yes, maybe. Seriously, I have no idea how this tree got so big at the trunk. In this environment (on rocks by the coast) the tree forms a big trunk to be able to stand up. I see no obvious line of events here, if it might have twisted and fused together at some point. But it's def a bit of a strange look. I like it though and think it can become something special in the future if it stays healthy.

 

[clem]

Nature is difficult to understand, maybe a supposition ->



the tree might have changed directions to find sun, or maybe because of the Wind etc.

 

[Tbwilson33]

So I went to collect my first scots pine I feel I did a good job but I’m wondering if I should remove foliage just Incase the root ball did suffer I had to cut a couple rather large tap root. I also am considering taking the height down as well in the future I didn’t know if that would be good to do now considering what the roots just went through. I don’t mean to high jack the thread just thought you guys were helpful last time I asked for advice

 

[0soyoung]

No.
Waxy leaves mean that closure of stomata will conserve water very well. The issue is getting lots of growing root tips which requires auxin and carbohydrates, two things made by foliage. At most, partial shade.

 

[Tbwilson33]

No.
Waxy leaves mean that closure of stomata will conserve water very well. The issue is getting lots of growing root tips which requires auxin and carbohydrates, two things made by foliage. At most, partial shade.

Thank you

 

[Sthlmbonsai]

Ok, so here’s my latest yamadori. Ancient Scots pine which was a real hassle to collect. Roots were growing to better soil in crevices that had to be extracted. Was able to secure almost the whole root system and able to fit it in a box of pumice.

 

[GGB]

I think they're the best best pine species for bonsai and mayyybe the most attractive pine species in general. jealous they don't "escape" here. I'm collecting seeds and plugs ha