Scots pine progression

[Jan Olav]

Here is a couple of pictures showing the progression of a collected scots pine. It stretches over about 5 years. It started off with me climbing the hills and nearly falling off a cliff when I saw this tree. It had been sitting there waiting for me for about 2-300 years. It was a bit tall, but there was reduction in sight. Once home I had to make a huge coffin like box for it. I got the entire rootball with me off the mountain, heavy stuff. Here we go, yamadori day:

 

[Jan Olav]

After a year or two with heavy feeding and some root reduction I decided to cut off the main tall trunk as the image of a tree became clearer. I really enjoy walking about and looking at raw trees in my garden. They seem to change character as time goes by.

 

[Jan Olav]

Finally last year I was able to cut off the last of the big roots. I I got the tree in a decent size pot and let it rest until this spring. I did some serious bending and wiring to get it compact, but the tree just seemed to like it. I have been feeding it every week and watering it every day, even in rainy weather all summer. First picture is from last year and the other 2 is how it looks today. The reason why the pot is off in the pictures is that I got a new front after styling and I do not want to mess with the roots this year. I will make a rough round pot for it and repot next spring. I do not know about back and front and all that yet, thats why I want it in a round pot. Hopefully it will work from any direction. Still another 4-5 years to go to get the foliage dense and tight, but is is on its way. Hope you enjoyed the short story.

 

[Jan Olav]

Just one more. Check out the bark on this baby. I can hide my finger in it!

 

[Brian Underwood]

Wow, very nice progression!

 

[seth ellwood]

Nice progression as I was reading throught this I said to my self ooh no he cut the one off I saw as the leader. Then after seeing what you did with the lower branch I think your decision was the correct one .It is hard to see somthing in 2d and not all sides Great tree and good job.

 

[Lancaster]

Nice material Jan. Good score!. And nice progression with the tree so far. How long did it take you to put that much of a bend on those branches? Days? weeks? months?

 

[discusmike]

I really admire what you have created,very cool.

 

[Jan Olav]

Thank you guys.
Lancaster, actually it was hours. I use regular black tape applied with the glue faced outwards as support. Scots are really tough and can take a good beating without any signs of worry, as long as they are in good growth and well fed. I prepare the branches by giving them a "warm up". I wiggle them back and forth for a while before the bend.