Bad decisions pruning a Scots pine, any hope?

[strauch]

Hi all,

I am a bit new to bonsai, but I have a few trees I am proud of. Today I got a Scots pine that would be the biggest one I've worked on yet. I got a bit overzealous removing branches and am having a bit of remorse about it. I don't think there is an obvious choice for a leader left at all at this point, and I'm worried the branches I have are too old to get any back budding. I want to know if it seems like there is still something I could do wiring-wise to save the design, and whether or not the top branch that seems like a pseudo-leader is likely or not to backbud if I remove the end buds now. Thank you!

 

[0soyoung]

It may survive, but it will be at least 2022 before its growing vigorously again.

You have an uppermost branch pointing horizontally to the right. In the sun the tip will likely point up by next spring and the tree will have done the obvious for you. Alternatively, you could put some wire on it and make that stem follow what you think would be a nice line upward. I don't understand why that isn't obvious to you?

btw, the usual challenge in making a bonsai is to get the foliage closer to the trunk and keep it there. So, instead of lopping all the branches off, you cut them back to nodes, those points where side shoots start. As I see it, every branch you kept is its original length and every one of them has more than one node to which you could have cut back. I don't recommend that you do it now, but next time.

 

[strauch]

It may survive, but it will be at least 2022 before its growing vigorously again.

You have an uppermost branch pointing horizontally to the right. In the sun the tip will likely point up by next spring and the tree will have done the obvious for you. Alternatively, you could put some wire on it and make that stem follow what you think would be a nice line upward. I don't understand why that isn't obvious to you?

btw, the usual challenge in making a bonsai is to get the foliage closer to the trunk and keep it there. So, instead of lopping all the branches off, you cut them back to nodes, those points where side shoots start. As I see it, every branch you kept is its original length and every one of them has more than one node to which you could have cut back. I don't recommend that you do it now, but next time.

Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but it seems like my photo wasn't great and so made it look like that branch going to the side is actually coming off straight across horizontally. In an effort to give it some kind of leader, I circled an awkward branch around. If you look closely that's the end of an almost complete circle.

As far as cutting back the branches to nodes, all of the branches were about as bare as you see them now. That's why I've asked if they seem too old to get to back bud. Basically every branch was just one long stick with a tuft in the end when I started.

 

[Alain BERTRAND]

As 0soyoung wrote, you should orient the leader upward.
The three lower branches probably won't be used in the final design of the tree, don"t cut them, they can be used for approach grafting on the thick branch.
You have now very little needles and a big pot, be very cautious not to over water. Personnally, I always repot pines before removing so much foliage.
Your tree seems to be grafted.

 

[leatherback]

I would consider the long game with this tree.

You have 2 young low branches with lots of ramification near the trunk. I would work towards those becoming my tree over time.



To play the long game, you need to make sure the tree gets back to full health though. So no wiring, plucking, fiddling. You CAN bring the lower right branch into an upward angle but just do this with a tension wireto the trunk. No extensive wiring. (Your wire is also not the best to wire branches with: It seems like regular steel wire, which is too stiff). As @Alain BERTRAND indicated: Be carefull with watering this now.

 

[MichaelS]

Not a bad decision at all. That bend at the top is now the best part of the tree. Use it. Use your imagination! Don't fall into the trap of trying to make something conventional.
One possibility........

 

[sorce]

As far as cutting back the branches to nodes, all of the branches were about as bare as you see them now.

I want you and everyone else to understand what zeroso was saying.

Have a watch of this, to understand better how pine energies work.

You are almost garaunteed to never get backbudding with the cuts made. And with so little folaige, you can't remove any more. So you MUST destroy your design now.

Because.....

In order to keep a tree styled, we have to remove*stuff, you simply don't have anything left to remove, now, knuckles on the end of these branches are a must, since you can't afford to reduce them.

See how hort and design are always intimately linked?
Forgetting this is what adds uneccesary years to projects.

Had you made these red cuts along every branch that was, you could have expected possible buds at the greens.



Removal of branches in their entirety, leaves the tree to backbud at the yellow, very very unlikely to impossible. So you have essentially only removed energy, with no benefit, and definitely detriment.

You needed that energy to build the tree, Repot the tree, keep the tree alive.

I employ cuts like these red ones on almost everything straight away, it's a perfect "one move" to leave all health and gauge activity afterwards. Plus it compacts everything.

Practice PPB. Keeping Potential Problems at Bay. (Shout out @garywood )
Especially with a pine. Nothing should be removed until it is destroying your design. These are the parts we employ to provide the energy in replacement of the stuff we remove*. ☝

See also Cup Theory. Scroll to the ones with "cup".

Sorce