Development of my Pinus Silvestris #2 from seed

[minkes]

This post highlights the development of one of the trees I’ve been growing since the very beginning of my bonsai journey. It’s a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) that I grew from seed. I started this tree when I was around 15 years old, so it is now about 25 years old.

Here are photos I took along this journey from humble start to something promising

Many years ago in poor substrate so growth was very minimum - on the edge of surviving.





Few years ago I learned about modern substrates and fertilizing.. change is comming..









And now - Jun 2025

 

[minkes]

Update of my pine. Thanks to @leatherback @Tieball @Wires_Guy_wires for help and confirmation of when to cut candles. It responds really well!

With red are marked unpruned candles for sacrifice branches.




2-5 buds on all candle cut points

​

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

If you repeat this cut back next year, you can expect some more buds further down the branches.
Happy to hear it works! In winter you can select the nice ones and remove enough to keep two at each tip.

 

[minkes]

5 years between this two images

 

[Tieball]

@minkes Well done. I wonder if at 15 you imagined you'd still have this tree and be working on this tree…..and greatly improving your bonsai development skills through all those years leading up to the present. Your skills and talents are in your spotlight now. Mighty fine!

 

[minkes]

@minkes Well done. I wonder if at 15 you imagined you'd still have this tree and be working on this tree…..and greatly improving your bonsai development skills through all those years leading up to the present. Your skills and talents are in your spotlight now. Mighty fine!

We were three friends who tried to start with small trees when I was 13. But I was the only fanatic in the group – and I still am today

I felt always as bonsai master (till my 18) , but now after so many years some fruits are finaly there.. Many dead trees and mistakes.. but lessons learned.. This pine is one of the few trees that are still with me from my teenage time, so is very special to me.

Thanks for your kind words