Scots Pine design advice please

[Betula1]

This is a pine I collected spring 2023 .Ive grow it on and done minimal work till now . Ive just done its first wiring and would be grateful for any ideas on progressing the design.
Particularly what to do with the top? Should I keep it or remove the straight top section and train in a new leader, or maybe form a deadwood feature from the top?
Any thoughts please?

 

[TrevorLarsen]

What you should do depends on what your goals are. Do you want to thicken the trunk, what sized of tree do you want at the end, and what style of tree are you wanting to make (such as informal upright ect)?

 

[ShimpakuBonsai]

I would try to eliminate opposite branches because they don't look good and they will cause swelling and inverse taper.

You can keep the current leader to thicken up the trunk and cut it off later.

 

[Betula1]

I intend to keep it to roughly this height but will plant in the ground this year and let the trunk thicken for a couple of years or so.
I think it lends itself to an informal upright style but Im open to any other suggestions!

 

[Bonsai Forest]

Since you prefer the current height, you could create a literati-ish style for your pine:

 

[Paradox]

This is a pine I collected spring 2023 .Ive grow it on and done minimal work till now . Ive just done its first wiring and would be grateful for any ideas on progressing the design.
Particularly what to do with the top? Should I keep it or remove the straight top section and train in a new leader, or maybe form a deadwood feature from the top?
Any thoughts please?

View attachment 530831View attachment 530832

I agree that long section with no branches below the second whorl is a problem. What you could do is cut it at the bottom of that bare section and wire the one on the right (smaller one) up as a new leader. It will reduce the height some for now but hopefully you get some buds along it that will help.

Just be gentle bending it up since you already manipulated it. You could also wait until fall to do it to be on the safer side. I'd hate to resend that branch and have it die from being overworked.

It will also give you more time to study the tree and think about it more if you're not sure.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I would use the top as a sacrifice to thicken the trunk. So cut off all the branches above the part you don’t want. Then let bend the to so it doesn’t shade out the part you are planning on keeping for the final design.

 

[Dabbler]

slip pot it in a pond basket and leave it alone and let it grow and select prime branches including sacrifice branches - that's all you need at this point. Balance with needle pruning and candle selection/pinching. I usually wait a couple years before I work on pines

 

[Japonicus]

There isn't much by the way of alternating branches to work at this time.
The top whorl will remain untouched as you grow this out,
The one below that is already reduced to three and the next one down to two branches.
This tree collected just last Spring needs a break to regain strength. Growing out is the only thing
to do at this time.
Photo provided by @MaciekA post #6...

Trying to wrap my head around trunk thickening

Hey guys, beginner here. I keep hearing that in order to thicken the trunk of a tree, you have to put it in the ground. What is keeping it from forming branches too high on the trunk as if it was growing normally? For example I see some 10-15 foot tall redwoods outside near my house, and...

www.bonsainut.com

Though I'm sure you're not going this far out on the limb so to say. This is a most perfect example of a sacrificial leader.
I would have left another whorl or two but you get the idea.
I found this pick looking for Telperion farms JBP growing out by Adair Martin below here...


Come Fall you might reduce the 1st Left branch by ~ half.

 

[Betula1]

Thankyou all for your good advice .
I will plant this in the ground over a slab rather than slip planting it into a pond basket as Ive already got too many trees growing in various temporary containers in my garden!
Ground growing requires little or no watering and maintenance in our wet British climate!
As suggested I will retain the sacrifice leader. When should I remove the 1st and 2nd whorls below the leader?

 

[Japonicus]

When should I remove the 1st and 2nd whorls below the leader?

I would remove the first one once there's a couple more form above it as the leader grows.
You'll have some time to decide over the next couple of years or more as you lift and replace
the tree. Lift to attend to the roots and rotate the tree for Sun exposure both bark and foliage.
The second one is more a style design as to whether you develop it or remove it.
You may have a design in mind and it will get tweaked
as the tree progresses, and not necessarily upwards or higher for end goal. Maybe maybe not.
Second whorl also depends on length of sacrifice. Once in a pot it will slow down.
More important to focus on the 2 lower bar branches in the next 2 years, not the sacrificial leader.
You can thin the needles on the unwanted branches once your tree recovers from transplanting.
Do use all the current soil with little root work this time around. Working the roots in consecutive years
will slow it down, especially if repeated yet a 3rd year in a row. No brakes on this train yet.
I really like that first branch thrown off in the first trunk curve. Tree needs some wire after you
attend to the bar branches. You'll have to log in to watch these free tutorials...

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www.craftandhobby.com

Keep an eye on the wire that's on it now as it grows. Happens pretty quickly really.