The year of the pine. Mihai's new obsession

[Mihai]

So, by and large, this has been a pine filled year for me. I'm making this thread to keep track of the progress of my work on them, and to get your advice going forward.
Feel free to criticize.

This is the initial pic of the first two.



1st Scots pine after thinning out and restyle:


this one will get the apex styled next year, and needs a serious repot in its future.


2nd Scots pine and drastic thinning out and initial style:



Also needs a repot, some growth and a deadwood carving.

3rd Scots pine. Just as I got it, no work done on it yet. Still not certain where to go with it. Probably some thinning out to start:



Four more to come tomorrow.
Would appreciate your thoughts so far.

 

[Wilson]

Nice start to the year! These 3 all look promising, are the next 4 that are coming similar?

 

[Soldano666]

Nice progress so far. I'm really digging #1 I'd be happy to have it on my benches

 

[Tentakelaertje]

Looking great Mihai! I wouldn't mind having those on my bench either!

 

[Vance Wood]

You have a good eye for style and an understanding of what you are doing. Your wiring looks good meaning you will have little problems going forward. Nice work. However; you have these trees at a point where a lot of people lose them by ignoring what needs to be done with the roots.

 

[GGB]

Those are great, that's my favorite pine species. I'm in no place to offer advice as it seems like you're a few years more experienced than me but I am a little intrigued by Vance's comment on "what needs to be done with the roots". Just developing a pad for a real pot? either way, I'll be taking notes for my own scots

 

[just.wing.it]

Very nice!
Well done.

 

[pback]

Very nice.

Particularly liking #1.

 

[JudyB]

Really think the 3rd one has potential. Nice trees all.

 

[Mihai]

Next two are the runts of the litter. Little more than rooted baseball bats, but as long as they're alive and I have nothing better to fill the space I'll keep them.

4th Scots pine. Dug up by a friend in a collecting frenzy. When he actually saw how ugly it is, he passed it on to me to do whatever with. Kept if for now. Initial tree and after basic styling today. Needs a lot of back budding and a miracle.




5th Scots pine. Literally plucked from a dirt pocket on a cliff face. Pretty sickly but survived the year. Again, not a lot going for it but I tried to give it a styling and we'll see when I throw it out.




The probelem with these two are the fine twigs for which I'm lacking light enough wire. Had to go for the smallest i have but still looks sloppy as I'm not that good at it yet.

@Soldano666 , @Tentakelaertje , @just.wing.it , @GGB , @JudyB thanks for the appreciation ladies and gentlemen. Judy, that one has the nicest trunk movement of the lot, so I'm holding off on touching it until i'm 100% certain I know what to do with it.
@pback I like that one best too.
@Wilson as you can see, these two not so much but the next one I post will raise the bar .
@Vance Wood thanks for the feedback! I know you don't give it lightly. As for the rootwork i'm kind of scared but I'll do my best to read up before doing anything rash.

 

[Mihai]

Next up two more, and the last of my modest sylvestris collection.

6th Scots pine:

Bought recently. No work has been done to it since purchase. Will probably do a styling this week. It has the best trunk of all my trees so far as far as movement goes. 2D really doesn't do it justice. Great bark too.
Ignore the duct tape as the damned pot decided to break in transport.




7th Scots pine:
Collected like number 5 from a cliff face. I took it for the subtle trunk movement. Methinks a literati is in order. I'll let this one get stronger before I do any work on it.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The #5 has the best taper of the bunch. Too bad it is linear straight, but then again that is a form or style too.
Good work so far.

#6 definitely has the best movement, I love it. Reminds me of some of our Ponderosa trunks without the long needles.

 

[Vance Wood]

Make sure all of them have become well established and growing well for at least a full season before you start playing with them. Great material; would be a waste to lose one or more due to haste.

 

[Fonz]

#6 is really ugly. I will do you a favour and take it for free. Just bring it to the Trophy next week.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

I would love to play with those trees. You doing a great job. For pine 4 I would suggest more acute bends (wire with 1 or 2 sizes bigger wire for a first styling) and acute angles between the trunk and the primary branches. You can pull them out of the crotch if you want. It might be the kind of plant you might try this for experience and future use.

 

[Adair M]

Nice work!

Since you’re heavily into pines, see if you can find a source for copper wire. It really works better for pines.

 

[0soyoung]

ANNEALED copper wire, that is.

 

[Mihai]

#6 is really ugly. I will do you a favour and take it for free. Just bring it to the Trophy next week.

It's actually even uglier now . Restyled recently.

 

[Adair M]

I see that you are turning the tips up. That’s a common mistake with people new to pines. You should style with the tips pointed out, maybe just a touch above horizontal.




In the picture above, you can see I’ve wired out to the tips, which are layer out flat. With the end of the wire, I have created a little hook that supports the needles that otherwise would be hanging down. The hook can actually extend a bit beyond the actual tip as it’s supporting the needles.

Here’s how it looks from above:



See? The tips aren’t turned up, they point “out”.

 

[Fonz]

It's actually even uglier now . Restyled recently.

Absolutely hideous!!! But since I'm such a nice guy I'll still take it.

Great work none the less