Unsure what to do with Scots Pine (design)

[Mudroot]

I started this Scots pine a LONG time ago. Bent it and wired it and got a real mess.

Not satisfied, I gave it to some friends out in the country who just wanted any tree. Not bonsai folks. Just someone who took one of my "mistake" oaks and planted it and now have a 20 foot tall tree out by the goats.

Wellll..... this pine.

They just potted it and stuck it out in the yard. Regular old pot. Then one day while we were visiting, I noticed that it had fallen over probably a couple of years prior but got ...sorta... interesting. I mentioned that it might look good as a sorta bonsai on the patio. So we potted it in the same pot that is in the pix but the wife put in MULTICOLORED gravel.

It started to thrive. I wished I hadn't given it away and told them I would take it back if they decided they didn't want it. Every year when we visited, I would trim out the ...junk... from this technicolor dirt tree. It was fine.

Then it started to die. All crispy and neglected (plus having lots of other plants stuck in the gravel with it to "look good."

So.... with it near death, they gave it back. I potted it with akadama and a year later it greened up nicely.

But... (finally getting to the point).... I don't know if the roots that got exposed from the kicked over pot are attractive as a nebari or just a mess from a toppled tree.

I'd like some opinions. I'll keep the tree as it is a family member now. But what about those roots? Like em? Wrong look? Don't know if I could cut any out as they are old and established.

Also in one pic, I've indicated a potential reshape couple of cuts.

It would give a convoluted look to that one base branch below the orange cut marks.

What think?

 

[fourteener]

It needs some serious rootwork first. It has a lot of potential, but some of those roots are gonna choke each other out, if you don't sort it out now it might just strangle itself to death. Whatever design work you do at that point is all for naught.

I have done serious work to some scots pines like this from a nursery. They have all handled the bare rooting in the spring very well. I'd get it to a good measure of health before.

Roots, then shoots...always.

 

[GrimLore]

My first thoughts looking at that is that would look good as is on the patio and fun to play with. After the 3rd pass on the pictures I still think the same BUT I see some potential there that is hard for me to explain. Myself I would work on it at the rate of one sin a year and enjoy!

Now let's see what some of the Pro's think

Grimmy

 

[Ris]

This can make a nice cascade, don't cut yet wait for someone with experience with these?
It has aged nicely, fill in your location info for better advice.

 

[JudyB]

I would loose the crossing root (in pic#3?) for sure, and plant a bit deeper, but I think the gnarled roots may balance the tree out in some respects.

 

[GrimLore]

I would loose the crossing root (in pic#3?) for sure, and plant a bit deeper, but I think the gnarled roots may balance the tree out in some respects.

Agreed - I think all three ideas very good and pretty easy way to get a great start, I think there is decent potential there

 

[Mudroot]

Crossing root is gone. Took quite a bit of bark off where it crossed but that should heal.

Looks better without that eyesore root but the other ones I'm not sure about.

May plant deeper. Tough to find a pot big enough for it. And it's overweight on one side and had to be wired INTO that existing pot until it established enough to hold.
It wants to tip.

But a big cascade pot could be fun.

 

[GrimLore]

But a big cascade pot could be fun.

Seems that would need to be a rather large cascade pot But honest that has potential. Might want to research that plant. I do not know but it might be possible to reduce the root mass giving you options.

 

[Neli]

I would have chopped/ sharied everything after the first branch...and made it sweep in the opposite direction of the trunk....I dont know if you will mange to bend the straight portion of the trunk after that.
JMHO on what I would do. I can give you some picture examples of what I mean...

 

[fore]

I'm with Neli's idea. Gives a good flow to the tree.

 

[Neli]

You can just leave it maybe for now to thicken the trunk with an option of removing it later when the tree is styled. Try to chess the foliage nearer to the trunk, and start wiring it to set direction to the branches. maybe also add a collar with medium to the root system, to cover it .

 

[GrimLore]

Neli beat me to it. I was going to suggest that when one is Unsure it is best to take little or no action.

 

[Vance Wood]

I don't suggest this so much as a "this is what I would do" but I suggest a look at a total redesign by cutting the tree back hard and looking at a totally new concept involving a new point of view.

In my experience I have found that most trees that you attempt to make a into a bonsai by trying to make good on a failed design---- only makes an other, newer--- failed design. Without seeing the entire tree I do see a possibility that I would jump on like a skunk on a June bug. Cut back remove, debark, and jin everything above the first branch. This leaves you with a smaller tree that is a sort of upright with large twisted trunk that only leaves the necessity of styling the branches to fit the direction of design.

 

[Neli]

Just an idea!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Hard to tell from photos, can't get a good feel from the pictures. As other have said, when in doubt, wait. I especially subscribe to Fourteener's comment, "Roots then Shoots". Repot in spring, untangle, correct the roots as best you can. Pot it up, even if you use the same pot. Then let it grow a year.

Let it grow out until 2015, then hopefully you will have a design in mind. Vance's idea was OK, but you have a couple of nice branches already developed. Unfortunately separated by straight boring trunk sections. Mull it over. Maybe that first branch is your best possibility.

It needs some serious rootwork first. It has a lot of potential, but some of those roots are gonna choke each other out, if you don't sort it out now it might just strangle itself to death. Whatever design work you do at that point is all for naught.

I have done serious work to some scots pines like this from a nursery. They have all handled the bare rooting in the spring very well. I'd get it to a good measure of health before.

Roots, then shoots...always.