Pinus Sylvestris No 1
Scots Pine
This pine has been collected in September 2016. First I took it off the ground but let it in its hole for the next full year. I was not prepared to bring it back home in a container and I wanted to test how the tree would react with a smaller rootball, but in the same environment. I went back a year later to simply remove it from its native spot and brought it back home.
The rootball is solid and the tree is healthy, but the long, empty branches needed grafting. I used the same technique used on Picea Mariana No 1.
My goal is to use the upper, more energetic branches and bring them down to the lower part of the trunk to reduce the size of the tree by half. I approach grafted the top shoots on lower branches to eventually remove the top branches when the graft completely succeeds.
Some upper branches were grafted on the trunk, other were “connected” directly on other lower branches. A closeup on the grafts and the nice reddish bark.
A lot of back budding will be needed.
As of April 2018, the tree is still very green, but I’m not sure the new shoots will be strong this year.
An example- inspiration of what this pine can become over time.
April 30, 2018, big day. It’s repotting time, first after collection. Always a special moment.
The pine was collected with a very important root ball and left a whole winter in its original spot for better chances of recovery. It paid off. The tree is healthy, the new buds look good, leaves are bright green. We decided to let the approach grafts another season before removing the tape and wire.
A new, smaller box was prepared. Eric and Mélissa use a 1- 1- 1 mix (chabasai-haydite-perlite).
I was surprised to see that they do not use pine bark or any organic component whatsoever. The reason is bark decomposes fast and in 2 years, it becomes so compact it actually restrains root growth. The downside of not having it in the soil is I have to be super careful with watering and feeding.
The tree is now solid in its new home!
Looks healthy back in the yard. Another season with its ridiculous telephone beanpole looks and we’ll work on the shape and head next time.
Things look good several weeks after reporting and entering the growth season
New shoots and buds at every tip, bright green needles and sap everywhere; the growth season is well under way.
Summer 2019
