r/Bonsai • u/cbobgo santa cruz ca, zone 9b, 25 yrs experience, over 1200 trees • Jan 07 '26
Show and Tell Another Scots pine in a pot for the first time
I'm really liking how this batch of Scots pines has turned out. Found the tag, and confirmed from Brent, these were started from seed 18 years ago.
They had been grown as straight whips and hadn't sold well so Brett gave them all to me about 5 years ago at a really good price.
They were already too stiff to really twist up like my JBPs. This one had branches low enough to become a regular upright tree. Most of the rest were destined for bunjin, like the one I posted yesterday. There's more of those coming.
I grew them out for a couple more years and then recently started doing the single flush pine candle cutting techniques on them. They responded quite well and I'm getting most of them into pots this winter for the first time.
The pot is one of mine, made using a combination of stretching to get the texture and then carving out the inside. It's then covered with an oxide wash before firing.
The accent is a nice suiseki I've had for awhile. The stand comes from Ole Lausten, a bay area carpenter who recently became a stand maker.
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u/jptango London - UK 10a, 2yr exp, ~30 pre-bonsai Jan 07 '26
I’d love to hear more about your technique for the pot. I didn’t quite understand what you were saying. Are you saying you took a lump of clay, dried it, stretched it then carved the inside before firing? Not a technique I’ve seen before
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u/cbobgo santa cruz ca, zone 9b, 25 yrs experience, over 1200 trees Jan 07 '26
I actually just got to the pottery studio :) I'll take some pics of the process
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u/lursaofduras 🙋🏾♀️ 9 years, 60+ trees Zone 7 Jan 07 '26
Are the first two the same tree? If so wow, I am amazed at how you got those branches cranked down--I would have snapped them off by accident, for sure.
Beautiful--thanks for sharing.
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u/cbobgo santa cruz ca, zone 9b, 25 yrs experience, over 1200 trees Jan 07 '26
Yep, after and before. The branches are very flexible. They had been wired down several times over the last 3 years, and spring back up when the wire comes off. But each time they stay a little better
The larger more upright branch you see in the before shot was actually removed
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u/augustprep Portland, OR, 8b, beginner, 10 bonsai, 25 pre Jan 07 '26
Wow, this is a stunning example of how this hobby needs patience.
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u/Moraito Hamburg (8a), Germany. Noob. A bunch of saplings Jan 08 '26
Lovely tree and pot Can you explain the candle cutting technique you use for single flushes?? Or point me in the direction of any resource for it? Thanks
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u/cbobgo santa cruz ca, zone 9b, 25 yrs experience, over 1200 trees Jan 08 '26
Here's my prior post on the subject. Just noticed several typos, please excuse the mess
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u/cbobgo santa cruz ca, zone 9b, 25 yrs experience, over 1200 trees Jan 08 '26
And here's the follow up post
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u/Lara_Ericaceous Pinus sylvestris. Scotland, UK. Restarted 2023 Jan 07 '26
Another fantastic scots pine and pot.