Hi all, new here and been into Bonsai for about 2 years now doing a lot of reading and book buying etc.

OI have the attached Scots pine i purchased from Nursery stock and wish to train for Literati style, however despite all my research i'm a bit unsure of how to go about this, particularly branch selection and bending in this particular tree.

Its winter now in the UK so trying to gather as much knowledge and resources now so that I can begin work in the spring. Is it safe to carry out root work and do trunk modification in the same year or will it be better to do the trunk this year and save roots for next? I have slip potted this as this original pot was damaged in transport.

In terms of branch selection, i may require some guidance on this as the tree has several branches as you can see.

Look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions.

Welcome!
Healthy tree, congrats.
As a literate will not need taper, maybe you can pull this out.
All branches have to go and some really heavy bending of the main trunk, with raffia, will be needed.
Literatti seems to be an easy way to style a leggy tree, but in fact is one of the most difficult; it has to show a tree struggling against the elements, old bark, sharp bends et all. Difficult but not impossible!

Hi and welcome.
First of all - remember that you have to go very slow on the pines.
Read here:
www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Pinus%20page2.html
You got a very leggy tree - I have several yamadoris like this only with way more mature bark - and the way I go about with them is first of all cutting back very long branches (now in winter is the right time as it doesn´t bleed much). Next growing season I let them grow and produce some backbudding.
I try not to remove more than 30% per year.
BUT it is hard to pick the right branches from the pic, so I suggest you join some club in the UK, you got a lot of them there I guess.

Thanks for the comments guys.
When you mention you are cutting back now, I assume to a bud further back on the branch thats already there. From what I have read, cutting off all green growth on a branch will lead to the branch dying.

Yep, to the first junction mostly.

example of similair material I first styled last spring.
But it was already cut back 2 years before.



To turn these into bonsai akes many many years

When would be the right time to carry out such invasive work? Could I do it now in Feb or is best to wait until the tree is actively growing?

Pines should be worked on when dormant, just before going into active growth. It all depends on location and climate. My best guess is that now is the best time for most of uk.

damok wrote:

When would be the right time to carry out such invasive work? Could I do it now in Feb or is best to wait until the tree is actively growing?

I cut in winter when the tree isn´t bleeding that much.
But I bend branches and do the styling in growing season.
Now the frost could damage freshly bended branches.

Tonight I will work on the last few trees that need wiring. All my coniferous species have been wired over the last months.

Thanks for replies. I took the plunge and did some extreme bends on the tree a week ago, so far so good.

Ignore that one badly bent branch on the side, i still need to rectify that.