AusBonsai

Mike: agreed.
Just thought I'd suggest leaving needles that grow upwards, while removing as much as possible those that grow downwards, if you want the underside of a foliage pad to look clean. That helps with creating nice negative spaces. Of course, if you want the end of a branch to bend downwards, you keep the needles that point in the dowsward direction.

Another question for Gerard: the needles on your Scotties seem rather long for that species of pine. Do your trees get full sun and not too much fertiliser?

Lisa

My scotties get medium sun, (blacks get the sunniest spots) I am a bit slack with fertilizer and do not feed as much as I should. None of mine are anywhere as large as Peters tree.

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Thanks for all the info, Gerard, and apologies for pestering you about all those details. Those Scotties will give you a good time, with the passing years.

Lisa