Scots pine

A year of care. RHS H7: hardy in severe winters. In a shallow pot the roots are less hardy than the tree, so the risk is a root ball that freezes and thaws daily rather than cold itself. USDA 6a-1, the RHS's own equivalent.

Timings for a temperate northern climate.

• Repot
• Wire
• Prune
• Pinch
• Protect
• Feed
• Water
• Watch for pests

1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D

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• JanuaryFully dormant. Keep the pot out of standing water and move it into a cold frame or against a wall when a hard freeze is forecast for several nights, returning it to the open when the freeze lifts. Water only when the soil is dry below the surface, perhaps once in the month. Shelter it from drying wind.protect, water
• FebruaryStill dormant. Check wire from the autumn and remove any that is close to cutting in before the sap rises. Old needles that were not pulled in autumn can be removed now. Prepare soil for repotting next month.wire, protect
• MarchRepot in the second half of the month as the buds begin to swell, every three to five years for an established tree, taking no more than a quarter to a third of the roots and keeping some of the old soil with its mycorrhiza. Set it into a coarse, open mix and keep it out of wind and frost for a month afterwards. Do not repot and candle-cut in the same year.repot, protect
• AprilThe candles extend. Begin feeding with a balanced feed as they move, weekly at low strength. Water as the surface dries. If the tree is strong, shorten the strongest candles by up to half and leave the weak ones whole, to balance vigour across the tree.feed, water, pinch
• MayFinish any candle work early in the month before the needles open. Water daily in dry spells and keep feeding. Watch for adelgid fluff at the base of the new needles and deal with it early. Keep the tree in full sun.pinch, water, feed, pests
• JuneNeedles harden. Water daily and feed every week or two. Do nothing structural; this is the month the tree builds the year's strength. Check spring wire, as the branches thicken fastest now.water, feed, wire
• JulyWater daily, more in heat; a pine in a gritty mix can dry out in a day. Feed at half strength. Keep it in the brightest spot available. Light scissor removal of any shoots growing straight down or up on a branch can be done now.water, feed, prune
• AugustContinue watering and feeding. From the end of the month, needle-pull the strongest areas (leaving perhaps eight to twelve pairs per shoot) so light reaches the interior and the weak areas catch up. The main pruning window opens: remove unwanted branches and shorten shoots back to a bud or side shoot where one exists.prune, water, feed
• SeptemberThe best month to wire: the branches have hardened and will set over winter. Change to a low-nitrogen feed. Water as needed. Pull old needles if not already done.wire, feed, water, prune
• OctoberFinish wiring early in the month. Stop feeding by mid-month. Remove yellowing old needles the tree is shedding. Raise the pot on feet and begin to reduce watering as the days shorten.wire, feed, water, protect
• NovemberDormant. Water sparingly and only when dry. Move an exposed tree to a sheltered spot before the first hard frost. Protect from wind more than from cold.water, protect
• DecemberLeave it be. Keep the root ball from freezing solid for days at a time with a cold frame or a wall; do not water a frozen pot. Snow on the branches can stay; wind should be kept off.protect, water

Soil for this species: 2 parts pumice, 1 part akadama, 1 part lava rock (by volume), 3 to 6 mm; a coarser mix than for deciduous trees. Tools and materials: starter kits.