Intermediate
You have kept a tree alive for a couple of years and want to shape it properly.
8 itemsRoughly £80 to £250, our estimate: check the shop.
The second set of tools is about control: finer cuts, thicker wire, a cleaner repot and the bench to do it on. Nothing here is urgent; buy each as the tree asks for it.
In the order to buy them
Knob cutter (spherical)
For taking a stub back into a hollow that heals flat; the concave cutter's partner on thicker wood.
Check price on Amazon Search eBayWhat to look for
Round jaws that scoop a stub into a hollow. Second cutter to buy, after the concave; worth it once you work on thicker trunks.
Root hook and rake
An old root ball needs combing out, not tearing.
Check price on Amazon Search eBayWhat to look for
A single steel hook for teasing out an old root ball, plus a two- or three-tine rake. A chopstick does half of this for free.
Soil sieve set (three meshes)
Grading your soil is the difference between a mix and a bag of dust.
Check price on Amazon Search eBayWhat to look for
Nested stainless sieves of about 1, 3 and 6 mm. Grading the soil is half the point of a good mix.
Lava rock (kiryu or black lava, 3 to 6 mm)
Adds structure for conifers and sharpens drainage in any mix.
Check price on Amazon Search eBayWhat to look for
Crushed lava or Japanese kiryu; structure and drainage for conifers. Sieve for dust.
Turntable
Wiring is done by turning the tree, not walking round it.
Check price on Amazon Search eBayWhat to look for
A heavy, low turntable (a lazy Susan) so you can turn the tree, not yourself, while wiring. Cheap ones wobble; steel is better than plastic.
Cut paste (wound sealant)
Large cuts on maples and elms heal faster sealed.
Check price on Amazon Search eBayWhat to look for
A putty type for large cuts on deciduous trees; a liquid type for small wounds. Not needed on every cut, useful on big ones.
Anodised aluminium wire, 1 to 4 mm
Now in 1 mm for fine twigs and 4 mm for the first real branch moves.
Check price on Amazon Search eBayWhat to look for
Anodised brown aluminium in 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 and 4 mm; 100 g or 500 g reels. Easy to apply and remove; use a gauge about a third of the branch's thickness.
Glazed ceramic pot (oval)
A deciduous or flowering tree that has earned a show pot: frost-proof, glazed, colour chosen for the leaves.
Check price on Amazon Search eBayWhat to look for
Frost-proof stoneware with a glaze that complements leaves or flowers: blue, green, cream or oatmeal. For deciduous and flowering trees.