How to Care for a Sculpted Scotch Pine

Water a sculpted Scotch pine only when the topsoil is completely dry. Provide 1 to 2 inches of water to ensure the roots become wet. A Scotch pine with an established root system is highly tolerant of drought.

Apply a layer of mulch under the spread of the sculptured Scotch pine to retain moisture. The mulch should be 2 to 3 inches thick, and you must add mulch each spring to maintain the mulch layer.

Fertilize a sculpted Scotch pine with a high-nitrogen fertilizer to promote the growth of foliage. These trees derive the most benefit from solid fertilizer, which you must spread on the soil around the tree according to the fertilizer instructions. Ensure that the fertilizer does not come into direct contact with the trunk of the tree.

Cut any dead or diseased growth from the sculpted Scotch pine with tree shears. This tree also requires frequent trimming to maintain its desired shape. Ensure that you only remove new growth when you shape the tree, as a Scotch pine does regrow limbs once they are cut.

Take cuttings from a sculpted Scotch pine with pruning shears during the summer when the tree is actively growing. The cutting must come from the end of a growing limb and should be several inches in length. Insert half the length of the cutting into rich soil and keep the soil moist until the cutting takes root, which may require one year.