Black Pine candles

[Salvarez]

And this is what my candles look like right now. I am slowly learning about Black Pines and the de candling process.

Right now, this is one year after I got the seedlings.

I’m going to let it grow much longer before I start doing anything drastic.

However, I’m curious to see about what my candles should look like this time of the year? Now that summer is over it appears to me that these candles I’m not flushed out?

Any other suggestions are welcome. Another question is how many grow seasons should I let the candles grow into branches?

 

[n8]

Nice. This is just what you want at this time of year when you are developing young JBPs. These are next year's spring needles and if you are trying to thicken up your trunk, don't touch 'em.

 

[Potawatomi13]

This year candles you got but no needles?

 

[Dav4]

This year candles you got but no needles?

Ummmm, this year's needles are below the buds. The buds will push into elongating candles next growing season. I figured you'd know this since you claim to grow western pines??

 

[Paradox]

Maybe it's because it's much warmer down there than up where I am but my buds aren't that big this time of year

 

[Srt8madness]

My buds are like that on my baby pines

 

[Dav4]

Maybe it's because it's much warmer down there than up where I am but my buds aren't that big this time of year

Those buds seem appropriate for young, vigorously growing JBP in a warm climate like Baton Rouge where the growing season is just around the corner. The buds on my JBP right now are much smaller, too, but they are at a different stage of development and my growing season is 6 months down the road.

 

[Paradox]

Those buds seem appropriate for young, vigorously growing JBP in a warm climate like Baton Rouge where the growing season is just around the corner. The buds on my JBP right now are much smaller, too, but they are at a different stage of development and my growing season is 6 months down the road.

Yea that's what I was thinking. My growing season will start in about 5 months with buds swelling.

They probably have a much shorter "winter" if any. Kinda makes me wonder about how much dormancy they get down there if any really.

 

[Srt8madness]

Not much, which is why we cant do JWP, etc

 

[Shibui]

Kinda makes me wonder about how much dormancy they get down there if any really.

We don't really get full dormancy through winter as winter min temps only ever get to a few deg below freezing and ground never freezes.
Black pines do stop growing for a few weeks but roots are always active. We found that fertilizer through winter makes a huge difference to subsequent spring and summer growth rates.
My JBP buds would look similar at the start of winter here.
In slightly warmer areas black pines can have 2 or even 3 flushes of growth even without pruning or decandling. I occasionally see a second, Autumn flush in some of my black pines.

Not much, which is why we cant do JWP, etc

Many years ago I tried a white pine which died so I assumed this was true but a second attempt showed I can grow white pines. I've had a number of them for around 15 years now. Some seed grown, others grafted onto black pine and one planted in the ground as a potential seed source. All grow strongly despite the lack of real cold.

 

[Srt8madness]

We don't really get full dormancy through winter as winter min temps only ever get to a few deg below freezing and ground never freezes.
Black pines do stop growing for a few weeks but roots are always active. We found that fertilizer through winter makes a huge difference to subsequent spring and summer growth rates.
My JBP buds would look similar at the start of winter here.
In slightly warmer areas black pines can have 2 or even 3 flushes of growth even without pruning or decandling. I occasionally see a second, Autumn flush in some of my black pines.


Many years ago I tried a white pine which died so I assumed this was true but a second attempt showed I can grow white pines. I've had a number of them for around 15 years now. Some seed grown, others grafted onto black pine and one planted in the ground as a potential seed source. All grow strongly despite the lack of real cold.

What about heat? This past summer we had many days approaching 110 real temps. I lost a lot of plants, including my cork black pine. Not sure I could have kept a white pine alive, given my understanding they like to be "dry".

I'd love to give it a shot as I think 5 needle pines far surpass JBP when it comes to Bonsai.

 

[Shibui]

We also get plenty of summer days with temps above 40C (104 of yours) and occasional days up to 45C. The nursery is generally a bit cooler than ambient because the ground is damp so generates evaporative cooling. Some of the white pines in pots live on the benches with other pines exposed to full sun. One is under 50% shade through summer and another sits on the ground next to the benches so gets some shade as the sun moves. All do OK but I feel that the one under shade cloth looks marginally better.

I suspect the term 'dry' means plenty of air round the roots so its more about the soil mix than how often you water. My watering system comes on just after dak and just before sunrise through most of summer to make sure pots get enough water but the large particle mix means excess water drains through quickly.
I suspect our summers are much drier than Houston? Relative humidity is often down to low teens when it is hot which may make some difference to how some species cope.

Conditions will obviously vary from place to place so white pine may not suit Houston. All I am suggesting is that lack of real cold and some summer heat may not be the barrier that some northerners seem to be suggesting

 

[Potawatomi13]

Ummmm, this year's needles are below the buds. The buds will push into elongating candles next growing season. I figured you'd know this since you claim to grow western pines??

DUUUUUH? Oh say can you see candles there but needles non existent on candles. Only stem w/buds.

 

[Dav4]

DUUUUUH? Oh say can you see candles there but needles non existent on candles. Only stem w/buds.

It's fall... needles show up in the spring time .

 

[Srt8madness]

We also get plenty of summer days with temps above 40C (104 of yours) and occasional days up to 45C. The nursery is generally a bit cooler than ambient because the ground is damp so generates evaporative cooling. Some of the white pines in pots live on the benches with other pines exposed to full sun. One is under 50% shade through summer and another sits on the ground next to the benches so gets some shade as the sun moves. All do OK but I feel that the one under shade cloth looks marginally better.

I suspect the term 'dry' means plenty of air round the roots so its more about the soil mix than how often you water. My watering system comes on just after dak and just before sunrise through most of summer to make sure pots get enough water but the large particle mix means excess water drains through quickly.
I suspect our summers are much drier than Houston? Relative humidity is often down to low teens when it is hot which may make some difference to how some species cope.

Conditions will obviously vary from place to place so white pine may not suit Houston. All I am suggesting is that lack of real cold and some summer heat may not be the barrier that some northerners seem to be suggesting

RH for us is much higher, 60+ iirc. Summer here is like swimming though hot soup sometimes.

 

[Salvarez]

Thank you everyone for the information. My JBP are definitely my happiest of all my bonsai.