Wulfskaar
Omono
I've had mine over a year now and it survived my harsh root pruning pretty well. I'll be asking you guys a few questions soon regarding where to go next.
ITALIAN STONE PINE; Pinus Pinea from nursery stock
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Crazy Diamond
Omono
Yes, for small or medium size the best option is to keep them with juvenile foliage like Canary island pines
aframe
Shohin
The needle lengths are reducing nicely with ramification
Wulfskaar
Omono
I have a question about mine...
I plan to cut the top half off and keep some of the lower branches, but only the top half are actually getting candles and growing. I would hate to kill it by removing the only part that is currently growing.
If I do cut the top off, will it add significant strength to the lower branches? The red line is where I plan to chop to get the more natural umbrella shape of a mature stone pine. It could possibly be higher but pretty much all the newer growth is above the line.
I plan to cut the top half off and keep some of the lower branches, but only the top half are actually getting candles and growing. I would hate to kill it by removing the only part that is currently growing.
If I do cut the top off, will it add significant strength to the lower branches? The red line is where I plan to chop to get the more natural umbrella shape of a mature stone pine. It could possibly be higher but pretty much all the newer growth is above the line.
I'm no pine expert, but I think it's common practice to leave the leader on developing pines, but remove all its side branches to keep the bottom branches strong. Like so:
Doing this keeps vigor and thickens the trunk, but encourages the pine to keep those lower branches growing too, until you're ready to start refining. Even if you're happy with the current trunk thickness, this approach might be the safer bet since you aren't seeing a lot of low growth right now. Maybe. Again, I'm no expert.
Doing this keeps vigor and thickens the trunk, but encourages the pine to keep those lower branches growing too, until you're ready to start refining. Even if you're happy with the current trunk thickness, this approach might be the safer bet since you aren't seeing a lot of low growth right now. Maybe. Again, I'm no expert.
Wulfskaar
Omono
Very interesting! Thank you. I will definitely consider that going forward.
I'll go ahead and move my discussion to my own thread and stop hijacking this one. https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/pinus-pinea-for-a-beginner.47215/
Are the Pinus pinea sold as mini Christmas trees grafted? Nursing graft or any unusual techniques? I bought 6 in 1 gallon nursery pots from the markdown bin after Christmas 2020, cleaned them up, changed the trunk angle without disturbing the root ball and wired the trunk. All of them developed substantial reverse taper just above the root collar to what appears to be a graft, within an inch. If grafted it is impressive as it is a barely noticeable ring around the trunk perfectly horizontal. On close examination the bark is slightly different above and below the ring. I have air layered all of them above the reverse taper, slipped the tree into a 3 gallon pot and buried the air layer. They have rooted very well and next spring I plan to remove the original root system. The trees have the "knots" on the trunk at the branches. They are tot pretty however unique and I do not know how to avoid the knots. The foliage is still 95% small needle juvenile with a few candles big needle mature foliage. Any information, advice, and suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Dave
Bonsai_Brett
Seedling
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That’sa nice progression
Bonsai_Brett
Seedling
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What are you doing to get the needles to reduce in size?
Bonsai_Brett
Seedling
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How is this accomplished?
Ruddigger
Omono
I do it by pinching new growth like a spruce, and removing any mature needles that pop up.
aframe
Shohin
Basically by following the JBP decandling technique: decandle around Father's day, thin to 2 shoots early fall, needle pluck to balance energy. repeat. Ramification really helps.
Wulfskaar
Omono
Just a note: As an experiment couple years ago, I cut a candle in half and 4 new shoots arose out of that. It might be a way to gain ramification.
Bonsai_Brett
Seedling
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Looks good!!!
aframe
Shohin
Ruddigger
Omono
Very nice
aframe
Shohin
JUNE 2023 - SPRING CANDLES WERE A BIT WEAKER THAN I HOPED FOR. MY OBERSVATIONS IS THAT JBP DECANDEL APPROACH NEEDS TO BE AMENDED FOR THIS SPECIES. I'M POSTING THIS ON AUG 29, 2024, AND MY OBSERVATIONS ARE THAT THE TREE HAD A WEAK RESPONSE TO DECANDLING IN JUNE 2022 AND JUNE 2024. I WILL TRY ALLOWING CANDLES TO GROW THRU THE SPRING/SUMMER, THEN SHOOT PRUNE IN LATE SUMMER WHILE IT IS STILL HOT: THE STONE PINES IN MY GARDEN BUD (AND BACK BUD) WELL AT CUT SITES PROVIDED THERE ARE HEALTHLY & MATURE 1ST - 2ND YEAR NEEDLES. JBP DECANDLING APPROACH (CIRCA FATHER'S DAY) SEEMS TO REALLY SLOW THE TREE DOWN, BUT IT DOES PRODUCE SHORTER NEEDLES AND SHORTER INTERNODES...THE DRAW BACK IS PRODUCING ONE-2 MATURE BUDS FOR THE SPRING, SOMETIMES NO BUDS WILL FORM UNTIL THE FOLLOWING SPRING. NOTE - THE TREE WAS FERTILIZED FAIRLY INCONSISTENTLY IN THE SPRING AND FALL.
ALSO NOTE - JBP DECANDLING WORKS WELL ON VIGOROUS BRANCHES WITH STRONG CANDLES. SHOOT PRUNING MAY PRODUCE BOTH MATURE AND IMMATURE BACK-BUDS. IMMATURE BUDS TAKE ABOUT 2 YEARS (OR MORE) TO FULLY MATURE AND NEED TO BE PROTECTED IF DESIRED IN YOUR DESIGN.
ALSO NOTE - JBP DECANDLING WORKS WELL ON VIGOROUS BRANCHES WITH STRONG CANDLES. SHOOT PRUNING MAY PRODUCE BOTH MATURE AND IMMATURE BACK-BUDS. IMMATURE BUDS TAKE ABOUT 2 YEARS (OR MORE) TO FULLY MATURE AND NEED TO BE PROTECTED IF DESIRED IN YOUR DESIGN.
