JBP Pruning for future growth

[eugen_onegin]

My question is in regards to what I should do with the knob that I have growing on the Apex of the tree right now. I pruned some of the stronger candles along the Apex and left the bottom branches be but the distribution of energy is still uneven. I plan on slip potting this into a colander and letting it develop for a long time. Initially I was thinking about chopping the knob as well as the inch or so of trunk below it to the next set of branches. This would however take about 40-50% of the foliage away. What steps should I take to set this tree on the right path?

 

[eugen_onegin]

I thought I would add that. Every branch, say for one, on the Apex in consideration for removal has a knob of at least 5 branches coming out from it. Maybe remove 1-2 from each knob over the next 2 years until only 2 horizontal branches are left?

 

[iant]

Are you happy with the curve in the trunk below it? It's nice to have a curve but this one looks a little like an S which can sometimes look contrived. If this were my pine I would probably not keep that curve. I'd also probably want the base grown out more. So what I would do would be to grow the snot out of it by leaving every branch on it with a plan to chop it in a few years right above the first whorl. I'd keep the first side branches on the proposed new leader short and restrained but the whole rest of the tree would be let go for a while.
If you wanted to keep the curve then you'd go a different route and could either remove the knob and grow a new apex with avoiding multiple branches per whorl.
Ian
p.s. the s curve isn't really that bad looking at it a second time... if you end up keeping it and grow it thicker it will look more natural.

 

[Poink88]

I will chop it below the top whorl and develop one of the branches as new apex. Remember only 2 branches from same area (or "V") if possible. 3 or more will most likely be a future problem.

 

[eugen_onegin]

Iant, I feel the same way about the curve. I think that after growing it out for 5+ years the curve would look more subtle. And yes, what I'm thinking is remove the whorl and make the next line of branches down the new apex, then use one of the branches as a sacrifice.

Questions remaining:
1.) Is there a better time in the year to make a chop that big (and I would assume a healthy dose of cut paste)?

2.) Do I need to root prune for equalization (removing about 50% of the foliage)?

 

[eugen_onegin]

Iant, I feel the same way about the curve. I think that after growing it out for 5+ years the curve would look more subtle. And yes, what I'm thinking is remove the whorl and make the next line of branches down the new apex, then use one of the branches as a sacrifice.

Questions remaining:
1.) Is there a better time in the year to make a chop that big (and I would assume a healthy dose of cut paste)?

2.) Do I need to root prune for equalization (removing about 50% of the foliage)?

 

[Jason_mazzy]

End of summer for the chop gives best chance to pop trunk buds and buds on the lower limbs.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

You can remove that section anytime; done now, it will likely cause adventitious buds at the cut, which you don't need. Done in fall, you'll likely get needle buds further back on the 2 remaining branches, which you do need.

I'd leave it just a bit longer so it can thicken the trunk overall, but don't let it swell up so much that it creates reverse taper beneath the two branches you intend to keep.