junmilo
Shohin
I think I need to shorten the needles on these corks. Should I wait till spring or do it now.
Need to start working on these in the Spring...
- Thread starter junmilo
- Start date
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
That depend what you mean by shorten the needles?
Trimming the needles is a short term fix. The tips will all turn brown and they look sick for the rest of the year. Most experienced pine growers frown on needle cutting as a second rate solution.
The proper procedure to get shorter needles is a longer term schedule of candle cutting and needle removal to grow shorter shoots and also produces shorter needles. It can take several years to make a difference but when properly done but has many other benefits so worth the effort and the wait.
i don't grow cork bark variety but I believe they are more difficult to work with than regular JBP.
Trimming the needles is a short term fix. The tips will all turn brown and they look sick for the rest of the year. Most experienced pine growers frown on needle cutting as a second rate solution.
The proper procedure to get shorter needles is a longer term schedule of candle cutting and needle removal to grow shorter shoots and also produces shorter needles. It can take several years to make a difference but when properly done but has many other benefits so worth the effort and the wait.
i don't grow cork bark variety but I believe they are more difficult to work with than regular JBP.
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
Search archives for much info. Cork bark JBP a different animal and need needles for strength. Weaker than normal JBP for most cultivars. Personally only find 3rd tree graft acceptably low(possibly)and would get rid of others if in my hands
. What surprises is that some actually pay for these low grade grafted trees.
. What surprises is that some actually pay for these low grade grafted trees.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Cork Bark...charming.
Reverse Taper...charming it's a Cork Bark.
Long Needles....meh.
Cut needles....Not Charming.
Stay above 500!
Nice.
Sorce
Reverse Taper...charming it's a Cork Bark.
Long Needles....meh.
Cut needles....Not Charming.
Stay above 500!
Nice.
Sorce
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Why is that last pooball staring?
Rude!
Sorce
Rude!
Sorce
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
- Messages
- 11,344
- Reaction score
- 23,296
- USDA Zone
- 5b
You are in Ontario, Canada. That means a short summer season. I don't know if you have sufficient growing days of summer to be able to decandle your cork bark pines and have the new growth mature. You would need to decandle about 100 days before first frost, which for your area might be the beginning of June, maybe middle of June. If your new candles have not grown by then, you simply don't have the time to make de-candling work to your benefit. De-candling is the "best method" or "Best Practices" for shortening needles.
You could cut needles to shorten them, but this always leads to brown tips, and immediately gives the impression of amateurism. Best to be avoided.
Developing ramification, treating your cork bark pines more or less as single flush pines is probably the best route available to you.
I always find cork bark Japanese Black Pines to be relatively weak and slow growing. I'm in the Chicago-Milwaukee area, so my climate is largely similar to yours. Cork bark JBP definitely do better in warmer climates. They are not as cold hardy as the normal form of JBP. They are slower growing than normal JBP.
Best styled by "benevolent neglect". Just do some branch selection in late summer or early autumn. Other than that, largely leave them alone.
You could cut needles to shorten them, but this always leads to brown tips, and immediately gives the impression of amateurism. Best to be avoided.
Developing ramification, treating your cork bark pines more or less as single flush pines is probably the best route available to you.
I always find cork bark Japanese Black Pines to be relatively weak and slow growing. I'm in the Chicago-Milwaukee area, so my climate is largely similar to yours. Cork bark JBP definitely do better in warmer climates. They are not as cold hardy as the normal form of JBP. They are slower growing than normal JBP.
Best styled by "benevolent neglect". Just do some branch selection in late summer or early autumn. Other than that, largely leave them alone.
Wilson
Masterpiece
It looks like you should focus on growing branches, before you worry about needle length. What part of Ontario are you in?
junmilo
Shohin
These have been in my fathers care for awhile (10+)....his health has deteriorated.
So I'm slowly moving all of his stuff to my place.....I used to be able to park my SUV in the garage, now its slowly filling up with his stuff.
Thank you for the quick info. Yes, the growing season is short in Ontario, Canada.
junmilo
Shohin
Greater Toronto Area
junmilo
Shohin
I know of the club, took my father to their show as well. Not alot of JBP.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
- Messages
- 11,344
- Reaction score
- 23,296
- USDA Zone
- 5b
The "not a lot of JBP" is probably because of Toronto's short growing season, as I mentioned. Short growing seasons make growing JBP problematic. But like your father I love cork bark pines, so we struggle along.
If you had a greenhouse, that you could control, to be cool but above freezing for winter, and warm it up to +25 C in February or March, to get a longer growing season, you could do the same sort of JBP growing they do in places like Atlanta and Houston.
Without the use of a greenhouse, you will probably have to treat these JBP as single flush pines. And definitely protect them from winter temperatures below -5 C (or somewhere around there) barely above freezing all winter is best.
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
Considering handed down from father take all best care of these. Nothing wrong with single flush pines. Keeps life simpler.
.
Alas... the problem with Cork Bark JBP!
Actually, the grafts on these are pretty good, and the usual severe reverse taper right at the soil line is absent.
What everyone is saying about their inherent weakness is true, however. Especially so for relatively small trees. So, long needles is going to be something you’re just going to have to learn to live with. Yes, you can decandle these every other year, and that will help some. The best thing would be to let these get bigger. Long needles dont look as bad on bigger trees. (Think Ponderosa).
Actually, the grafts on these are pretty good, and the usual severe reverse taper right at the soil line is absent.
What everyone is saying about their inherent weakness is true, however. Especially so for relatively small trees. So, long needles is going to be something you’re just going to have to learn to live with. Yes, you can decandle these every other year, and that will help some. The best thing would be to let these get bigger. Long needles dont look as bad on bigger trees. (Think Ponderosa).
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
I do not decandle corkbark black pines. I also do not cut needles. I basically treat them like white pines.
Good sunlight, careful watering, and conservative feeding will help keep needles shorter. I prune in the fall or winter to remove overly-strong shoots, which helps balance the strength and eliminate some of the longer needles.
Corkbark pines are grown for their cork, and the long needles are just tolerated.
Good sunlight, careful watering, and conservative feeding will help keep needles shorter. I prune in the fall or winter to remove overly-strong shoots, which helps balance the strength and eliminate some of the longer needles.
Corkbark pines are grown for their cork, and the long needles are just tolerated.
f1pt4
Chumono
woah. hey.. someone mentioned my name?
We actually do have quite a few black pines in our members collections, but our shows typically have more ewc and maples than jbp's.. I don't know if I posted the photos from the last two shows on here, (if not I will) but there's a pretty sweet shohin jbp that's part of a display.. I've only seen one corkbark jbp at a members house though.
If you're selling any or want more info about the club DM me. Come to a meeting to talk to a couple of our members that have had experience with them if you want some feedback or care info. Our current president is also quite knowledgeable on them. They're all good people.
But, alas we also do have a dreadfully short growing season
Which I'm reminded of when I look out my window between the months of November and May.
We actually do have quite a few black pines in our members collections, but our shows typically have more ewc and maples than jbp's.. I don't know if I posted the photos from the last two shows on here, (if not I will) but there's a pretty sweet shohin jbp that's part of a display.. I've only seen one corkbark jbp at a members house though.
If you're selling any or want more info about the club DM me. Come to a meeting to talk to a couple of our members that have had experience with them if you want some feedback or care info. Our current president is also quite knowledgeable on them. They're all good people.
But, alas we also do have a dreadfully short growing season
Which I'm reminded of when I look out my window between the months of November and May.
Last edited:
Wilson
Masterpiece
woah. hey.. someone mentioned my name?
We actually do have quite a few black pines in our members collections, but our shows typically have more ewc and maples than jbp's.. I don't know if I posted the photos from the last two shows on here, (if not I will) but there's a pretty sweet shohin jbp that's part of a display.. I've only seen one corkbark jbp at a members house though.
If you're selling any or want more info about the club DM me. Come to a meeting to talk to a couple of our members that have had experience with them if you want some feedback or care info. Our current president is also quite knowledgeable on them. They're all good people.
But, alas we also do have a dreadfully short growing season
Which I'm reminded of when I look out my window between the months of November and May.
Good to see you around here! I am hoping to make it out to your spring show this year!
f1pt4
Chumono
Right on. We'll be announcing it this week! I'll post the poster once it's official!
