Question about pinus sylvestris shoot trimming

[p_anova]

Hey Nonsai Buts,

Did a repot on this guy in early Spring and it is growing nicely. I plan on doing shoot reduction around the 15th of May (a la Ryan Neil). My question is the new shoot circled in green has 2 more buds on top. Can I cut the shoot at the red line? The other shoots do not have buds at the end like the circled one.

 

[bonsai-max]

(a la Ryan Neil)

Can you explain this better, I am curious

 

[TomB]

What are you trying to achieve? The kind of shoot trimming you are talking about here is a refinement technique. Is this tree in the refinement stage?

 

[TomB]

(but the answer to your question would be, yes you can cut where you indicated, as long as there are few developing needles remaining after the cut)

 

[penumbra]

I would pinch (or cut) back all the longest candles. Your tree looks great and very healthy. It has a bright future I believe.

 

[Paradox]

I would leave a few more needles on it. I.e. cut it a tad higher than the red line.

In the future, I would cut the candles in half a little earlier than where this tree is at in the picture. It's preferable to do it before the needles start to open

 

[p_anova]

Can you explain this better, I am curious

There is a video of him on YouTube discussing single flush/multiples pines. He says that they will continue to elongate and not put much energy into the interior buds unless you cut the elongating shoot mid may. Increase traffic by letting the branch elongate then once you get back buds, trim the elongated shoot to divert energy to interior buds.

 

[p_anova]

I was afraid to do it earlier considering I did a repot in early Spring.

I would leave a few more needles on it. I.e. cut it a tad higher than the red line.

In the future, I would cut the candles in half a little earlier than where this tree is at in the picture. It's preferable to do it before the needles start to open

 

[Paradox]

There is a video of him on YouTube discussing single flush/multiples pines. He says that they will continue to elongate and not put much energy into the interior buds unless you cut the elongating shoot mid may. Increase traffic by letting the branch elongate then once you get back buds, trim the elongated shoot to divert energy to interior buds.

We need to be careful when we start talking months in bonsai. We need to consider climate and seasonal timing differences between locations.

While mid May may be the perfect timing for Ryan where he is, it may be too late where someone else is.
Mid May works for me but looking at the pine pictured in this thread, its already beyond where my trees are in mid May and it isn't even May yet!
Mid-May this year will be too late for cutting the candles in half for that pine.

 

[bonsai-max]

I know some people that leave the candles elongate and cut back leaving 6 12 couple of needles at the end of the season, end of august, to recover the extra lenght. Just when repotted, otherwise the normal pinching before the needles open

 

[penumbra]

FWIW, I pinch my candles in half when they are at the stage shown. I am watching the plant, not the calendar. In a cluster of candles I normally remove the longest candle and pinch the others about half.
This for Scots.

 

[bonsai-max]

FWIW, I pinch my candles in half when they are at the stage shown. I am watching the plant, not the calendar. In a cluster of candles I normally remove the longest candle and pinch the others about half.
This for Scots.

He told that this plant was repotted think the procedure should be different

 

[penumbra]

He told that this plant was repotted think the procedure should be different

Maybe. I have no idea how aggressive the root reduction was if there was any at all. But from the picture of the current growth, I have only stated what I would do.

 

[bonsai-max]

Maybe. I have no idea how aggressive the root reduction was if there was any at all. But from the picture of the current growth, I have only stated what I would do.

You mean, that with a not so aggressive repot the candle can be normally pinched ?

 

[penumbra]

You mean, that with a not so aggressive repot the candle can be normally pinched ?

I have only stated what I would do.

 

[Ryceman3]

You mean, that with a not so aggressive repot the candle can be normally pinched ?

Don’t wanna speak for @penumbra … but I think the point is the growth is more than strong enough to warrant action. Look at the tree and it will give you a better idea of how to manage it than a timetable/calendar… there isn’t a rigid formula, too many variables involved for that.

 

[p_anova]

Root work was aggressive but done carefully. It was my understanding that you allow shoot to harden off to gain extra strength, then cut back to redirect energy to interior buds. The tree is not in refinement yet, so pinching would be reserved for down the line.

 

[bwaynef]

My question is the new shoot circled in green has 2 more buds on top. Can I cut the shoot at the red line? The other shoots do not have buds at the end like the circled one.

What is your concern behind this question?

 

[p_anova]

Just wasn't sure how to handle an extending candle with buds at the end of it.

 

[shohin_branches]

If you're happy with the current size of the tree then I would pinch those apical candles in half. Not as far down as you have indicated. You're still building branches and aren't quite into refinement but you still want to control the growth at your apex so that the lower branches can keep up and not get shaded out. The rest I would let grow.