Summer repotting scots pines?

[tismeisthatu]

Very interesting thread with many different opinions. I live in Cornwall, south west England ( I have no idea what zone I'm in ) & I, having read many of Vance Wood posts decided to repot my mugo pine after fathers day this year. It had previously been in a pond basket for 5 years. As far as I can tell it hasn't skipped a beat. I don't really have much more to add but if there is any sign of health issues I will let you all know. Am I right in thinking that pines are very slow in showing signs of ill health?

 

[jeanluc83]

Here is a better picture.


Here is some of the backbudding I'm planning on building my apex with.

 

[Vance Wood]

De very careful of those new buds; they are very easily damaged and broken off. They need at lest two season to grow and mature.

 

[jeanluc83]

De very careful of those new buds; they are very easily damaged and broken off. They need at lest two season to grow and mature.

That was my primary reason for not wiring the apex.

 

[10-brink]

@jeanluc83 how's it looking now?

 

[jeanluc83]

It is doing really good.

However, I think that I (embarrassingly) have misidentified my tree. When I purchased the tree I was told that it was a scots pine. I never really questioned it. Now that I've looked more closely I think it is actually a JBP.

This is why I think so:

The last two years I cut back in mid to late August to encourage back budding. I did get some back budding but both years I have also been met with a second push of growth. I chalked up the first year as a fluke but then it happened again this year.

I also have scrutinized the buds more closely and they look more like the JBP that I have than the other scots.

I will try to get some pictures later so that I can get a positive ID.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nice tree regardless. I is hard to tell young trees apart. The bark of a mature scott's pine is different than JBP. In winter compart the bud appearance.There should be differences. The botanically significant differences are in the appearance of the pollen cones and the seed comes between the two species. Unfortunately cones are usually on mature trees only.

There is a remote possibility you have a genetically abnormal scotts pine that does send out 2 flushes of growth. Much more likely it is JBP. Time, and homework doing comparisons will tell. I could not be certain from your photos, but it does look like my JBP that are about the same age.

 

[jeanluc83]

Here is a close up of the buds.


Here are some buds on a tree I know to be JBP.


It looks like a match to me.

 

[0soyoung]

I think you have another thunbergii, but dendrology is challenging.

The bark in this pic looks like thunbergii bark to me; it doesn't have the general reddish tint of sylvestris bark (if I can trust the color balance of the pic).