I know Ryan has said wedge cuts are a fundamental technique for pines, but does it work on things related to pine, like firs and spruces?
Depending on how my spruce is looking next winter, I might try it out. Or get another one to try it on. Or find a pine, of which I currently have none.
You can wedge cut a pine because it has the ability to move resources horizontally. Spruce do not have this same ability. They are both " evergreen" but they are drastically different in where their strength comes from…pines energy is stored in their roots, spruce and elongating species store energy in their vascular tissue. This explains a little bit more why a spruce trunk cut is not a realistic strategy but is reliable for pines.
3 Likes
I guess I need a definition for “elongating species”? I’ve heard the term several times, and kinda assumed it was basically the same as apically dominant. The opposite of apical dominance is basal dominance, but what’s the opposite of elongating? Is there a good reference out there that gives these kinds of definitions?
2 Likes
I wouldn’t think about it in terms of opposites for elongating species. Pretty sure this is a term Ryan coined to quantify similar behaviors, method’s and timing amongst: spruce, cypress, cupressus, for and some oaks(I am sure I missed it missed or mixed something up there) and would love to know if I am wrong here. Still learning myself.
What helped me was going to the live stream library and filter by species (elongating) and look at the different tre sub-species. I couldn’t think of anything one size fits all for elongating species other than where they get their energy from. Sorry that’s all I have, hope it helps.
2 Likes
First off, let’s dispel some questions by simply defining the term - Elongating Species are species that produce one elongating piece of growth in a season . This is a broad characterization of species in both alpine and coastal environments. (Ryan Neil on Bonsai Mirai webpage)
2 Likes