I acquired this tree over the winter and was told this is a shore pine, but when looking at the videos from Mirai, the candles look very different.
I’m looking to pinch these candles to promote back budding which the tree severely needs. Is this the right time? Is this a single flush short needle pine?
Any advise to increase the ramification and back budding while inhibiting the elongation would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
It doesn’t look like the Shore Pine that I’ve worked on, but it’s hard to say from a couple of pictures. It does look like it belongs in the short needle single-flush category.
Now, let’s talk about pinching candles. First, pinching does not promote back-budding. It transfers energy from exterior shoots to interior buds. If you don’t already have interior buds, then you need to drive the strength and vigor of the tree to increase foliage mass which will promote back-budding. Increase in foliage results in increased vascular tissue growth in the Fall which increases the likelihood of dormant buds activating.
For the first couple of years, fertilize spring to fall to build health. Once your back buds start to form and build foliage mass, then begin to use pinching to transfer strength to the interior. Then you can begin selective pruning to the interior to increase ramification. You can also wait to fertilize until the spring flush hardens. That’s most likely in year 4.
Oh, and no needle plucking except for cleaning up the bottom of foliage pads. Elongation is part of the game, you have to go out and then back in again.
I’ll see if I can put together the most relevant links to the Library content. Hope that helps.
Relevant content in the Library:
Spring:
https://live.bonsaimirai.com/library/video/pinching-strategy
https://live.bonsaimirai.com/library/video/short-needle-second-pinching
Summer:
https://live.bonsaimirai.com/library/video/short-needle-single-flush-pruning-scots-pine
Fall:
https://live.bonsaimirai.com/library/video/fall-fundamentals
https://live.bonsaimirai.com/library/video/scots-pine-fall-cleanup
Awesome info and explanation! Thank you! I understand your point about pinching to transfer energy to interior buds. It seems the previous owner pruned every interior bud for some reason. There is not even 1 single interior bud. I haven’t been able to figure out why, except maybe he liked the aesthetic?
So I guess the plan is fertilize and let it grow. In a few years once there is back budding, that would be the time to pinch candles.
Thanks again!
It looks exactly like the dwarf Shore Pine that I had bought last year at a nursery that came from Iseli originally. Candles look just like that.
Yes looks like you are correct. Thank you. Can you confirm this is a short needle single flush pine?
