Hey everyone,
I would like to know if you would decandle this pine this spring. I purchased it in 2021 and repotted it in 2022.
Last year after repotting its growth wasn’t obviously good enough to decandle so I let it grow for a year.
This winter I needle plucked and reduced the needle length to let the light penetrate the tree since they were extremely long. I reduced the longest branches and put some wire on it as well.
The growth of this spring is stronger than last year but not as strong as other black pines of mine. You may notice that the tree is very unbalanced; some branches are fairly strong while others are much weaker. I’m worried that if I don’t decandle a lot of branches will become very long that will ruined the ramification. I have fertilized that tree quite strongly but this spring has been cold and rainy so it didn’t help much.
So I would be very interested in reading your opinion and advises about that tree, decandeling or not and if not what would you do then.
Greg
Wait a couple more weeks.
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The candles do not look strong and the growth is solid but not strong. I held off last year de-candling my Black Pine because it was weak growth and candles and it paid off. I would recommend not de-candling.
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I concur with don’t decandle this season, let it grow free this season and regain strength. I notice that the needles have been pruned, this can be the used if you want to continue to gently control strength distribution while you let it grow this season.
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No,don’t cut the candles because the pine isn’t strong enough. Have a good fertilizing program and cut candles next year. Good luck 
Don’t needle pluck in the winter. If the tree is healthy, do a limited needle plucking in the month before June 1 and then decandle and complete needle plucking after June 1. There are videos in the library that describe this operation and the timing thereof.
It looks like the needles have been cut, but I personally prefer to remove them entirely rather than trim them. Always leave 10-12 pairs per bud/stem. Use wiring and positioning to let light into the middle of the tree.
