Pine Trimmings

Due to being tired and overworked I delayed my pine work a few days. I find the work on these bigger trees to be very tiring. Also!!! - I got a new book i wanted to read it before I took on this pine. The benefits of working and being tired is being able to afford a few nice books. 

I am once again amazed at the vigour on this Scots pine. I think that I have most of my primary branch structure and foliage pads in position. There is still quite a bit of wiring and needle removal to be done though. I have finished the first rough trimming now. Once some of the bulky outer foliage was cleared I was surprised to see how much the adventurous buds close in to the trunk were growing. Picture is a bit dark - but its dark in there close to the trunk.

I seem to have also solved the problem of having a second region trying to become the dominant apex. I did a lot of needle thinning and bud removal in the area and now my preferred apex is stronger.

I had adjusted the position of the tree so that the back of it got plenty of good sun - the growth on the back was very weak and i was going to have to live with it. It seems to have recovered nicely now - I haven’t trimmed there at all - just wiring it a little later on in the year. Once I increase the number of needles out back the balance will return.

I need to clear out some of the old wiring in there and check that everything stays in place. There is some heavy work in there with raffia that will come out - and hopefully the underlying branch will be mostly unscathed. The other lite stuff is also biting in so I'd better hurry up and get it out.

Pine madness

Today I brought in the first of the larger pines for its annual pruning. Its gone completely bonkers and covered itself in 12" candles. This one was covered in flowers last year - this year there are 2 small ones - so I'm certain its no longer stressed. The watering and fertilser regime are working very well - the needle colour and vigour are fantastic.

I think the early hot start to the season certainly helped it along.

This will be the last year that this one is allowed to grow like this - I have the primary structure that I’m looking for - so next year is the full JBP candle removal and back budding.

This afternoon and tomorrow i will be trimming and wiring this one.

I think my timing for this is similar to the traditional time when the JBP's are done - so I'm getting better at it now.

Next up is the big Scots pine. It too has grown wildly and now looks like Don King's hair.