I think it's very easy to be misled in this scenario because both great health and great stress seem to cause this.... OPENING OF BUDS.
"Opening of buds" because clearly, this is not a "second flush" of growth, "this" not being just your "this", but every "this" ever seen, in any "single flush" tree.
I reckon the thickness and curl of the needle is the measure of wether it was caused by health or stress.
The thicker and more curled the needle, the more stressed the tree.
So why has the tree decided to open these buds?
I reckon a very healthy tree with no fresh wounds can be pushing so much sap, the pressure forces new growth, more surface area to transpire and lessen the pressure.
A stressed tree can be saying, I will not be able to support this foliage next year, so I'm going to expose it now to see if it can pay it's energy way to support itself next year.
Same sign, two meanings.
Either way this growth is mostly useless if not a detriment to design, so I consider it "bad" and try to avoid it.
If too healthy, it's a sign you're not working the tree enough.
If too stressed, it's a sign you're working it too fast.
Both of these go against the end goal so seeking this "second flush" is a guaranteed path to failure.
Seeking to avoid it is the proper balance.
This is anyway, just the tree balancing itself.
It's a "crosstalk foul" if you will.
If we are timing our moves perfectly to eke out every bit of design direction we seek within the seasonal Crosstalk cycles, we should never witness the tree having to balance itself.
This should be expected and accepted with a first season tree. You're supposed to cut it when you get it to start design thinking appropriately.
Just have to remember this was (usually)outside the appropriate "crosstalk" timing, so it's going to act a bit out of pattern.
Sorce
