Chamaecyparis Hinoki - September a good time to thin?

[Japonicus]

I remove the leading "fan?" at its origin in hopes of new fans being generated closer to the trunk.

Yes fan or frawn I call them. It sounds like you're in hopes of back budding based on this quote.
I suppose the baby fan would indeed be a bud at its beginning stages. New buds then would form at the site of removal.
Interiorly closer to the trunk though, I'm not following you. I have more luck getting WP to back bud, never my hinoki.
Sorry if I'm reading your post incorrectly.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I trim the exterior to keep it within a profile. Not much or often. Mostly to maintain size. Since they don't exactly grow while your watching them, or go hog wild, they don't actually need much. They are kinda thick anyway so it's not like there is this great space that has to be filled up, but you can't just let them grow unrestrained. Not that it would be noticeable.

 

[Vance Wood]

I present a TIME LINE below before anybody jumps on the bandwagon with a generic answer.
The health of the tree based on prior events is always crucial to me.
I'm assuming wiring damage based on @Vance Wood 's input
but perhaps a blight or disease of sorts hit this hinoki. IDK.

I wired it last Fall, so probably a little bit of thinning 1st.

.View attachment 326441
Last Fall prior to wiring


Late Fall this gem began throwing a terrible fit, I thought it might die half way back.
Sorry for the out of order shot, just establishing history of health and tolerance to my maintenance.
View attachment 326443
August 2018 ^ it did exceeding well with this wiring done earlier than and in contrast to, the Fall 2019 wiring.
(So some thinning and wiring 2 years in a row, nothing major).
View attachment 326445
Following Spring May 2019 wire removed

2nd wiring Last Fall, much less detail, just maintaining ...
View attachment 326442
Feb, 2020
Ah, that's not too much wire, but quite the fit it threw nonetheless.
I potted this dwarf hinoki this May 2020. It actually will display 4 tones of colour.
Green, dark green, yellow, and cream when at peak season and health just like my Lynns Golden does.
View attachment 326444

Ok, so it threw a fit, and I kept it on the deck at the foot of my bench shading one side mostly for the day and rotating it.
The lack of bright Full Sun diminishes the contrast in colour, to just 2 tone green. Expected that. Health has increased
but the damage is done to the inside of the frawns, the colour is awful, and this is the precious interior growth as well.
View attachment 326446 View attachment 326447
Well I still find 4 colours, just not that "beacon" on the bench right now.

Obviously needs thinning, and Bonsai4me mentions Winter die back on shaded areas on the interior.
I keep my trees under my sunroom over Winter with no direct light, and it has never been a problem.
The possible "wiring damage" above last Fall, seemed to only affect one side, the front half of the tree.
Back side seemed pretty good. Have not thinned due to the repot this May, but it needs it. When?

What kind of watering schedule to you approach this tree with? Have you checked for spider mites? They can decimate a tree quickly.

 

[Japonicus]

you can't just let them grow unrestrained

True that!

 

[Japonicus]

What kind of watering schedule to you approach this tree with? Have you checked for spider mites? They can decimate a tree quickly.

As with all my trees when needed I water.

Mites, no I've checked my juniper, and sprayed neem oil, malathion and insecticidal soap so far this year
as preventative, but sure, I will check. The tree is doing ok and has rebound from the post you quoted, thanks Vance.

 

[Japonicus]

Have you checked for spider mites?

I checked just prior to some thinning this evening and A Okay, nothing.

Hopefully you can tell I've begun some work.
There's minimal wire on the tree I started about 5 or 6 wks ago.
This one happens to be 19" above the rim of the pot.
Will study the apex and see if it needs to be reduced later.