It's time

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Wires_Guy_wires

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Needles stopped extending ✓
New Buds are present ✓
Plants are healthy ✓
Needles have fully opened ✓
3 more months before the fall temperature drop ✓

All of the above have a check mark, so the conditions are met. It doesn't matter where in the world you are, these are the things that matter. You are free to use this guideline.

Time to cut shoots on single flush pines back to six to eight pairs of needles.

Why is it called shoot cutting? Because they aren't candles, or buds, but fully formed shoots. We cut those to get back budding and to keep the shape.


The before.

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The after.

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One down, fifteen or so more to go.
 
I have done this two weeks ago on a Mugo pine from a nursery stock,
only that I missed the "New buds are present" point...
what would you think that the outcome of this will be?
 
Pájaro said:
I have done this two weeks ago on a Mugo pine from a nursery stock,
only that I missed the "New buds are present" point...
what would you think that the outcome of this will be?
Click to expand...
Cutting too soon can result in a second flush, as a stress response. This second flush can get weird, with three needles per pair, juvenile needle growth (flat and wide needles that have a limited lifespan) or a lack of a solid bud setting before winter because the plant is halfway producing new growth.
Mugo, scots pine and austrian pine can mostly handle this, usually, but don't turn it into an annual thing.
The fact that growth hasn't completed before winter can cause some weird things in spring, usually everything lives and isn't bothered by the cold, but since the plant essentially skips "full dormancy standstill" the next years growth might not be as strong.
Let that growth go, and see if it behaves normal again within the year. If it doesn't, then don't do the shoot cut in that year.

I'm on the early side of early, the needles are just turning from their fresh light green to dark. But I prefer doing whole trees at once for maximum response. So if three or more branches have the darker greens, it's go time.

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Thanks. Very helpful to know what to look for to set the timing right.
 
I was told to wait for August in my area to cut back the shoots. Weather and timing of seasons determine when to do this. You may have an earlier fall than I do
 
I have tried it later on half of my stock @Paradox but I got a mediocre response, that's why I stopped timing based on months and started timing it based on physiological markers.
I'm not saying it's a better method, but I find it easier to find the sweet spot.
 
Lol,
We are on the same timing it seems:
I worked my first pine yesterday too, and just stopped because the next one is a big one and will take hours to do :)
 
I assume this is for a tree that is mostly developed and not looking to gain trunk size? Not much experience especially with conifers but did get a Scott’s pine at our local club few months back.
 
Usefull information.
So I have this Mirai Care calendar which I use as a general guide line. Here it indicates the month of June for post hardened pruning on single flush pines in my specific heatzone.

Not written in stone of course.

As we both seem to be living in the Netherlands and your method is succesfull to you I might change my calendar guide lines.

Do you mind sharing the following actions you take on your Scots Pine untill dormancy comes?

Jasper
 
Quick question for the single flush pine experts. I'm growing P. sylvestris from seed and have several future shohin with multiple vigorous candles... 14-18 cm + long with a long needle free neck. I'm pretty sure I've read that fully removing such a vigorous candle will force new buds to set lower down in last year's needles but I'd love verification. Thanks.IMG_0582.jpg
 
NeedlesAndLeaves said:
Usefull information.
So I have this Mirai Care calendar which I use as a general guide line. Here it indicates the month of June for post hardened pruning on single flush pines in my specific heatzone.

Not written in stone of course.

As we both seem to be living in the Netherlands and your method is succesfull to you I might change my calendar guide lines.

Do you mind sharing the following actions you take on your Scots Pine untill dormancy comes?

Jasper
Click to expand...
There is a care sheet I made in the resources page of the forum.
I promised a huge update a year ago, but I'm close to finding the motivation to actually update it.

I made that care sheet specifically with bonsai apps and calendars in mind: the care sheet uses no calendar, but physiological traits instead. This way you do things when the plant is ready, and not because the agenda says you should.
 
Wires_Guy_wires said:
There is a care sheet I made in the resources page of the forum.
I promised a huge update a year ago, but I'm close to finding the motivation to actually update it.

I made that care sheet specifically with bonsai apps and calendars in mind: the care sheet uses no calendar, but physiological traits instead. This way you do things when the plant is ready, and not because the agenda says you should.
Click to expand...
Especially with how weird our spring was here in Wisconsin I often stress understanding what to look for as a signal from the tree over using a calendar. Everything seems to be two weeks advanced in my area this year.
 
Wires_Guy_wires said:
There is a care sheet I made in the resources page of the forum.

I promised a huge update a year ago, but I'm close to finding the motivation to actually update it.

I made that care sheet specifically with bonsai apps and calendars in mind: the care sheet uses no calendar, but physiological traits instead. This way you do things when the plant is ready, and not because the agenda says you should.
Click to expand...

Fair enough..
As I said to me a(ny) calendar is not written in stone and the current condition, seasonal progression, health and developmental status of a specimen stays a trigger to act or withhold yourself to take appropriate action.

Guidelines (if used to guide and not to follow blindly) have proven to be usefull and valuable to improve ones knowledge and understanding to act so that intuition may take over in times to come.

I found your care sheet and will look into it, tnx for the effort of writing it 😃
 
Wires_Guy_wires said:
There is a care sheet I made in the resources page of the forum.
I promised a huge update a year ago, but I'm close to finding the motivation to actually update it.

I made that care sheet specifically with bonsai apps and calendars in mind: the care sheet uses no calendar, but physiological traits instead. This way you do things when the plant is ready, and not because the agenda says you should.
Click to expand...

That update will be really apreaciated,
thanks for already sharing the current resource 👍
 
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