JBP.... When can,should, would it be time to prune back this mop?

[Mike Corazzi]

It seems happy....BUT.... jeez!
It is TOO BIG AND FULL !!
Can I clip back to some needles on those sticks?
Haven't examined in DETAIL but quick view shows no buds.

Alternative could be affixing a pole to that pond basket and making it into a cobweb mop.

 

[roberthu]

The branch locations seems pretty good. Not many swirls. JBP cut back is usually done in the winter, late winter that is.
I'd leave it along until then.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

The branch locations seems pretty good. Not many swirls. JBP cut back is usually done in the winter, late winter that is.
I'd leave it along until then.

Thank you. Exactly what I wanted to know.

 

[Shibui]

Those all appear to be shoots from last spring. We would normally remove them just before summer solstice (100 days before frost??) to get smaller second shoots. Sometimes shoots are allowed to grow long for a year or 2 to increase trunk thickness.
JBP can be pruned any time of year but results vary depending on timing. Pines only bud reliably from healthy needles so don't cut way back to bare wood.

Late summer prune doesn't kill the tree but new shoots often don't open until the following spring. Spring growth will usually be strong.
Winter prune will produce new buds in spring. Growth will be strong. May be followed up with summer decandling to get smaller shoots if growth is strong.
Spring prune produces medium strong new shoots quickly after pruning.
Early summer prune produces lots of shorter new shoots.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Personally beginning yearly pruning/training of 4 JBPs just now. Generally wait until harden off but still time to grow new buds before onset of cold weather. Why wait for winter.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Gee, I love olives.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Actually, I note all the replies. Pines have always "stumped" me.