I cut the sacrifice as it seemed to be doing nothing below where all the nice little buds are. Right or wrong we'll see what happens. I think I'm giving up some thickness for low branches or future tops.
Up potted into a pond basket. Circular roots coming out the bottom and the nebari need addressed next spring. About a year late for this work I believe.
I took this one to Florida w/me for the winter for better or worse. I repotted Jan 11th and tried to sort out the roots a couple years too late but wasn't able to do much. The roots got away from me but I put it in a bit shallower plastic training pot.
The candles opened up while there around mid March and now looking pretty happy in Ohio. I've kept it from freezing up here.
The cutting back previously caused a lot of back buds lower on the trunk and feel like I should thin these out later this season.
My thinking it to keep the young branches and remove the older ones mid to late summer. Too many in one area I believe. What say you? I'm also about to apply Bionide infuse as this seemed to really help keep it healthy last season. Thanks for your input. I'm just not a pine guy it seems. I only have a few and we don't like each other much.
I got some needle cast going on. Removed affected needles and and cleaned up. Going to apply daconil now and another dose of bionide infuse later. Too many branches still but worse problems in the world.
When is best time to remove branches?
Remove the older thick ones and keep the thin new ones is my thoughts.
I removed 3-4 larger branches in favor of the many new smaller shoots lower on the trunk and applied some wire this week. wired up a new apex. I thinned out the new shoots down the trunk but left some extras for health and to fall back on as needed.
I dusted w/hormone and stuck 4 cuttings in the grow bed for the heck of it.
It's pushing up out of the pot already in one season.
Certainly not a contest winner but a fun learning experience.
My success w/pine cutting is zero but trying again for the heck of it.
All the cool kids are doing it so, here is a couple year end shots from today. Roots are going crazy and pushing the wired in tree up and out of the pot.