Ruddigger
Omono
It is not impossible. My technique keeps the foliage juvenile and allows for smaller trees to be made within scale.
ZombieNick's 2023-2026 Little Christmas Tree Entry
- Thread starter ZombieNick
- Start date
It is not impossible. My technique keeps the foliage juvenile and allows for smaller trees to be made within scale.
ZombieNick
Shohin
This one got away from me, I didn't do much work since the last update, until last weekend. I was going to give up altogether but @Ruddigger keeps telling me to work it. I did another big cut back and will make an honest effort of staying on top of it this year to actually finish the contest, though I fear I am far behind.
March 22, 2025 - Before:
After:
March 22, 2025 - Before:
After:
Ruddigger
Omono
Hey, there ya go. You can cut the branches back even further if you want.
Wulfskaar
Masterpiece
Can you explain the technique? Is it like pinching new growth on a spruce?
Ruddigger
Omono
Yes, or like pinching a redwood in that you can do it multiple times a year.
Last edited:
ZombieNick
Shohin
I kept up on this tree this year and it is progressing well now.
June 2025
Just a few months later and there was back budding and strong growth everywhere. The wire was already biting so it had to be removed. I did another round of pruning and branch selection.
(Before)
(After)
I have not started pinching yet at this point. I am still selecting secondaries and trying to get more back budding closer to the trunk. I left growing tips long and strong on each branch where I could.
June 2025
Just a few months later and there was back budding and strong growth everywhere. The wire was already biting so it had to be removed. I did another round of pruning and branch selection.
(Before)
(After)
I have not started pinching yet at this point. I am still selecting secondaries and trying to get more back budding closer to the trunk. I left growing tips long and strong on each branch where I could.
ZombieNick
Shohin
September 2025
Three months later and it once again is pushing growth everywhere. I got the back budding I wanted and the tree continues to grow very strong. This time I cut all the branches back hard to the final silhouette.
(Before)
(After)
From this point on I began to apply @Ruddigger 's technique of pinching the new growth to force it to stay juvenile.
Three months later and it once again is pushing growth everywhere. I got the back budding I wanted and the tree continues to grow very strong. This time I cut all the branches back hard to the final silhouette.
(Before)
(After)
From this point on I began to apply @Ruddigger 's technique of pinching the new growth to force it to stay juvenile.
ZombieNick
Shohin
Dec 2025
I pinched it constantly since the last cut back and the branches are filling in nicely. I got it into a bonsai pot and wired down a couple of the branches.
(Before)
(In Progress)
(After)
I pinched it constantly since the last cut back and the branches are filling in nicely. I got it into a bonsai pot and wired down a couple of the branches.
(Before)
(In Progress)
(After)
Ruddigger
Omono
Looking good. Your tree has much better primary branches than mine did.
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