So who has started/ done their de-candling?

Scott Roxburgh · Post by **Scott Roxburgh** » December 16th, 2012, 9:51 pm

Damian Bee wrote:Ummmm errrr ahhhhhhh, that's what our pollies say when they are in the poop
I think the amount of non words per question determines the answer, in this case 'no'.

Scott Martin · Post by **Scott Martin** » December 17th, 2012, 8:49 am

Yep all mine done now. Look a little like plucked chicken but on a few I can already see the buds forming.

Strong feeding really helps kick them along. Without it the trees can really be weakened.

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Nathan · Post by **Nathan** » December 17th, 2012, 10:48 am

I have done the ones that I have

A couple of weeks earlier than I would usually, but as we have our second bub due any day I thought better do it now as I may not get the opportunity

Cheers

Nathan
Brisbane Bonsai

LLK · Post by **LLK** » December 21st, 2012, 10:31 am

Some nice pines on this thread! Compliments to Joe, John Henry and Nathan from Bris.

Hi Lisa, i only grow radiata, Japanese black and Japanese red pines. I am still trying to get my head around growing the radiatas. As for scotts pines mugos etc i am not really familliar with when and even if you should de-candle them. i have heard people treat them more like White pines and prune rather than de-candle.

Joe

Apologies for replying so late. -- I no longer have anu radiatas, as I didn't like their untidy-looking juvenile foliage that took so long to turn into proper needles, so I gave away my three to less fussy people. I don't have any Japanese red pines either, as I killed the three I had, over a few years' time. So I now limit myself to Japanese black and white, Scots pine, Mugo and Ponderosa. The last one is probably the easiest tree in my whole collection; it grows in full sun, only gets watered and fertilised (a bit), and I hardly ever look at it, apart from doing a bit of de-candling in passing.
The needles don't get long if you leave only candle stubs of about 1/4 of the original size. The Japanese pines are treated conventionally.
My love for Scots pines stems from my beginner's years, when I read Dan Barton's "The Bonsai Book", because Dan loves Scots pines and wrote quite extensively about them, recommending especially the Beauvronensis variety with its lovely colouring and short needles. Here is also a look at his versatile bonsai work, which shows what a superb artist he is. I met him at the WBFFF in Munich in 2001, and found him a charming, kind and modest man. See http://artofbonsai.org/galleries/barton_bonsai.php

Grant wrote on the 16th:

Hi Joe,
I decandled a mugo just yesterday and going by last years results it can be done quite OK; although all the europeans don't tend to do it at all; an even shorter and less hot summer I imagine is the reason.
viewtopic.php?f=131&t=6886&hilit=Mugo&start=30 Look at the last post and you will see the results from last year.

That reminded me that I hadn't decandled one of my Mugo's, nor one Scots pine either; they will be pruned instead. Photos to follow, though I don't know when!

Lisa

Jan · Post by **Jan** » December 21st, 2012, 12:31 pm

Thanks for the information to all who contributed to this thread; timings (and reasons) will be added to my maintenance calendar that I’m compiling to try to eliminate the “Opps, missed that job till next season”, factor. Great excuse to play with my poor neglected conifers (I just don’t “get” pines and will have to do more reading/research till they make sense to me) after a quick read up on de-candling.

Must “dress” Albert, my Picea albertina, for his main purpose in life – Christmas Tree. He’ll never make a bonsai, bar branching, far too fluffy and a host of other faults, but he makes an outstanding Christmas tree and finding ornaments Albert size has become a quest for my extended family – my daughter even found a battery operated miniature string of Christmas lights, Albert sized last year (think they were meant for office desk size trees).

Anyway, thanks again for the info, and that link to Dan Barton’s bonsai, Lisa.
Merry Christmas to all,

Jan.

bodhidharma · Post by **bodhidharma** » December 21st, 2012, 2:31 pm

Mine are all done except the ones i repotted as i would like them to grow. Also i had a case of white pine mite which i have had to treat so they also will wait till next year.

Post by **NBPCA** » December 21st, 2012, 2:55 pm

Hi all,

would be interested to also hear whether people fertilise or withhold fertilizer after decandling Black, Red and Radiata pines (which may vary depending where you live).

certainly need to fertilise heavilly before decandling.

Grant

Kelv · Post by **Kelv** » December 21st, 2012, 11:00 pm

Hmm, fertilising sure is important. The pines that I wanted to de-candle did not have needles that did not reach a green that very healthy pines have, so I might have to de-candle next year o_o I think an inadequate feeding is to blame (because the grow-on stock which are completely covered in fert are going nuts now)

Jow · Post by **Jow** » December 22nd, 2012, 7:50 am

Hi Grant,

I have both removed fert after de-candling and left it on. I don't think it makes a gigantic difference but it is noticeable particularly on smaller trees. Feeding heavily early spring and autumn are the most important to get trees strong enough to be de-candled in the first place.

Although I usually remove fert after finishing candling it is the de-candling that does 80-90% of the work. The fert removal does the remaining 10-20%. On small trees this might be important but larger you might not notice as much.

That said, if you can remove fert I would to ensure you get optimal results. I think that playing with your candling timing and keeping a consistent feed regime is the best way to adjust results.

Joe

Jan · Post by **Jan** » December 22nd, 2012, 9:15 am

G'day Joe,

What fert do you use on conifers, and when - alwys looking to improve knowledge/results,

Jan

Scott Roxburgh · Post by **Scott Roxburgh** » December 22nd, 2012, 3:30 pm

Regarding fert, I follow what Joe mentioned particularly on smaller trees.

Last year I left some fert on one of the larger trees but don't know that it effected the tree that much, I do stop the liquid feed though.

Can't speak for Joe but I use 'cakes' of cottonseed meal all year, liquid fish emulsion weekly, seasol, powerfeed/nitrosol, and miracle-gro sometimes.

Jow · Post by **Jow** » December 22nd, 2012, 10:00 pm

http://nichigobonsai.com/2012/09/08/thi ... xperiment/

I think that what you feed is far less important than the feeding itself. Feed often!

Jow · Post by **Jow** » December 24th, 2012, 5:27 pm

A nice early Xmas gift! New buds forming after candle pruning 8 days ago.

shibui · Post by **shibui** » December 27th, 2012, 3:19 pm

I finished the last of my black and red pines this week.

JBP literati 2012 12.JPG

jrp cascade 2012 12 a 2.JPG

This cascade red pine had quite a lot cut off it in August this year and has produced quite a lot of groth since then.

red pine 2012 12 front a.JPG

jrp 2012 12 a 1.JPG

jbp cascade 2012 12 - decandle 1.JPG

jbp cascade 2012 12 - decandle 2.JPG

There's still a large mugho pine in a poly box with a lot of growth on but I'm going to let it grow a bit this year and hope I can still find a tree in it next year.

Nathan · Post by **Nathan** » January 7th, 2013, 7:37 pm

Just over three weeks ago I de candled all of the JBP stock that we have and already I am seeing great budding on many of the trees, they just love the warm weather and the water I have been giving them

AusBonsai