To cut off or not to cut off? That is the question!

[Grant Bowie]

Started working on this tree again and will repot soon into a new pot and potting mix.

I like how it is coming.

Grant

[Jamie]

nice grant, i really like this tree and can see why leigh wants it so much!

keen to see it in a new pot and looking healthy! what mix are you going to use?

Jamie

[Matthew]

Grant
i must of missed this thread the tree is amazing . i find myself drawn up its trunk line and into the branches i really like it alot. I believe removing that branch was a positive for the tree but no easy feat to cut off something that may have been growing for 10 years or more. Again beutiful tree and love your work

[Grant Bowie]

nice grant, i really like this tree and can see why leigh wants it so much!

keen to see it in a new pot and looking healthy! what mix are you going to use?

Jamie

I am trialling a mix of 40% Diatomite (Maidenwell or Mt Sylvia), 20% gravel (Carnarvon River Gravel, Marble Chip or Decomposed Granite), 20% Coco Peat and 20% Orchid mix.

I am removing a lot of the old mix to truly try the new mix.

Pat Kennedy round pot of similar size.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

This is as far as I can go for the moment.

2005.JPG

Black pine 1974 stock.JPG

Literati Black Pine 0.JPG

Finished for now 22Aug2010.JPG

I need to remove the spring candles and force new compact growth at the ends of the existing growth.
I will let the apex fill out slightly to the left of existing.
I have removed a number of branchlets yesterday and today and finished wiring and placement.
I have moved the front about 15 degrees to the right.
New pot is beside the old one and I will repot it in the morning.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

hi all,

Thats it for a few months now. Next job will be to remove the new growth as it elongates in early to late October. Cut out the strong buds first and then the rest as they move over the next two or three weeks.

New growth should be nice and small and prolific.

Repotted 23rdAugust 2010.JPG

[Ray M]

Hi Grant,
My answer to cutting the branch off is no. I would not cut it off at this point in time. I would like to suggest that you put it in another pot. Get a slightly bigger pot and put the whole tree WITH POT into the new pot. If you put some sand in the pot you can move it around until you have the angle the way you want. Then have a look at the branches and see if any need removing.

Regards Ray

[Steven]

Hmmm... can we try it with that bottom right branch back on?

A great progression Grant, thanks for putting it together. Nice to see it happen in 'real time' with feedback and commentary from the sidelines. A bit like those choose your own adventure books that I used to love as a kid.

I'll be in line next to Leigh when you get tired and ready to move this baby on

Regards,
Steven

[Ray M]

Hi Grant,
Sorry, I didn't notice the other pages of your post. I guess my suggestion is to late.

Regards Ray

[anttal63]

Way to go Grant!!!

[Grant Bowie]

Hi Grant,
Sorry, I didn't notice the other pages of your post. I guess my suggestion is to late.

Regards Ray

Just a tad.

I should move it to a new thread and keep udates going.

grant

[Grant Bowie]

The Pine is doing well this season but still needs a lot of sorting out.

IMG_0643 - Copy.JPG

Grant

[Steven]

It sure looks healthy Grant but what do you mean by 'sorting out'? What are you planning?
Your not going to cut off another branch are you?

S.

[Grant Bowie]

It sure looks healthy Grant but what do you mean by 'sorting out'? What are you planning?
Your not going to cut off another branch are you?

S.

No' no need to cut off branches this year. It is very healthy but the season has been very cool so far so I am not sure whether to do a candle removal as the season may be too short and cool.

I want to bulk up the number of branchlets , shorten needle size of course and a few other things.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Hi everyone,

I decided, despite the cool and wet weather we were having, to do the usual mid summer "Needle Reduction Technique". That is from mid December I gradually removed 1/3rd of the new candles at a time working up the tree.

Japanese Black Pine no2 4th Dec 2010 before trim - Compressed.JPG

Japanese Black Pine no2 4th Dec 2010 before trim closeup - Compressed.JPG

It budded very well and last tuesday night I candle snapped the elongating new growth, bobbed the old needles and did a light rewire.
Here is the result.

Japanese Black Pine no2 11th feb 2011 - Compressed.JPG

Japanese Black Pine no2 11th feb 2011 - closeup compressed.JPG

Sill some minor sorting out to do but I am basically very happy with this pine finally.

PS. The new potting mix is great.

Grant