Mugho clean up

[Gerard]

This weeks project was to thin out this pine

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next job is to wire

[wattynine]

Nice Gerard, love to see it again when it's wired as well
Watty

[bodhidharma]

This will be a nice setting in the future. Enjoy the wiring, should take about a week in your spare time

[Daluke]

do you thin all of your pines at this time of year?

[Matthew]

do you thin all of your pines at this time of year?

I just thinned 90% of my black and red pines . The wiring will start this weekend . going to canberra and seen Pavel has really booted me in the bum and motivated me back to my trees . I had to do some large cut backs on the pines as a few years of neglect and not pruning correctly has let to some problems . they are now much better for it and as long as i still get 4-5 weeks growing season they should do fine . I needle pluck now but some people do it alittle later in april

Gerald great mugo i like where this is heading . very healthy too

[Gerard]

do you thin all of your pines at this time of year?

Normally I would do this a little later but it was so strong that I am confident it will be fine. In recent years I have tried to pay more attention to "energy balancing" trying to maintain even amounts of needles on all parts of the tree.
Autumn is the best time for this and with my black pines I will do the weakest ones first.
I like to reduce the buds to 2 on all the tips but leave the strong trees until last because if the energy is distributed between 4 or 5 buds I will have lots of shorter buds to choose from.
If I thin these buds earlier all the energy will go to the 2 remaining buds giving me longer internodes next year.

[Matthew]

do you thin all of your pines at this time of year?

Normally I would do this a little later but it was so strong that I am confident it will be fine. In recent years I have tried to pay more attention to "energy balancing" trying to maintain even amounts of needles on all parts of the tree.
Autumn is the best time for this and with my black pines I will do the weakest ones first.
I like to reduce the buds to 2 on all the tips but leave the strong trees until last because if the energy is distributed between 4 or 5 buds I will have lots of shorter buds to choose from.
If I thin these buds earlier all the energy will go to the 2 remaining buds giving me longer internodes next year.

Gerald

That will be the technique i use next year on my pines but atm they needed neglect correcting and branch cutters were the only thing to fix that . energy balancing and timing is always a fine line to get those needles nice and compact . the seasons and timing play a big part in that it seems .

[Gerard]

Matt, you mentioned that working with Pavel was like a boot in the bum. I received similar inspiration when Ryan Neil was the AABC guest a few years ago, he spoke about balancing energy being the first thing he did with any new pine.

[treeman]

next job is to wire

Well? are you done yet??

[CraigM]

Like this tree, was this the same as the one on the last club exhibition?

Was surprised to see similar clump / windswept style, I styled one when Mauro was here recently. Mine still has the wire will keep on as long as possible, and repot in spring. Looking forward to getting into a decent pot.

Like your container and positioning as well, emphasizing the wind.

[anthonyW]

Just something little different to your setting,not quite convinced with everything being a little repetitive in your setting,appreciate a photo does not reveal all and I do respect the work and skill gone into this setting.
Sorry just not quite convinced,just a little thought for you,hope you don't mind,...cheers Anthony

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[Gerard]

next job is to wire

Well? are you done yet??

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For now

[Gerard]

Like this tree, was this the same as the one on the last club exhibition?

Was surprised to see similar clump / windswept style, I styled one when Mauro was here recently. Mine still has the wire will keep on as long as possible, and repot in spring. Looking forward to getting into a decent pot.

Like your container and positioning as well, emphasizing the wind.

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Yes Craig this was at Box Hill last October. Interesting that you styled one similar with Mauro.
This tree was critiqued by Mauro in June 2013. Mauro conceded that he was not a fan of the windswept style. He also suggested the pot was not ideal because there was too much space on the right end of the pot. I agree and hope to find a better suited pot one day.

[Firecat]

I do like this.

[CraigM]

Thanks Gerard, now that you've opened up and wired the mass looks more balanced as well, personally like the latest view with the current pot and positioning.

The direction of my tree in the workshop was my doing, as Mauro requested we all sketch what we saw in the tree and we ended up following my design. It was good having the guidance though with the initial styling, the experience really made a difference especially when it came to the detail