AusBonsai

Hi all,

I have this nice little 5 year old Kyokko Nishki that is in development. The plan is to grow hard this year and then cut back to the second level of branches from the bottom- at which time I will choose a first branch and wire up a second as the new leader. The lower branch will be used as a sacrifice for trunk thickening.

The question is should I needle pluck now to redistribute energy so that the lower branches thicken a bit or leave all needles on? All shoots have just one bud.

Removing needles or any growth now will just slow down the growth that you want. The lower branches are not as strong as the top but don't look like they are in danger of dying yet. There are going to be many opinions on how to grow any tree but I would just let it go but keep a close watch on those low branches. If you see signs of yellowing or poor health just chop the top out above the 3rd branches. That will also slow growth but should be enough to send some growth to the branches you want.
Just make sure those lower branches get plenty of sun this year.

Thanks Shibui,

that's what I thought. Plenty of fert and sun. Hoping to try an air layer of the top when I get rid of it. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

How would you choose when to remove the top? Leave it on as long as the bottom branches are thriving until I have the thickness I want?

Exactly. As long as it does not adversely affect the lower branches and the trunk needs to grow it can stay. Occasionally I have had to remove sacrifice branches/trunks for the health of the lower branches but you can easily let another one get away.
Another thing to consider is the size of the scar when you cut the top off. Sometimes it is better to grow several sacrifice branches -at the same time from different points or successive (remove one and start another) so you don't end up with one huge scar on the trunk.

That's helpful. There are three whorls above the second branch - I could spread them out over those