Question on decandling and repotting timing on JBP

[cheap_walmart_art]

I have a JBP and a Virginia Pine that I was wanting to practice decandling techniques with. Today marks 100 days before the average first frost in my region. However, I also plan on repotting both of these trees come spring next year. The JBP is in turface best I can tell, but it is compacted a bit and I want to get it out if the terra cotta pot and into a training pot. The Virginia pine is in straight up field soil and I want to get it into bonsai soil asap.

My question is: Would it be wiser to just let both of these trees grow unhindered this season so they are at max strength for the repot I plan on doing this Spring?

Pics of the Virginia Pine:



Pics of the JBP:

 

[0soyoung]

My immediate thought is who says you must decandle the entire tree just to 'practice'?
Maybe just remove a few candles in a strong area and not on the tip of your sacrifice leader instead and otherwise, proceed as you've planned.

 

[River's Edge]

Simply put, Yes. Let them grow and strengthen them for repot in the spring! Decandling requires strong healthy trees for proper response. Besides it is used on trees that are ready for refinement. The trunks are basically the desired thickness and the primary branches in place.
Practice decandling will simply weaken the trees and delay your progress.

 

[sorce]

Are the VP pics current?

Unless you plan on cutting BACK to that low branch on the JBP I'd cut it off...
You're going to lose that movement as it's in the inside of that curve.

Doesn't seem anything is ready for decandling.

At this point....EARLy and undeveloped, which I have plenty of experience. .

It's about Nurturing your future tree, close buds and low branches..

While allowing farther stuff to grow the trunk, and not shade your keeper parts.

That JBP got too much coming from that one spot on the top.

I might cut one of those put this year...

And second and third think repotting.

Sorce

 

[River's Edge]

Are the VP pics current?

Unless you plan on cutting BACK to that low branch on the JBP I'd cut it off...
You're going to lose that movement as it's in the inside of that curve.

Doesn't seem anything is ready for decandling.

At this point....EARLy and undeveloped, which I have plenty of experience. .

It's about Nurturing your future tree, close buds and low branches..

While allowing farther stuff to grow the trunk, and not shade your keeper parts.

That JBP got too much coming from that one spot on the top.

I might cut one of those put this year...

And second and third think repotting.

Sorce

This is an example of what Sorce is describing!

 

[Adair M]

I would say that neither of those trees are ready for decandling. As RiversEdge said, decandling is performed after the structure and trunk is set. You will get virtually no trunk thickening once you start decandling.

 

[just.wing.it]

I would say that neither of those trees are ready for decandling. As RiversEdge said, decandling is performed after the structure and trunk is set. You will get virtually no trunk thickening once you start decandling.

With that said, in the development phase of jbp should we just leave it alone, and only remove undesirable branches?
Edit:
Or treat it like a single flush Pine, and cut back in the summer to create back budding?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Developmentally they’re not ready for decandling techniques yet. Do some branch selection, pruning, needle-pulling and wiring in the fall. Repot in the spring and let’s reevaluate next summer.

 

[Adair M]

With that said, in the development phase of jbp should we just leave it alone, and only remove undesirable branches?
Edit:
Or treat it like a single flush Pine, and cut back in the summer to create back budding?

No cutting back needed at this stage. Wire it out in the fall.

 

[just.wing.it]

No cutting back needed at this stage. Wire it out in the fall.

Developmentally they’re not ready for decandling techniques yet. Do some branch selection, pruning, needle-pulling and wiring in the fall. Repot in the spring and let’s reevaluate next summer.

Gentlemen, much appreciated. Thank you both for the info!

 

[PiñonJ]

With that said, in the development phase of jbp should we just leave it alone, and only remove undesirable branches?
Edit:
Or treat it like a single flush Pine, and cut back in the summer to create back budding?

Cutting back doesn’t create back budding. Needle mass causing vascular traffic creates back budding.

 

[River's Edge]

With that said, in the development phase of jbp should we just leave it alone, and only remove undesirable branches?
Edit:
Or treat it like a single flush Pine, and cut back in the summer to create back budding?

Good Question! The lower branching early on in the development phase do not just appear on their own. Selective cut back of apical growth at various stages and places assist in the back budding, as well as needle pulling to prevent shading out new shoots, and to allow sunlight in to promote new growth. Sometimes wiring will be used to assist as well in positioning branch tips down to diminish auxin influence.

 

[LanceMac10]

As far as the JBP is concerned, do you do literati-style?

 

[River's Edge]

As far as the JBP is concerned, do you do literati-style?

I prefer the JRP for Literati, they have a neutral slender growth habit and the longer needles suit a taller style. I do consider it for some of the tree's not developing very well, but the collected shore pines in this area so far outshine a JBP in that regard that it is far easier for me to develop a collected shore pine as a Literati than a nursery JBP. After all i,m over 70 now Collecting the natural aged trunk is faster. Here is one i collected last august. No work done other than repotting on collection.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Thanks for all the replies! Yep those pics were both taken today. Ill just let them keep growing this year and repot in Spring.

 

[sorce]

Thanks for all the replies! Yep those pics were both taken today. Ill just let them keep growing this year and repot in Spring.

What's the deal with the VP?

Was it cut back? Second growth?
Is that first growth?

Seems weak. Like it either needs a repot.or Surely NOT!
It's dope.

Literati that JBP all .... Year?
It can be dope too.

Sorce

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

What's the deal with the VP?

Was it cut back? Second growth?
Is that first growth?

Seems weak. Like it either needs a repot.or Surely NOT!
It's dope.

Literati that JBP all .... Year?
It can be dope too.

Sorce

Nah, that VP looks perfectly normal and healthy. I’ve had a bunch of them, all collected from around here. Funny thing is, I’ve killed every one of them. They are fussy in pots for me, and grow wild in the ground all around.

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

That first tree looks more like a pitch pine than a Virginia...

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Im going with VP as thats what i was told by the guy who gave it to me. Its also literally growing in red clay field dirt. He was giving a few away at our club last year so i grabbed it and since he had just dug them up i didnt repot this spring. So far its made it through winter and this growing season so im thinking it may deserve nicer soil next year.

So Brian, since you've had trouble with them potted, would you think that when i repot in spring i should over pot it a bit and disturb the roots as little as possible? Possibly do the pie slice method like is sometimes recommended for mugos?

 

[sorce]

Why not wait till summer dormancy.
When it aint trying to grow top?

So these are slow to grow?
Or is that regrowth?

Why so small and not fully open?

Sorce