Another corkbark black pine

[Brian Van Fleet]

For the last year and a half, I have been taking care of an older cork bark black pine that the club owns. Our display pavilion has very little sunlight. This one was languishing, and should be dead by now. Older members tell me that the wings used to stick out 2" on each side. I repotted it in the spring of '11, and the new needles (no candles to speak of) grew very long. I took that as a good sign...not enough strength to make a good run at density, but what did grow, grew well. This year, it is absolutely full of new buds, candles in 2s and 3s throughout the tree. So last weekend, I thinned old needles, and pruned it back a bit. It still has a long way to go to get growth back closer to the trunk, but it is doing well. Here are a few shots of the tree:

Brought it home in fall '10:

Repotting '11:

Mid July '11 (note needle development on the other lines for comparison):

After thinning and pinching it back last weekend.

 

[Adair M]

Good work! Here's hoping you get some bud-back on those branches.

Are you planning to decandle this summer? Or do you want it to regain it's vigor this year?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks, not decandling it this year, but will do a fall pruning to push it back to the shoots closest to the trunk on each branch with hopes of getting some more back budding. I may graft into some of the lower branches, since it's unlikely it will bud back on that old cork.

 

[fredtruck]

The corker looks a lot better since you took over its care. When you repotted it, what soil mix did you use?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

2:1 lava and akadama, with a handful of horticultural charcoal mixed into the drainage layer:

Later this summer I'll get a better shot against the fence...

 

[JudyB]

When not de-candleing to improve vigor, what does the fall pruning to push back to the shoots mean? Do you cut the candle you let go back to a few needles??? And does this push more backbudding than the regular pruning regimin? I'm thinking of doing the same for a cork bark black pine of mine that I did a lot of winter work on, and was considering letting it go this summer to let it rest. But I'm in need of backbudding on this tree, so am interested in your plans for your tree.

And great job in bringing this back from the brink, it looks far happier in your care and in the sun.

 

[fore]

Amazing what a little TLC will do Looking good Brian!

 

[Ron Dennis]

Brian,
I did not realize this was one of the club trees. Thanks for your care in "saving" this tree and thanks for all you do in our club.

Looking good!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

When not de-candleing to improve vigor, what does the fall pruning to push back to the shoots mean?
Look at this as an example, this branch has a small interior shoot above my finger, and 2 more shoots out on the end. In the fall, I will prune this branch back to where I'm holding it, leaving the one shoot above my finger. This is done late enough in the fall so the new growth has plenty of time to pump up the tree before its removed, and early enough to give the tree a chance to set buds on what's left.

Do you cut the candle you let go back to a few needles???
Not in this case.

And does this push more backbudding than the regular pruning regimin?
Not necessarily more, but I assume the regular pruning regimen you're referring to is the summer candle pruning, which is more for building ramification than it is to promote back budding. Back budding is achieved through needle pulling, particularly in the spring.

 

[Adair M]

Brian, can you elaborate on the Spring needle pulling to induce back budding?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Brian, can you elaborate on the Spring needle pulling to induce back budding?

It's on this recent blog post: http://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/corkbark-black-pine-meanderings/

And older post here: http://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/needle-pulling-to-increase-density/

 

[fore]

When not de-candleing to improve vigor, what does the fall pruning to push back to the shoots mean?
Look at this as an example, this branch has a small interior shoot above my finger, and 2 more shoots out on the end. In the fall, I will prune this branch back to where I'm holding it, leaving the one shoot above my finger. This is done late enough in the fall so the new growth has plenty of time to pump up the tree before its removed, and early enough to give the tree a chance to set buds on what's left.

Do you cut the candle you let go back to a few needles???
Not in this case.

And does this push more backbudding than the regular pruning regimin?
Not necessarily more, but I assume the regular pruning regimen you're referring to is the summer candle pruning, which is more for building ramification than it is to promote back budding. Back budding is achieved through needle pulling, particularly in the spring.

Summer candle pruning also makes the growth even overall on the tree as well right?

 

[Adair M]

Brian,

On the post you made on your blog... I definately see increased density as the smaller, weaker twigs that were closer to the trunk get fuller, but I didn't see any actual back budding. New buds on old growth. Am I missing something? I'm posting a couple of pics I also posted on another thread of what I consider "back budding".



I pulled 2 year old needles last fall on that tree. The first pic is this March, and the second pic is today, May 12.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Adair, the older post dealt more with density and pushing growth back, correct, and the newer post is pretty much what you shared above.
Chris, you are correct.