Bjorn's You Tube VS Web Page Single Flush Pine Advice

[mrcasey]

In the video, Bjorn indicates that new candles are partially cut just as new needles are emerging. The needles are barely visible and the sheaths are clearly still on the needles. This happens in Tennessee some time in mid April.

On his web page species guide, however, Bjorn indicates that you should wait for sheaths to fall
from new shoots to do this same work.

video:

web page: https://bjornbjorholm.com/care-and-maintenance-guide-for-native-us-pine-bonsai-pinus/


These two prescriptions seem at odds with each other. Can someone clear up my confusion?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

The pine he is cutting in the video is a non-native scots pine.
The webpage is about native pines, doesn't mention sylvestris specifically.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Email Bjorn or call. He's not hard to get to talk to.

 

[Adair M]

The sheaths on JWP don’t fall until August. So, don’t use them as an indicator.

 

[mrcasey]

The pine he is cutting in the video is a non-native scots pine.
The webpage is about native pines, doesn't mention sylvestris specifically.

Yes, but he offers the same advice for single-flush, native European pines, i.e. P. sylvestris here:https://bjornbjorholm.com/care-and-maintenance-guide-for-native-european-pine-bonsai-pinus/

 

[Japonicus]

this same work.

In Spring, once the candles/needles open they are no longer candles,
so it cannot be the same maintenance.

Once next years buds are set on, it is too late to cut shoots.
Near the end of the growing season, October is, a good time to prune, cut back to viable branches and wire.

 

[fudo133]

I'm definitely not an expert with single flush pines, but i seem to recall hearing and reading something similar a while ago on the mirai site about trying to induce back budding on eastern white pines/pinus strobus and limber pines/pinus flexilis. Going off memory, i think they were saying that since both are more reluctant to back bud than Japanese white pines, it helps to let them put on as much foliage mass as possible to get them stronger before cutting them back....again though, i've not really had much experience with it myself so i cant claim any first hand expertise

 

[sorce]

I'm definitely with the Email Bjorn. No sense for speculation.

I'd guess the video may be old, which may mean a slight location change, but I wouldn't discount time alone from having even those we consider most educated more educated.
Bjorn has never made me feel like he's the kinda person to ever stop learning.

I feel like there may be an assumption that the prescription was the same. A content creator has the responsibility to make content easy to understand. I don't believe they have a responsibility, or ability to remember, to consider a slightly earlier cut on one tree is the prescription for that specific tree, whole a slightly later cut may be the prescription for that specific tree. Like, what may have been omitted is, "you may have noticed sometimes these are cut at slightly different times". That would be like a whole episode on paying attention to very small details.

I think there is a lot of difference between the reactions of "single flush" pines across climates.

Truth, I don't think anyone is "right" about their care.

Sorce

 

[mrcasey]

In Spring, once the candles/needles open they are no longer candles,
so it cannot be the same maintenance.

Once next years buds are set on, it is too late to cut shoots.
Near the end of the growing season, October is, a good time to prune, cut back to viable branches and wire.

Notice in the first paragraph of the written guide that Bjorn uses the word "candle" to refer to both actual candles AND pine shoots with elongated needles that have dropped their sheaths in summer.

In the video, he gives a specific time (mid-late April) to prune new candles/shoots but doesn't mention the other time suggested in the written guide. In the written guide, he gives a different specific time (early June) to prune new shoots/candles, but doesn't mention the other time suggested in the video.

 

[Adair M]

Each species of tree acts a little differently. In fact, each CULTIVAR of a species acts acts a little differently! You have to learn how YOUR tree responds to various techniques. And remember, climate and weather can affect your tree. So it’s not an exact science.

 

[mrcasey]

Each species of tree acts a little differently. In fact, each CULTIVAR of a species acts acts a little differently! You have to learn how YOUR tree responds to various techniques. And remember, climate and weather can affect your tree. So it’s not an exact science.

I got that, but Bjorn's Scott's pines shouldn't have been behaving so differently from one year to the next unless they were sick. If they were, shouldn't he have mentioned it?

 

[Adair M]

I got that, but Bjorn's Scott's pines shouldn't have been behaving so differently from one year to the next unless they were sick. If they were, shouldn't he have mentioned it?

Huh? Why do you think they were acting so differently?

 

[mrcasey]

Huh? Why do you think they were acting so differently?

Because he seems to have given two different pruning regimens for his single flush Scotts pine. But more perplexingly, he gives those two different regimens without referencing each other.

 

[River's Edge]

just as new needles are emerging

As the white sheaths at the base of each new needle begin to naturally shed. This could easily be a different way of expressing the same. The needles begin to emerge from the sheath and it is beginning the shedding process.

In addition to the two comments above he indicates approximate timelines, one for the northern hemisphere and one for his particular location. They vary as one would expect for a change in location. One earlier and one later! One is a general guideline for single flush in a very large climatic area, the other is specific to a species in his particular location. Which he explains is hotter and more humid with earlier growth pattern than Bill's location further north.
I do not see any conflict in the advice given, however it is a simple thing to make an inquiry of Bjorn himself if it is confusing for you.

 

[mrcasey]

As the white sheaths at the base of each new needle begin to naturally shed. This could easily be a different way of expressing the same. The needles begin to emerge from the sheath and it is beginning the shedding process.

In addition to the two comments above he indicates approximate timelines, one for the northern hemisphere and one for his particular location. They vary as one would expect for a change in location. One earlier and one later! One is a general guideline for single flush in a very large climatic area, the other is specific to a species in his particular location. Which he explains is hotter and more humid with earlier growth pattern than Bill's location further north.
I do not see any conflict in the advice given, however it is a simple thing to make an inquiry of Bjorn himself if it is confusing for you.

So the sheaths begin shedding in early mid April and finish shedding in mid June? That seems very unlikely to me. If that's the case, I feel like Bjorn should have mentioned it.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

What is your goal with your tree?
I have more scots pines than any other pine. And I've tried both techniques with similar results.

For energy distribution I cut elongating candles as they elongate. Needles are visible but not extended yet.

For budding and chasing back the foliage I cut later, when the candles are extended and the needles have hardened off. But doing this too late in the year, they won't set new buds until late winter or spring. If the tree is weak, this also tends to happen.

For a second flush, I cut them when the needles haven't hardened off. Unreliable method though and they might get stressed, responding weirdly like producing sets of three needles instead of two.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

In the video, Bjorn indicates that new candles are partially cut just as new needles are emerging. The needles are barely visible and the sheaths are clearly still on the needles. This happens in Tennessee some time in mid April.

On his web page species guide, however, Bjorn indicates that you should wait for sheaths to fall
from new shoots to do this same work.

video:

web page: https://bjornbjorholm.com/care-and-maintenance-guide-for-native-us-pine-bonsai-pinus/


These two prescriptions seem at odds with each other. Can someone clear up my confusion?

Not the same work.
Spring candle pruning from the video is done when needles are just visible, this is to balance the strength of this year’s emerging candles.
Summer candle pruning from the website is done to induce bud formation for next year’s candles.
I was up there last weekend and he discussed this; they’re 2 different operations and not at odds with each other.
With pines, multiple techniques and timing are used, all with the ultimate goal of creating balance. Otherwise strong areas run, and weak areas die.

 

[Japonicus]

Not the same work.
Spring candle pruning from the video is done when needles are just visible, this is to balance the strength of this year’s emerging candles.
Summer candle pruning from the website is done to induce bud formation for next year’s candles.
I was up there last weekend and he discussed this; they’re 2 different operations and not at odds with each other.
With pines, multiple techniques and timing are used, all with the ultimate goal of creating balance. Otherwise strong areas run, and weak areas die.

Is there an instance or a reason to ever perform both candle cutting or pinching in Spring and shoot cutting in Summer
of the same year on the same tree? Like Shoot cutting in Summer on semi-weak branches and candle cutting or pinching on stronger branches? I personally never shoot cut after the candles open, always pinch off a
percentage based on vigour or not at all per each individual candle or branch vigour.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Is there an instance or a reason to ever perform both candle cutting or pinching in Spring and shoot cutting in Summer
of the same year on the same tree? Like Shoot cutting in Summer on semi-weak branches and candle cutting or pinching on stronger branches? I personally never shoot cut after the candles open, always pinch off a
percentage based on vigour or not at all per each individual candle or branch vigour.

Absolutely, since the first is to balance strength and the second is to increase buds.

 

[Potawatomi13]

In the video, Bjorn indicates that new candles are partially cut just as new needles are emerging. The needles are barely visible and the sheaths are clearly still on the needles. This happens in Tennessee some time in mid April.

On his web page species guide, however, Bjorn indicates that you should wait for sheaths to fall
from new shoots to do this same work.

video:

web page: https://bjornbjorholm.com/care-and-maintenance-guide-for-native-us-pine-bonsai-pinus/


These two prescriptions seem at odds with each other. Can someone clear up my confusion?

Needle sheaths fall from White pine needles. As far as known only White pines. This happens when needles hardened off, not as candles growing. Did not see anybody mention this. Other pines different this way.