candle pruning

robert gardner

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
24
Location
Snohomish, Washington
USDA Zone
982
Hello fellow bonsai people,
I have just received a Pinus contorta Willow Creek Lodgepole pine. The candles are getting long now, the major ones are about 1-1/2 inches long. I need to know if its ok to candle prune them. All my conifers are still in the dormant stages as we are still in 40 degree weather. I don't want to hurt this new Bonsai, but would like to control future growth. This tree has a 1 inch diameter trunk and is about 10 inches tall. Any help will be greatly appreciated. This is my first try with a lodgepole pine, so don't hurt me.
 

robert gardner

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
24
Location
Snohomish, Washington
USDA Zone
982
Brian, thanks for the great reply just wasn't sure what to do so thanks for the helpful advice. I do have another question.
Would it be alright to do some needle plucking in the area that I want to start wiring, wanting to give this tree some movement.
It has some started but it needs a little more to help in its future stages. If I could figure how to put pictures in this message
I would like to as I am sure it would help in making decisions. This tree is very flexible right now so adding more movement won't
be any problem. Just need more help on needle plucking.
 

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Messages
13,959
Reaction score
45,885
Location
B’ham, AL
USDA Zone
8A
It sounds small by your description, so I’d try to avoid removing needles if you can.
 

Adair M

Pinus Envy
Messages
14,402
Reaction score
34,873
Location
NEGeorgia
USDA Zone
7a
This is not really a good time to be wiring pines unless you’re very good. The new growth is fragile, and it’s eady to damage the new growth when wiring. Wait until fall.
 

0soyoung

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
7,496
Reaction score
12,832
Location
Anacortes, WA (AHS heat zone 1)
USDA Zone
8b
If you check the bottom of the reply box on the left side you will see the ( attach files) button.
Alternatively, @robert gardner, is to click the 'Insert Image' icon or type ctrl+p InsertImage.png
Then simply drag your photo and drop it on the drop down OR click and find you photo in you devices files. InsertImage.png

Each time you do this, it will place the photo where your cursor is located in the draft of your post.
 

Attachments

  • DropImage.png
    DropImage.png
    44.1 KB · Views: 0

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,253
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
@robert gardner
Lodgepole pines are nice for bonsai. Pinus contorta. The Lodgepole pine is in a small subsection of the genus Pinus, its closest relative in North America is the Jack pine, Pinus banksiana. It is not closely related to Japanese black pine, nor Japanese white pine, the two species are a group unto themselves. They are normally a single flush pine, much like the Scott's pine and Mugo pine, Pinus sylvestris and Pinus mugo. I have a Jack pine, and for general horticulture and training calendar I pretty much follow Vance Wood's calendar for training mugo pines. It seems to work. My caveat is my climate is very similar to Vance's, so what works for him should work for me. I don't know where you are located, so I can't adjust my suggestions to your climate.

Here is the tutorial created from compiled posts by Vance Wood.
[URL]https://www.bonsainut.com/resources/compiled-vance-wood-on-mugo-pines.23/ [/url]

The tutorial will pretty much cover everything you need to know about both mugo, which for me works for P. banksiana.

I do see others posting about lodgepole pine more or less suggesting that they can also be treated similarly to P. sylvestris, Scott's pine. Mugo techniques and Scott's pine techniques are pretty much the same, some adjustments in timing, that is about it.

Again, remember, your lodgepole pine is a single flush pine and should not be treated by JBP nor JWP techniques. It is a different growth pattern.

Young pines, in general, you do not pull needles, nor do you prune candles. You can do branch and bud selection in the autumn. Along with wiring in autumn. Most of your work for will be late summer, or autumn or winter. It is seldom you will be doing anything in spring, or summer.
 
Top Bottom