Japanese Black Pine Backbudding?

[digger714]

Here is a Japanese Black Pine i got last year, and am letting it grow out, but after studying it, it looks like it might not have been taken care of properly in that there is only two branches and all the others seem to be growing from them. Does anyone think i should take off a certain branch to induce some back budding and more branches? Thanks for any help. If any more pics are wanted, please ask.

 

[Bill S]

Is the piece going up from the whorl a dead former trunk?? If it is I would think about picking two of the smaller branches( 1st branch, and new leader) and get rid of the rest, but we need a better view of the whole thing.

 

[Klytus]

I was wondering if the naked section may have been the graft.

I would remove the diseased needles.

 

[digger714]

Sorry it took me so long to get back. That is actually the leader which is being used as a sacrifice branch. All the needles were removed except for the very end of the branch. It was grown from seed. I thought the trunk would turn out to be very cool, but not knowing enough at the time, didnt do so well picking this one out. After learning more, im thinking i made a mistake buying this one, it was around 35.00. The second pic is of the entire tree minus a 24" branch with needles at the end. The first is a closeup of the only two branches. Well, there are a couple coming out of the trunk close to the two branches. Are the diseased needles you are talking about the ones that are partially brown. Thanks for the input.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

See if this makes sense...with pines in this stage, you need to identify every single branch as one of these 3:

1. Final Branch (treat by wiring for shape, and candle-cutting to develop ramification)
2. Sacrifice Branch (treat by letting it grow wild!)
3. Neither (remove now)

Looking at the 2 photos presented, here is how I'd probably treat each branch, ending up with the rough trunk shape shown in the second photo. It might be different if I was to look at the tree from all sides, but using these principles, you should be able to proceed.

 

[fredtruck]

Very nice and thorough response.

 

[digger714]

Thanks alot Brian. That really helps in learning how to see different things within the tree. I went out and studied it for a while, and see exactly what your talking about. I could actually use any one of the upper branches as the new apex, except for the large one that will sacrifice. Thanks for the help. I feel like my eyes were just opened. Thanks again.