JBP de-candling

[Fi5ch]

JBP/Scots pine in training; de-candle or not? I am growing some ~4 year old conifers that are healthy and pushing lots of candles this spring. Since my goal is to thicken the existing 1/2" trunks should I let them grow crazy w/o cutting anything back for another 2-3 years, including whorls with 5+ branches?

 

[Fi5ch]

Pics below

 

[River's Edge]

Decandling is a refinement technique used after the tree has finished major development, the trunk is roughly the diameter you desire, primary branches and secondary branches are established and sufficient back budding has occurred to create density for foliage closer in to the interior. Establishing these goals first requires growing out the tree. During the grow out process you will prune for growth management to direct the growth as developmental goals change throughout. Decandling is not necessary or beneficial during development unless bifurcation is required at a certain point on a branch, however this can be accomplished with pruning or candle shortening ( pinching) rather than decandling!
In short, begin to decandle JBP when they are ready for refinement.
The first picture is an example of a JBP that has reached sufficient development to decandle! ( 12 years) The second picture shows branch development prior to refinement. ( 8 years)The third picture shows trunk development and beginning lower branch formation. (5 years) hope the progression makes sense.

 

[Adair M]

What is “JBP/Scots”?

When a JBP enters the refinement stage, you can start decandling it. Not until then.

Scots? Those you don’t decandle.

 

[Fi5ch]

Great explanation; do you deal with whorls to prevent reverse taper in the training stage?

 

[Fi5ch]

What is “JBP/Scots”?

When a JBP enters the refinement stage, you can start decandling it. Not until then.

Scots? Those you don’t decandle.

I meant I am growing both JBP & Scots pines, and thought both were double flush in my area which is zone 7a, right on the beach.

 

[Adair M]

I meant I am growing both JBP & Scots pines, and thought both were double flush in my area which is zone 7a, right on the beach.

To the best of my knowledge, Scots are single flush.

Sometimes a single flush pine will survive decandling! But they might not.

 

[Fi5ch]

To the best of my knowledge, Scots are single flush.

Sometimes a single flush pine will survive decandling! But they might not.

Understood, no need to stress the trees and glad I asked before chopping anything off! Thanks for the replies and the very informative progression photos.

 

[River's Edge]

Great explanation; do you deal with whorls to prevent reverse taper in the training stage?

That is part of growth management and includes selecting sacrifice branches, design branches and managing the vigor of the tree by retaining appropriate foliage while developing different portions of the tree. It also includes selective pruning to balance energy throughout the plant , slowing growth in certain areas, promoting more rapid growth in others.
As a rule of thumb when growing the trunk I keep as many branches and foliage as possible unless it will detract from the design development. Reverse taper, knuckles, too thick a branch, poor branch placement all fit into this category!
With experience and training you can learn to multi-task, growing the trunk while developing and moving into refinement in a shorter cycle! The picture below is an example of that. The apical branch is thickening the trunk while the primary and secondary branches are being developed. Picture was taken of an example shown as a demonstration by one of my teachers. Michael Hagedorn from Milwaukee, Oregon. This picture shows the results after application of one step decandling.

 

[River's Edge]

I meant I am growing both JBP & Scots pines, and thought both were double flush in my area which is zone 7a, right on the beach.

Scots pine is single flush and should not be decandled as Adair has mentioned.