JBP trunk chop best timing?

Clicio

Masterpiece
Messages
3,002
Reaction score
8,299
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
USDA Zone
11a
Well, I have this young JBP I have successfully reppoted early spring, AND decandled two weeks ago (it's summer in Brazil now).
It is growing strongly fertilized with BioGold, new shoots everywhere, but....
Its destiny is to be chopped low down the main trunk and letting a strong first branch become the new leader; so the questions are:
1-) Should I do it this year after all the work already done to the tree?
2-) Should I hard cut it only when "the buds are swelling" (late winter, almost spring) as many say is the best timing? Or mid winter is still OK?

TIA, guys!
 

0soyoung

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
7,496
Reaction score
12,832
Location
Anacortes, WA (AHS heat zone 1)
USDA Zone
8b
Now or until your fall equinox.

But, first be sure that the base trunk segment is about as thick as you want it to be as a bonsai. It won't thicken much until your next leader is nearly as thick. We use this fact to create taper.
 

Clicio

Masterpiece
Messages
3,002
Reaction score
8,299
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
USDA Zone
11a
Now or until your fall equinox
By "now" you mean high summer here in the Southern Hemisphere.
Hummm... Won't it bleed a lot now and make it difficult for the healing of the tree? I really don't want to kill it...
 

0soyoung

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
7,496
Reaction score
12,832
Location
Anacortes, WA (AHS heat zone 1)
USDA Zone
8b
By "now" you mean high summer here in the Southern Hemisphere.
Hummm... Won't it bleed a lot now and make it difficult for the healing of the tree? I really don't want to kill it...
Yes, I am aware of where you are.
Chopping now will have strong effects toward back budding even though it may bleed a little resin - think of it as built-in cut paste. All of the new foliage has been hardened for a while now. It is the most productive now. It's productivity will gradually decline as time goes on over the next year. So, just be sure that your new leader is strong = has new foliage.

Healing is about cambium growth. The ring of cambium that will be exposed when you chop can dry out and die back because there is no epidermis/bark to protect it. Covering this exposed cambium with something that doesn't transmit water for 10 or 15 days prevents this from happening. Hence the healing can begin from the edges of the cut instead of from farther back from the original wound. This, IMHO, is all there is to the 'magic' of cut pastes. A little resin bleed is all it takes with pines.
 

Clicio

Masterpiece
Messages
3,002
Reaction score
8,299
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
USDA Zone
11a
Yes, I am aware of where you are.
Chopping now will have strong effects toward back budding even though it may bleed a little resin - think of it as built-in cut paste. This, IMHO, is all there is to the 'magic' of cut pastes. A little resin bleed is all it takes with pines.

@0soyoung first of all, thank you.
Let me be sure I didn't misunderstand your words; instead of using cut paste, the jbp resin will do the job. Is that so?
 
Top Bottom