Korean Black Pine in training.

[bonhe]

This tree is having fungal infection which shows on the previous season needles.


All the dead parts were cut. After.


Then I spayed it with the diluted liquid dishwashing soap.
Thụ Thoại

 

[my nellie]

... ...Then I spayed it with the diluted liquid dishwashing soap.
Thụ Thoại

So, it looks like you are avoiding use of chemicals, Thụ Thoại.
However, the fungal attack (at least on the photos) looked like a serious one.
Would you kindly share with us your rational behind this?
I could never just imagine that this infection can be treated with mild non-chemical means...

 

[bonhe]

So, it looks like you are avoiding use of chemicals, Thụ Thoại.
However, the fungal attack (at least on the photos) looked like a serious one.
Would you kindly share with us your rational behind this?
I could never just imagine that this infection can be treated with mild non-chemical means...

Yes, I am trying to avoid using chemicals as much as I could.
As you may know, Toothpaste, soap, shampoos, bath products often contain the chemicals named sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES). They are cleaning agents. SLS is an anionic surfactant with protein denaturing potency, is a potent inhibitor of the infectivity of several enveloped virus ( HIV-1) and nonenveloped virus ( papillomaviruses, rotavirus, poliovirus and reovirus). The mechanism of action of SLS involves the solubilization of the viral envelope and/or the denaturation of envelope and/or capsid proteins. Studies have shown that SLS is not toxic for cultured cell lines of different origins at concentrations that inactivate HIV-1, herpes and human papillomavirus in vitro. It is suggested that SLS represents a potential candidate for the use as a topical microbicide to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV-1, herpes, HPV and possibly other sexually transmitted pathogens. [Sodium lauryl sulfate, a microbicide effective against enveloped and nonenveloped viruses. Curr Drug Targets. 2002 Feb;3(1):17-30. Piret J, Deee1sormeaux A, Bergeron MG]

Disruption of the fungi’s cell wall probably has same mechanism as above.
It is why I have been using dishwashing liquid soap for both insecticide and fungicide. The SLS and SLES are both safe for human and animals.
I diluted one tablespoon into one liter of water. Be careful while using on the broad, thin leaf tree since all the leaves can drop off due to dehydration! ;-)

I have been using this soap. It is strong and cheap!

Thụ Thoại

 

[my nellie]

Thank you very much for the detailed answer.
Useful information which I didn't know up to now.

 

[bonhe]

Thank you very much for the detailed answer.
Useful information which I didn't know up to now.

Anytime my nellie
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

This tree had Spring shoot pruned in 7/26/18. It has a ton of new short shoots at this time.


There are 10 shoots in one branch: most from the edge of the cut surface, others from inter-needle spaces below


Other has 7 shoots from one branch


The lower trunk'


To reach this current stage, this tree was got a lot of resection!!! As I wrote in the past, I have been using the cut and grow technique a lot and very little wiring for my pine seedlings up to this point. You can see a lot of remnants on the lower trunk.
This large scar is healing


These used to be a small branches in the lower trunk. How many are there? 8 in one side. If you count another side of the trunk, it could be about 16 !


Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

I did old needle pluck, selective pruning summer shoots for some of pines this morning.
Before.


The sacrificed branch completed its mission


It had to go.


The cut surface was applied wood glue


Other cut surface is healing


But this cut surface is not healing well


I had to refresh the scar edge a little bit


For comparison, this tree was on 1/8/2017


and today after works done.


It is going into the branch training phase now. It will take 3 - 4 more years to finish this phase.
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

Another one.
Before.


Old needles


After old needle pluck.


Another one. Before


After old needle pluck and shoot removal.


Another one
Before. With long summer shoots.


After old needle pluck


Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

This one has interesting trunk line.
Before


This stump has been left for one year. You can see a linear border between live and dead barks (the yellow arrows pointing into)


It is good time to remove the stump.


After 18 minute, there is still not any oozing from the cut surface !


After removing unnecessary branches and old needles.

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[bonhe]

Before


After some summer shoots removal.


Thụ Thoại

 

[my nellie]

This one has interesting trunk line View attachment 212578
Thụ Thoại

Yes, indeed it's unusual.
Those low branches, are they sacrificial or part of the unusual design, may I ask?

 

[bonhe]

Yes, indeed it's unusual.
Those low branches, are they sacrificial or part of the unusual design, may I ask?

Thanks .
Most of low branches are sacrificed, except one.
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

I removed the old needles for these KBP today. These pictures were taken after procedure.


These areas will be pruned this June


The twine used to hold the tree during the repot rotted.

Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

I removed the old needles from other KBP this afternoon
Before


After

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[DirkvanDreven]

Great results! I very much like your work on these pines!

 

[bonhe]

Great results! I very much like your work on these pines!

Thank you very much for your encouragement.
Thụ Thoại

 

[bonhe]

These two KBP were removed the old needles selectively this morning.
Before and after



Thụ Thoại

 

[0soyoung]

On a more developed tree, I assume that you would remove old needles going into winter so that light gets to the interior, supporting back budding. At this stage you are wanting to maximize carbohydrate production (to 'embiggen' the tree) and so, are keeping old needles through the winter.


Right/wrong?

 

[bonhe]

0soyoung, post: 631763, member: 12845"]On a more developed tree, I assume that you would remove old needles going into winter so that light gets to the interior, supporting back budding.
You are right.


At this stage you are wanting to maximize carbohydrate production (to 'embiggen' the tree) and so, are keeping old needles through the winter.
You are right, too! But just a little difference. With the very young tree, I will not remove the old needles at all. I start removing the old needles when I satisfy with the trunk line and begin to train the branch system. One exception is that with the young tree during the trunk training phase, I sometimes removed the old needles to help the sunlight go into the lower part of the trees to stimulate the new buds or removed the old needles going downward and touch to the soil (to prevent the risky areas which may lead to fungal or insect infections).

With this principle keep in mind, my schedule to prune the black pine will be different based on the age or the strength of the tree. If the tree is young or weak, I won't prune it in June as other people's usual recommendation. I will wait until either September to do that or even skip that year's pruning. Please remember this is only for my area. With other areas, you may have to find out the suitable time to prune.

Back to your question: these KBP group were transplanted last year, so I did not remove the old needle in last Fall as usual. I let them be until now to gain more strength for the trees. I hope it makes sense.
Thụ Thoại

 

[my nellie]

These two KBP were removed the old needles selectively this morning.
Thụ Thoại

Are these trees being grown to the "exposed root" form?