needle plucking, DUH!!!!!

dick benbow

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While working up at the weyerhaeuser collection, I was removing third yeard needles from
black pine. It's a bit early but the health of the tree easily allowed the procedure.
I started off doing the correct procedure. and that is Using tweezers to remove each needle cluster individually so as not to tear the bark and adversely damage any dorment buds.
After a coupla hours, I couldn't get the tweezers to pluck correctly and reverted back to using my fingers. When the curator returned to check my work, saw the fingers at work, and politely said he preferred I used the tweezers, I felt embarrassed but admitted they didn't seem to be working as well when I started and had assumed I was just getting tired.
here's the duh part, I hate to tell stories on myself but hey if i can help someone else learn by my ignorance well, it would have been worth taking the time to post.
About every 15 to 20 minutes you take time to get a wire brush and clean out the grooves in the end of the tweezers to remove built up pine sap residue. Amazing how well they work when you do this. So lodgical and yet how sheepish I felt realizing my ignorance.
One of my favorite comments is "ya gotta Luv it", and it sure was applicable here:)

BTW, did I tell you after 25 years, we're getting a new curator? Starts October 7th. His present position he's vacating is assistant curator to the Washington DC bonsai and penjing display. he's held that position for the last 8 years and we're very fortunate to land that talent. Degroot will be retiring after 25 years here at the end of next month.....quess that's enough rambling for today....
 

coh

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Thanks for the tip regarding the tweezers!

I had the chance to talk to the new curator while helping unload/set up the National Arboretum trees in Rochester. Seems like he has the perfect background/experience for the new position and sounded very excited by the opportunity. But then again, who wouldn't be?

Chris
 

Adair M

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Another method that works well is to burn the residue off the tips with a cigarette lighter.
 

HanoverFist

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Quick note if you use turpentine, any petroleum-based liquid, or anything that is a tad hazardous - you can use denatured alcohol and air to ensure there is no remaining residue. Grew up in Tool & Die trade and this is how we kept our die's clean of gunk - we used kerosene and denatured alcohol but it's all the same.

Just spray some alcohol on it while it's still wet with turpentine and blow it clean/dry. It will be pristine with NO POSSIBILITY OF RESIDUE.

Definitely worth the small amount of effort if you're worried about harming your plants with toxins/chemicals.
 

coh

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How about mayonnaise to remove the sap residue? First time I heard that I was thinking "yeah, right" but it really works to remove sap residue from hands...and it's non-toxic as well.
 

sorce

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Lol!

I use the plastic blue tweezers from first aid kits. Some are better than others. But they are free. No one is ever gonna die from a splinter!

Except shredder! Lol Bonzai!

Sorce
 

jkd2572

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I use purell hand sanitizer to remove pine sap. Works like a champ.
 
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