Newly acquired Japanese Black Pine advice, please

NOLAnovice

Seedling
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Hello! I was recently given this JBP. I have never worked with any pine stock and am not sure where to begin. I grow mostly tropical trees as I live in New Orleans. The tree is incredibly pot bound and the branching is a mess. As you can see the tree has been growing quite well since I received it and is now producing candles. When should I repot? The soil is compressed and rock hard. Do I decandle this season or wait and l let it grow?Any styling advice is also greatly appreciated. Thank you!
 

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Haoleboy

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If it's that root bound, I would gently remove it and place it in another container. Preferably a very large container. Don't mess with the roots at all. Let it grow for a couple years. The trunk(s) need to fatten up. Other more experienced members should chime in about your decandling questions. That's not done until summer anyways. Plenty of time to get good info on JBP.
 

NOLAnovice

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Ok thank you! Definitely want to get it out of that pot, it's pretty bad. Im a little concerned about the lack of back budding and no internal branching at all. There is just a bunch of long skinny branches with all the foliage at the tips of the branches
 

namnhi

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I would just leave it in that pot and let it grow this year. Come Feb next year, I will do an actual repot. It should be fine in that pot for this year. Feed it heavily and let it gain strength.
 

Adair M

Pinus Envy
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It's too late to mess with the roots this year. I agree with namnhi, leave it in this pot until next January. And do fertilize heavy.

This summer, say July, decandle it (assuming you get hood spring growth), and wire it those are some of the longest, spindliest JBP I've ever seen! The good news is when they're like that, they're more likely to back bud. The purpose of wiring is to expose the woody branches to the sun. Decandle and wire all at the same time.
 

NOLAnovice

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Sounds like a plan. When I do repot it I'm assuming I should try and separate the two trees right? Seems strange that there a 2 in there to begin with right? those two are seriously intertwined
 

sorce

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Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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NOLA is already crazy!

Sorce
 

NOLAnovice

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True that. Just wanted to share an update. I'm feeling pretty good about the spring growth. Been cautiously fertilizing and it seems to be paying off. Still one hell of a scraggly stick but one day! Think I can safely remove a couple of the many branches at the very top? I foresee some serious reverse taper. Or just leave them on for vigor's sake? Hope spring is treating everyone wellIMG_20170504_100324.jpg
 

Johnathan

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I'm from NOLA, born and raised, and miss it dearly. I can't help much on the tree, looks great to me lol but I bet the humidty down there is great for tropicals.
 

NOLAnovice

Seedling
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Damn straight! Definitely a special place. Can't see myself living anywhere else. And yes the humidity is perfect, beaucoup aerial roots hah
 

vp999

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I am also from Nola ( West Bank) and I miss it too. My mom still lives there and my sister is in Baton Rouge. Who Dattt !!!!
 
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