Pitch Pine Timeline

TD.Wright

Seedling
Messages
6
Reaction score
7
Location
Connecticut
Hey all!

Im looking for some advice on proper timing to carry out work on a pitch pine i bought this year. I picked it up from a nursery in the spring, its about 5 years old from seed with about a 2inch trunk. Its in a big nursery can in typical nursery soil and from the bottom of the pot to the apex its about 5 feet. The health and vigor have been good since ive owned it, about 6 months.
So the first two things id like to do with it to get it going on its bonsai journey is to chop the trunk down by 50% - 75% and repot the tree into some better soil and a more manageable pot and let it grow out a few more years. Im in CT, Zone 6A, and its just about to hit fall. Im not equipped with a greenhouse, my trees live on the ground under my bench which is covered with greenhouse film over the winter and get heeled in with mulch.
Should I chop the trunk this fall and repot this coming spring? Should I just repot in spring and chop the trunk later that year or the next year? The chop will take a good bit of the foliage, but there are still an ok amount of low branches and a good candidate for a new leader present. Any advice would be helpful and i’d be happy to provide any more information anyone might need. This is my first pine and im trying to use it as a learning experience.

Thanks in advance,
Thomas
 

Potawatomi13

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,168
Reaction score
4,403
Location
Eugene, OR
USDA Zone
8
Patience, grasshopper. Wrong time of year to repot! Late winter, early Spring best time after danger of hard frost/freezing past. Is any bigger trunk desired🤔?
 

TD.Wright

Seedling
Messages
6
Reaction score
7
Location
Connecticut
Yeah I didnt plan on repotting until spring, the trunk could still use some thickening, more in the way of taper than anything. But im not trying to grow another 2inches of diameter, if thats what your asking
 

TD.Wright

Seedling
Messages
6
Reaction score
7
Location
Connecticut
Its not much to look at now, just a raw tree with some gentle movement. Just looking for some horticultural advice really.
 

Attachments

  • B011456D-9AE9-43AE-9D8B-D2FDC98FE236.jpeg
    B011456D-9AE9-43AE-9D8B-D2FDC98FE236.jpeg
    413.1 KB · Views: 36
  • 001BE705-3EF0-4B7E-A05C-049F06DF201D.jpeg
    001BE705-3EF0-4B7E-A05C-049F06DF201D.jpeg
    311.6 KB · Views: 34
  • 9921D679-89DD-4830-B54B-DD421E64C45C.jpeg
    9921D679-89DD-4830-B54B-DD421E64C45C.jpeg
    397.2 KB · Views: 36
  • 7F25085B-BE2A-48D4-A0B5-F768C6D2FB13.jpeg
    7F25085B-BE2A-48D4-A0B5-F768C6D2FB13.jpeg
    377.2 KB · Views: 36

PeaceLoveBonsai

Chumono
Messages
889
Reaction score
2,979
Location
Franklin, TN
USDA Zone
7a
I would wire movement into all the bottom branches now. Then chop the trunk in the middle of winter. Above the wired branches


Probably then repot in spring of 24.

Spend next year keeping an eye on those bottom branches & rubbing off the hundred back buds you’re gonna get.

I think a repot next spring after the trunk chop would be too aggressive, but ya never know.
 

TD.Wright

Seedling
Messages
6
Reaction score
7
Location
Connecticut
Thanks! Im really interested to see the back budding capability of pitch pine. I think youre right on the repot in 2024, id rather not rush and hopefully the good moisture retention of the nursery soil will help the chop heal more quickly. My biggest reason for considering the repot sooner was the fact the the pot is huge and heavy haha.
Thanks for the advice!
 

Potawatomi13

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,168
Reaction score
4,403
Location
Eugene, OR
USDA Zone
8
If desiring bigger trunk base keep tall trunk and grow as sacrifice until diameter desired reached. Cutting back trunk will only set back any development. Training lower branches good idea. Repot into ground or grow box to develop trunk. Keep whatever new sprouts seem useful☺️.
 
Top Bottom