When I got it home I pulled it out of the pot and dusted the outer rootball with some mycorrhizal powder I have. I have no idea if it makes a difference in the health of the plant really, but I figure it can't hurt. I applied some Holly Tone to the surface after I slipped it back in the pot. The needles are a little pale, so hopefully the fertilizer plus letting it dry out more will green it up. I don't know anything much about pines, so trying to get it to peak health is my main priority. I'd like to change half the soil next year, then the rest the next year.
I have tons of bar branches all over the plant and whorls near the apex that I want to deal with, but I'm not sure how much I should be chopping off of it right now. Plus I'm trying to determine how tall I'd like the final image to be. Something about 10-12 inches seems about right. The branches are all very flexible, even the lower ones which are about pencil thick.