Hi Paradox, Thanks for the response and I'm pretty much on par with your thoughts and this is what I have been doing since potting up the tree. I have it up on the table still and I can walk around it and look into it from all angles and just thinking on possibilities as I discover new hidden sections. I spend as much time with it as I can each day, it's right in the middle of my work station and I get glances into it at different times as the sun passes. Sometimes I stop what I'm doing and go, 'what's that?' and go look at that area.
I don't intend to cut any wood at this time and would only want to do some foliage thinning so you can see what's going on in the interior of the tree. There was alot of back budding in the posture the tree was in because I was working to keep light coming in. In the new posture there's alot of foliage that is blocking the interior of the tree from getting any light.
There is a little bit of shedding going on, but it's all big old needles and I've been removing them as they yellow out and only when they fall off easily to the touch. There's not enough of that to make a difference though, so I'm thinking of selectively removing some downward needles and excess needles along the trunks.
Maybe I'm overplaying the air and light thing, but to me these are very important factors in the health of the tree. Round and round the mulberry bush... Ok, so maybe the tree needs every leaf to recover, but I question what good is the leaf if no sun can get to it?
Now wait, let me get my fingers firmly planted in my ears, ok, now talk to me.
For you Vance, at least I'm always worth a chuckle.
Seriouly, I'm waiting, however impatiently it may seem, for response from the gallery, what say you? Rick