Time to bud select?

Fridge

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Hi nuts

I have a Japanese White Pine and am trying to push growth to areas of the tree I would like to develop over the next year or ten...

New growth for the Spring seems to be done and buds seem to be set for next year so is now the time to bud select?

As an example please see the photo below where there are some strong buds where I want to slow growth down. Am I right in thinking
1) I should take out the central strongest bud here
2) now is the correct time to do this
3) I can just pinch this out with my fingers

Thanks for any and all help!
Fred
 

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Fridge

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Thanks leatherback, that is a very useful resource

Any recommendations on the best way to remove the bud - pull it off with fingers or do these need to be cut out?
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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I use fingers for buds, seems better than trying to cut.

However, I rarely do bud selection. I only remove the fattest bud where I want to weaken and slow down on area. Generally I only do branch selection in autumn. Removing excess branches, clusters of multiples reduced to branch and trunk or to trunk and 2 branches. Saving one extra to keep design options open for later.
 

PA_Penjing

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I was told by a memeber here that bud selection can be done in spring. I tried it and like it much better, the buds are fatter/longer so they fall right off when you poke them. Do what you want, but I was using the technique on a jack pine so I actually had to wait til srping. the buds were covered in rock hard resin, a trait of the species.
 

sorce

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I think it should kinda remain a case by case scenario.

I would lean to spring since I don't like removing stuff before winter.
But a case like this, where spring Growth will further the 90degree T's permanence, I would remove it now. To allow the 90 to lessen some before spring growth.

I would consider direction over vigor, since vigor can be reduced later. You can never really change exit angle.

I'm with fall branch selection too though.

If you can avoid pulling buds, I reckon it's better.

Sorce
 

garywood

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Fred, a picture of the entire tree would help. Sometimes bud selection for the sake of bud selection can be counter productive regardless of season.
 

Fridge

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Hopefully these pictures may give you a better idea of the tree. The big low first branch is the one I am looking to bud select on. It is the ends of this first branch which I am looking to remove the middle strongest bud where there a three

Also if I have buds in places which aren't great and I remove these, will this encourage new buds to set potentially in better locations or is it too late now to do this?

Also please excuse my dodgy wiring, it was my first go...

Thanks
Fred
 

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sorce

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Truth truth....

That "branch" is large enough to be a continuation of the trunk.
I almost wanna say cut it back, but shortening it won't take the excessive thickness off of it either.

Being a "Branch" it doesn't have any upward or downward growing folaige to be front and back branches, so using it as a trunk is going to be difficult too.

There is my useless information of the day!

I don't think it matters what you do right yet.

Sorce
 
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