When decandling pines throughout decandling season – late spring and early summer where I live – at any given time one can find summer buds at many different stages of development. The most recently decandled trees in my garden are barely showing signs of summer growth, while some of the first trees I decandled now have quite large shoots.
Some of these shoots sprang from adventitious buds, others from needle buds. I typically decandle pines to stimulate adventitious buds – the buds that emerge from the stub left behind after making the cut.
Adventitious buds
Needle buds usually show up after decandling when pines are extra vigorous. Needle buds are new shoots that emerge between needles.
Needle bud
Needle buds flanking an apical bud
Removing the most vigorous spring shoots can yield a profusion of buds.
Profusion of buds
Rather than thin the buds at this stage, I’ll leave them alone and consider removing the entire branch in fall to slow down growth.
Lots of summer growth
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andysshohin says
Hi Jonas
I have a few black pines which have had spring candles cut, at what point do I thin the buds where I have clusters. Should I remove them as soon as I can or let them grow to remove stronger ones later.
Thank you for the help
Andy
Jonas Dupuich says
Hi Andy – good question. I usually wait until fall to thin out extra buds.
andysshohin says
Thanks I will leave them alone for now then.