What kind of trees win prizes at prestigious Japanese exhibits like Taikan-ten? Trees like the black pine below. Black pine This tree took top honors at this year’s Taikan-ten. The work is by Masahiko Kimura. What makes the tree special? Great health, great trunk and bark, great branch development and great balance in terms of […]
Black Pine
Summer growth on black pine
Summer is the time when people who decandled their black or red pines water and fertilize and wait until fall when the time comes for wiring and needle-pulling. Looking around my garden, I see summer growth in different stages of development and already I can tell which trees are too strong or not strong enough. […]
Good buds, bad buds
Of the two young black pines below, which do you expect to grow more next year – the one on the left, or the one on the right? 2-1/2 year-old black pines My money’s on the tree on the right. Not because the foliage is a darker green, but because the buds are so much […]
Drench for root aphids follow-up 1
Back in July I treated a number of black and red pines for suspected root aphids (see “Why are my trees yellow“). I’ve noticed a few changes since then and wanted to share what I’ve seen. Some yellow growth has turned green The healthiest trees are sending out summer shoots The weakest trees remain unchanged […]
Redirecting growth on pines
Decandling and cutback are great techniques for redirecting growth on black pines. Here are some examples. Tree #1 After eleven years, the trunk of the tree below has reached the desired size. Any further significant growth and the curves would begin to disappear. The goal for this stage of development is to reduce investment in […]