I wsd tld you cannot do this on conifers... What rea uo supposed to do
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- Gnome
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gbhunter77,
Pines are usually grown with this limitation in minde right from the start. You must somehow develop the trunk while simultaneously leaving a path open for future branches. This is often accomplished with the use of sacrificial branches and/or leaders. While the sacrifices are allowed to grow unchecked branches are developed at the same time.
I'll see if I can get a picture of one of my young Pines up later today.
Norm
Pines are usually grown with this limitation in minde right from the start. You must somehow develop the trunk while simultaneously leaving a path open for future branches. This is often accomplished with the use of sacrificial branches and/or leaders. While the sacrifices are allowed to grow unchecked branches are developed at the same time.
I'll see if I can get a picture of one of my young Pines up later today.
Norm
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A pine without a leader will certainly die. As for other conifers, I don't know. I'm fairly certain Junipers don't tolerate a complete chop, nor do Chaemacyparis, Picea, Arborvitae, etc., AFAIK. Whatever you have that "exploded with growth", it's a fair bet it's not any of the above. Maybe you have Taxodium? Bald Cypress?
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gbhunter77,
Here's one way to get around this problem.
[url=https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/718/pinegx.jpg/][img]https://img718.imageshack.us/img718/428/pinegx.jpg[/img][/url]
The leader is not intended to be a part of the finished composition and will later be removed. This is possible because I was careful to preserve the small shoots at the base of the tree, one of which will become the new leader. Note that the trunk is bare immediately above the small shoots, this is to prevent the upper foliage from shading out the shoots.
The branch to the right is also a sacrifice, it serves to thicken the base. At some point both the sacrifice leader and branch will be removed and the future bonsai will be developed from one or more of the small shoots.
Norm
Here's one way to get around this problem.
[url=https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/718/pinegx.jpg/][img]https://img718.imageshack.us/img718/428/pinegx.jpg[/img][/url]
The leader is not intended to be a part of the finished composition and will later be removed. This is possible because I was careful to preserve the small shoots at the base of the tree, one of which will become the new leader. Note that the trunk is bare immediately above the small shoots, this is to prevent the upper foliage from shading out the shoots.
The branch to the right is also a sacrifice, it serves to thicken the base. At some point both the sacrifice leader and branch will be removed and the future bonsai will be developed from one or more of the small shoots.
Norm
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