wicksy

thats a nice tree you have you need to remember that black pines are extremely slow growing and if you want a bigger trunk you would need to put it in the ground for quite a few years. That is the only way it will increase trunk girth which means leave it to grow un checked. But maybe you should work with what you have it seems to have good foliage. Read up on black pine there is some good ground rules like you can cut needles in early autumn and early spring this gives increased new needles, needles only last three years then they go brown and drop. Keep check on the candles as they grow pinch back hard if no increase in that area is wanted or leave till summer if you do. You have to work hard on them to get small needles and dense growth, lots of people will starve them of water in order to make the needles smaller works well but is dangerous.Plus dont neglect pruning in late winter early spring. Rootpruning is another complex issue, only the tip of the root takes up the nutrients and water. The white fungas in the soil is impotant to it to so put some back in the mix only keep damp till new roots grow as they rot easily,so if it was mine i would work it as is,hope this helps to...