Pine Question

JavaScottC

Mike,
A few of my JBP's had small to non-existent candles this year, and I think I figured it out. They were the ones I hadn't fed with my pellets. My soil mix is simple for my pines, and just about everything I have...akadama/pumice/lava rock. With all the rain we had this year (and I know you know what I mean), there were no nutrients for the trees to draw from for strength. I recommend feeding heavy now!!! as this growing season is about 8-10 weeks shorter than last year. I have candles forming now on the aforementioned trees, and all appears to be well again. Good luck with them.

Scott

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Just_Mike

thanks scott...I just got some fert. on them about a month ago, and looking real close yesterday two of them have started to form some candles in the strongest areas of growth...they are all getting fed well right now (slow release) so i guess ill just wait to see what happens...thanks again....mike

malhomme

All but one of my JBPs went straight to needles, with copious back budding. Other members of our club have noticed the same odd behavior on their JBPs. These trees range from the very young to the very old.

Speaking for myself, my pines are very well fertilized and suffer nothing at all. The one pine that did candle was a JBP that had been in a shaded quarentine area for two years.

We had a warm and dry winter, so the general consensus is that the pines did not get enough chill hours. I don't exactly buy this, since it is not happening to all JBPs. I suspect that it is related to increased solar radiation, or candle-hours of light over winter, but this is just a hunch.

Cheers,
Jim

Just_Mike

thanks jim...have you ever noticed this before, or is this a first?? as for the winter chill thing, i too am not so convinced, the winters in my area are always very mild, the only thing a bit different for my area was that for some reason in jan-feb, mother nature thought it should be spring so we got plenty of sun and warmer weather, then went back into winter type weather, skipped spring all together, went straight to 90 degree+, then dropped way down again and it just stopped a 3 day rain yesterday...maybe my trees are just as confused as i am...i have noticed other pines in the area shwing the same habbit, and some showing normal candle growth...as in your area, the age, size, and growing medium dosnt seem to be an indicator at all...i know ther has to be some kind of reason or pattern, just cant pin point it...yet.

thanks...mike

malhomme

We had strange weather too, temperature wise. We didn't have any satsuki azaleas in our show becuase the buds blasted in the last cold spell. Dry with alternating hot and cold... such a wierd winter.

I have never seen pines go straight to needles. Other members have commented on it being very unusual, but I take this as understatement. I think your temp theory has merit.

Cheers,
Jim