AusBonsai

I would just like to say that radiata pine does root from cuttings

Thanks you for that info Viet, I'm not sure that I want to go down that path, but I'm sure the information will be of assistance to others on the site - thank you for your contribution.

Jon

hey penny,
i have a radiata that i'd like to take back further down the trunk, there is no green or branches at the point i'd like to take it to.
you said they would bud around the cut, this tree is around 4-5 years, so youth is on its side.
have you done a drastic prune before??
would you advise please??

Hi Jon. just getting back to you re fertilizer. I'm still trying different varieties but Brunnings Tomato and Vegetable Starter Fertilizer seems to be pretty good so far. NPK ratio is 6.3 3.7 6.0 and has Calcium at 7.4%. As to timing, again, I'm not following the traditional times. When I see the tree starting to bud up, I add fertilizer at the reccommended strength and regularily until end of Autumn. In Australia, we have a much longer growing season than in Europe.
Aaron, I wouldn't cut below any foliage. Just cut some off the top of the tree and in Autumn, Pinch the candles back by half. Hopefully in Spring you'll get some backbudding, then cut a bit more off the top. Do it in stages. What you cut off, try growing that. I haven't had a go at that yet.
Penny.

thanks penny

yea, the backbudding techniques came to mind, but there's about 500mm worth of backbudding to move down the trunk. i may still try plug style bud grafting,
i think i read that one in focus 117 or 118.

i was hoping someone would say "definitely cut it now and it'll be sweet"... unfortunate for me.

As I mentioned earlier, I am going to use this tree as a learning tool so here is an update.

I cleaned all of the dead branches and reduced the height to where a branch was already growing in an almost vertical direction.
I wired the branch to the trunk to see what would happen.
I am going to wait and see what happens next, however upon reflection, I think that I will cut back to this branch with a long diagonal cut as per the red line in the photo.
Has anyone got any idea how well trunk chops heal on this species?

Jon

They heal wounds realy well if you let vigourous growth above. Heres a little guy i collected from around train lines 3 years ago, he had several "trunk chops" from the regular lawn mowing that went on around him

Hard to see but on the trunk is an old wound that has all but healed right over.

Jarrod

well done jon, at least it looks somewhat healthier now and should go off like a penny bangar!

Hi Jon,

Hollow the big cut out a little, when in growing season, feed it well, amble room to grow, it heals real fast... much faster than black pines.

Did you like its aroma Jon? I do... pine snipping

Regards,

Viet.

don't quote me on this, but I was told once (By someone who would know) that you can do grafts on radiata. having said that, I've also seen radiata pines, lopped, (As inchopped down) reshoot fromthe trunk.

hey paddles,
im just about to try the chop method on a radiata.
if im successful, ill post another topic...

well done jon, at least it looks somewhat healthier now and should go off like a penny bangar!

Thats OK Antonio, just as long as it blows up to this.....
Jon

Less than a week and there are buds popping out everywhere - I'm excited

Jon

Hi Jon,

I am happy to hear that

true to the cause is the radiata! great to hear jon.

Does any one know how Jon's pine is going?

Mick