Train new leader on pine or keep current?

10 years ago

Planted and purchased this potted Pinus cembra "Klein" Swiss Stone pine " Silver Whispers" within the past month. Tips on the leader were slightly browned upon purchase but the price was right and this variety of dwarf pine has such a beautiful, silvery-blue color and soft texture I couldn't pass it up.

Question is whether to keep the central leader of this pine as is or prune back the leader to below the gnarled growth and train a new leader from one of the side branches ? I'm sure the obvious answer is let Mother Nature take her course, prune and pinch the new buds/ candles to create a more filled-out tree over time.

The current leader with its brown tips and unsightly growth down its internode it just throwing me for a loop. I suppose I shouldn't get bent out of shape about a few brown needles but there doesn't appear to be signs of growth on the leader as there are on the side branches.

Thanks for any advice you can throw my way.

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Comments (3)

allina
Original Author
10 years ago
Also, as you can see the side branches are nearly the height of the current leader. The Pinus cembra "Klein" is known for is natural pyrimidal shape. Do I need to pinch off the new growth of the upper side branches or will it naturally growth into a pyrimidal shape as it matures? Pinching off would promote a fuller, denser look to the tree over time from what I've read.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
its been there a month...

and you are ready to go to town on it ....

i would give it 3 years ... before i would contemplate such ...

every leaf/needle is a food making machine.. for those roots you so rudely interrupted a month ago ... consider leaving them there .... until the plant get established ...

first pic.. it looks awful close to the house... maybe a camera trick ...

good luck

ken
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allina
Original Author
10 years ago
Not too close to the house at all. Centered extactly 6 feet from the nearest corner of house so since it gets around 6' wide at 20-25 years maturity it'll be just fine. Taken with a cell phone camera at close range so I'll admit it is difficult to determine background distance.

Thanks for the advice on the patience.