any chance at a pic???

all trees releader.. all by themselves ...

you said: It is clear that each of them was cut by the grower in order to encourage fullness

-==> i would think more for shipping reasons ... taking off the leader.. is not going to make them fuller ...

you dont mention how big these things are ...

ken

The trees are 6-10 feet tall. I made a photo bucket album of two trees - one planted in fall (10 feet) and one planted in spring (7 feet). You will see the tree and then a picture of its leader up close. They are planted in partial sun and have been cared for and not overwatered.

Here is the link to the photos: http://s1252.photobucket.com/user/dgugger1/library/Pine%20Pics

Here is a link that might be useful: Pine Tree Photos - no candle on leader

see link

pine tip borer damage ...

last pic in your set.. new leaders are already to go next year ... in two years or so.. if there is more than one leader .. reduce all but one ...

i cant tell on the larger ...

just an observation .... the trees you bought .. were heavily sheared into the shape you bought them in ... its irrelevant to this discussion ... i prefer the natural shape ...

why did you choose this particular tree for a part shade spot???

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

The one you couldn't tell has no new bud at the top...it's just the cut from the grower with no buds around it. As you can see, the new growth has also died and gone. It flew off when I ran a hose on it.

Should I leave it and hope for bud growth in the coming months....or maybe cut it down? I really would like the trees to grow vertically and not just have a bush.....Any guidance with how to deal with pine tip borer damage would be greatly appreciated.

And I agree...I prefer the natural look like you. But the garden centers around here all seemed to have the same manicured style....so I plan on pruning off lower branches in a year or so and letting them grow naturally from there.

do you not have a one year warranty???

call you seller and ask him what to do about it

and let us know. ...

you said: Should I leave it and hope for bud growth in the coming months

==>>> that is not how pines grow ... the buds extend in spring.. and within a few weeks... next years buds are set ... and the pine sits there for the rest of the year ... one cycle per year ... though i am sure.. there are exceptions ...

i will say it again ... all trees.. of which conifers are.. will releader ... how and when ... is left to the following years... so your expectation.. of something happening in the next few weeks ... this fall .... is just not going to be fulfilled...

talk to your seller.. and report back ....

ken

ps: isnt NJ the garden state... i think you could find better stock... if you searched ... and personally ... i would take a pine at half the size ... as it will transport, transplant and get established EASIER ... and in 5 years.. outgrow the larger plant ... bank on it ... but you still have the shade issue ....

I took your advice and spoke with the seller. The warranty was 90 days and it's been about 110 days. I am going to keep calling him in hopes that something can be done.

How do you know that it is borer damage? I checked some of the dead new growth and there are no signs of any bugs emerging (but the new growth is brown, shriveled and cracked right off the leader).

Anyway...let's assume the seller doesn't replace the tree. What should I do? Do I cut down that long, ugly leader with no bud on top? Or do I leave it and hope for it to releader in the coming years?

Any suggestions on how to encourage the best growth from this tree would be greatly appreciated.

Cut off the old leaders. The trees will immediately look better and the leaders are toast anyway. I believe they were cut off too late in the season to reform buds lower down. The "bushes" should be trimmed down to the best two or three now then to the best one after the Spring burst in 2015. I believe the trees are OK and in 12 months they will look good. White pines are very good at self correcting. Hank

i gave you a link to pics for tip borer ..... for you to compare .. you did.. you dont see the equivalent ... so then its ruled out ...

then i GUESS i would move to shipping damage.. if you see a crack there ...

as noted.. remove the dead.. wait and see ...

as i said ... all trees will releader ... but they do it in tree years...

these pines will begin the process.. when they candle out next year ...

ken

Thanks guys. I will clip down that nasty looking leader to about 3 inches above the growth around it and wait to see how it proceeds in the spring.