Cut the Candles on Your Double-Flush Pines
Red, black, and other pines need to have their energy balanced
| The goal is to balance the energy of the tree to make it relatively the same across the tree. The removal of spring growth from red or black pines is to stimulate a second flush of growth in summer. This is accomplished by the process of candle cutting in June. |
- Check the branch and decide where you want budding to occur
- Cut the bottom of the candle with scissors, while leaving a small amount of green at the end, where you decide to create more growth
- Not all candles need to be cut. Only where you desire more buds to emerge to create more branches and new growth
- Some candles can be left to grow and cut next year
- Reduce or cut needles as needed
What is a double-flush pine? These are pines that will put out another shoot of growth in a single season. This makes it safe to cut back and reduce these pines. Single-flush pines will not bud back nor put out new growth once something is removed.
Helpful video:
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Pinch the Candles on Your Double-Flush Pines
Red, black, and other pines need to have their energy balanced
The goal is to balance the energy of the tree to make it relatively the same across the tree. This is accomplished by the process of candle pinching in May.
- Check the candles for when the needle buds have begun to pop out
- Hold the bottom of the candle with one hand and use the other to twist and pinch off the extended growth that is undesired
- Try to pinch longer candles down to be about the same height as other candles in the tree
- You do not need to pinch small candles, only larger ones
What is a double-flush pine? These pines will put out another shoot of growth in a single season. This makes it safe to cut back and reduce these pines. Single-flush pines will not bud back or release new growth once something is removed.
