OK -- you got 'em. Thanks, Ken!

Pinch as much as you want,,,1/3 , 1/2 , 2/3

ron

Thanks, Ron, but what might be the effects of this, as opposed to leaving the candles intact? I generally pinch about 1/2 on my other dwarf pines, e.g. P. parviflora, to keep them compact. So would the same approach work?

It just retards or eliminates the growth for this season, depending on how much you remove. NBD

my understanding ....

buds will set at the tips of what is there ...

if you snip now ... buds will set near the snipped tip ..

ergo.. ipso presto ... this years growth will be that much shorter .... next years buds are that much shorter ..

if the buds had already set.. and you snip them off.. you will end up with a dead branch ... eventually the needles will age and fall off ...

to my understanding.. its a lifetime job. once you do it ... keeping it small ...

if anyone wants to correct my words.. feel free.. its how i learn also ...

ken

ps: when i see this kind of growth spurt.. i come to the conclusion.. the plant is finally established .. and most likely.. presuming you did NOT use fert on it.. this will be its new annual growth rate ... or more ...

Thanks for the info and suggestions -- much appreciated! Since Pinus aristata is, for the most part, quite slow growing, methinks I will leave the candles alone, at least for this season.

The growth spurt may well be due to the more than usual moisture we had this winter and early spring. It will be interesting to see what next spring brings.

Update: After more research and teeth-gnashing, I decided to trim back the candles on both plants by 1/2 this morning. The one in the photo had much larger ones, and I hope that doing so will make for a bushier and smaller tree, especially as it is in a dwarf conifer garden area.

Pinching also in most cases , produces twice the buds next year,,,making for denser growth

I pruned a Vanderwolf for few yrs,,,very,very pleased with results

ron

Thanks, Ron. I hope my experience is as good as yours!