ime: Pine candles will continue to stretch out and grow during the season, until they are 'mature', depending on moisture and other growing conditions.

I believe the distance between needles for that species needs to be met before the new branch stops growing. Again, just my 2 cents.

i dont understand the premise ... perhaps i am a bit dull today ...

pines grow thru extension of the candles ... so how can they not be equal ... ???

ken

Ha ha maybe I don't understand my own question LOL. But what I meant with growth is the visual impression of growth, or to coin a term the 'visual growth' if that makes sense. Of course visual growth generally correlates to candle length, but I am getting the impression that that is not always the case, I wonder why.