JWP : TIPPED Leader

last month

MY JWP has been -topped-....if that's how the saying goes

I received a large JWP that literally, it's spring candles were to the top of the box. Probably even a bit longer but it was tender growth that was probably bent a smidge to shoehorn the entire tree into the box . I believe the box height was 48 " or 60". It was packaged proper with 4 bamboo stakes so that the plant did not move up and down.

However, upon receipt the middle longest candle on my JWP .....half of it did snap off during transift and the side candles were not looking happy.

So here I am watching it's development since receipt this season. All the new growth candles on the side branches are fine. However, the very top of the leader, with the main candle and the sides are basically dying:drying off.

JWP is Single Flush so what do you propose I may see for 2027. Will I see a batch of new buds develop on the existing leader that has developed from last year. Or sadly....will I see nothing and i'm going to have to take a Side Branch and develop a new leader out of it.

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BillMN-z4a

last month

pictures?

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Comments (10)

a1an
Original Author
last month
I didn't snap a pic as I was so bummed to see what I saw.....I'll grab one.

Last years main candle"....has some nice largish cones at the end of it....all the dieback is above it....all new candles.

I have to do a digg ....thinking if the cones take any energy away. If so, I might remove them, so hopefully all enerygy is spent producing new buds on last years main needle (hopefully_
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BillMN-z4a
last month
You didn't contact your seller and tell him about it?

If the tree is healthy and you have living sprouts/candles and they're making needles, they will continue to grow and finish out with new winter buds by the end of season.

The form of the tree will be funky but next year those winter buds will begin to grow and produce new branches. Again, it may take a few years to get the shape to look normal.

And it may always show some signs of the damage from the past.
a1an
Original Author
last month
last modified: last month
No I did not.....it the plant was snapped in half , yes, I would of. But it sorta comes with the territory ..with shipping.The stakes were literally the length of the entire box. It was not as if it shifted within the box

I did know it was a bad sign when I saw that the side candles was the length of the box when I unboxed it,....and when I went to see the center candle, I did see it had broken off during shipping. However, in it's current form , it was not dead. Over the course of almost 2 months now....and when I went to see why I was not seeing the needles elongate much in this area, when I checked closer....it was clear to me ALL the candles on the tip were basially dying off.

. It was a combo of young tender candles...and transit. Well, the center candle length ....was larger than the box and it was -tweaked- ......just not thrilled that literally, the main leader ....main candle and side candles are literally done for this year and I have no idea if it will ----bud back--- on last years grow so I'm SOL and will need to take a branch to train back as a new leader.
a1an
Original Author
last month
Off topic.....same vendor. A few years back, they stacked another conifer ontop of this beautiful #7 Tanima No Yuki. I can't recall exactly how it was packled, but the stacking literally caused a large split down the main leader when it arrived. Such a nice plant that could have been avoided it was shipped in it's own seperate box/
BillMN-z4a
last month
Any warranty?
a1an
Original Author
last month
Yes, albit short and I think I'm a few days past...but it's not like it was on my radar to ask.......granted, I would not be posting if I had a dead side branch....but I have a dead leader, which is literally the structure and frame .
BillMN-z4a
last month
last modified: last month
Yes, you'll just have to wait 'n see.

Let it grow for a while and don't do any pruning on the leaders in question for a couple years.

You could candle prune the side branches, next year, to help the main leader catch up.
a1an
Original Author
last month
Fingers crossed it buds back but in all my readings, very slight chance....

I might remove the cones to give all the energy at the end of last years growth to produce some buds.

So figure maybe 2 years to set a new leader and let apical dominance do it's thing. (hopefully)
a1an
Original Author
last month
last modified: last month
It took a little over a month but it has met it's maker...at least 70% of the canopy is showing death

Out of all the firs I've reveived via mail, aside from IceBreaker, including this one, 2 have died almost immediate and the 3 JWP are now in it's second growing season. Not sure if JWP is just more sensative.....and add ontop the stress of transit. Some ordered in early spring *before summer heat* and 2 of them were fall plantings.

Probably will order another same replacement for a post labor day planting....I'm hoping this is going to be a better success rare with candles harded off vs . soft candles in spring shipping