Yet another Dragon Eye Pine question

pupper_5_indiana

16 years ago

Hi all,

I have a question, about the growth on the top of my tree.

The top doesn't seem to fill out as well as the bottom.

Is there something I can do to encourage it to fill out more ?

( I already tried talking nice to it, it doesn't work. )

see pictures.....

Any help is appreciated,

Dennis

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
two thoughts...

first ... what impact did transplant.. and all the digging involved in moving it and planting it.. have on the plant ... in other words... compare growth on prior limbs.. and post transplant ... you don't mention how long its been in the ground in your garden ...

and second.. i have been able to ID at least two types [for this discussion] of conifer collectors .... those who want every pine to look like an xmas tree.. perfectly sheared in a perfect cone shape ... and those who think the 'weirder the better' .... for retail .. many growers are the former.. then once transplanted .. the growth starts going wild again ... and the new owner has to decide which path they are going to follow ...

my guess.. is that it was planted about two or three years ago .. and that is when the spindly growth occurred .... obviously .. there isn't all that much to shear at this point.. but if you have a plethora of growth next spring.. you might want to nip the new buds in June or so .. to force less extension and more lateral branching ... you will need better guidance on that from others who actually do it.. because i am of the weirder the better .. let it do its own thing club ...

i have a bergmans var [drag eye]... bought very small .. that has refused to put up a leader for about 6 years .... no matter how i have tried to force it to do so ... no matter which branch i tie and stake...others go higher ... i think it spends evenings mocking me.. lol .. its a beautiful 6 foot globe ... and i think it is finally putting up a leader ... about 3 foot off center ...

perhaps.. on the drag eyes.. with all that yellow .. and its propensity to winter burn .. maybe it has just taken this long to get fully established .. and decide 'survival' isn't an issue.. and it finally wants to grow up?? i surely wont ever know ...

anyway .. its alive.. its growing roots.. sooner or later.. it will get its act together....
my best suggestion.. buy more conifers.. so you don't have to fixate on this one.. lol

have a good day.. ken
conifers
16 years ago
Listen to Ken. lol

And prune just as he says. What you're looking for is the candle to fully elongate and when the needles begin to unfold on candles, that's when you pinch them, as needed!!!

"As needed" implying that balance is being sought or weirdness is being sought. Pruning...

Good luck, Take care,

Dax
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pineresin
16 years ago
Looks to me like it could do with more sun.

Resin
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
if it isn't burning in zone 5 HOT summer.. its probably in just the right amount of sun ..

with this years heat and humidity ... in full blistering sun.. i have a lot of my DEye plants already browning .. damage i am speculating.. i usually don't see until winter burn comes along ...

ken
pupper_5_indiana
Original Author
16 years ago
Ken,

Sorry for the lack of info, I lost my head there..

Ok,

First off, it has been in the ground, in the same spot,
and never been moved, since I planted it. I would say I
planted it about 4yrs ago, give or take.(at about 2ft tall)

It is about six foot tall.( it's hard to tell by picture)

It gets sun from morning till about 2 in the afternoon.

It was growing normal until about 2 yrs ago when it decided to start growing up and not out.

It seems to be doing fine in it's spot. It gets a little
winter browning, But not to bad. It colors up pretty fast
in the spring.

I don't have a problem with it the way it is, because I like weird, and or off the wall stuff.

My main concern is, it might snap the top off during the winter snows.

I will leave it alone and see what it will do.

Thanks for info,

Dennis
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
pines are one of the stretchiest woods.. very soft ... very bendable ...

after snow.. if it sticks ... just go knock it off and it will pop back up ...

ice might be a bigger worry ... but even staking it .. if the storm is heavy enough.. it will still break ...

regardless ... let it do its thing... the tree will fix itself if it breaks.. perhaps with some guidance from you ...

light might be the issue ... it might be reaching out for more... but hey ... you gotta have it.. and you can make the world spin differently .. so wing it.. lol ..

THERE IS NEVER ANY HURRY with conifers ... good luck

ken

Yet another Dragon Eye Pine question

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Yet another Dragon Eye Pine question

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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