If I get one point across today it’s to WATER!!! Any new or one year old plants you have in the ground are likely in need of a good soaking. And, since it’s time to start pruning, I am sending you a repeat tip from last year.
Pines are showing new growth on them. We call that “candle growth” because it looks like yellow candles standing straight up at the tips of the branches. This signals us that it if we want to prune our pines, this is the time to do it. The reason to prune pines is to encourage a fuller, denser, growth. If all you want is height and don’t mind if the tree grows with a more open habit, leave it alone.
To prune the tree, you cut off part of the candle. The amount you remove will influence how much growth you will allow the tree to have this year. If you do not remove any of the candle, you could get as much as 12-24″ of growth, whereas if you remove the entire candle, you won’t notice any growth on the branches and the trunk will just fatten up a bit. (The growth has to go somewhere!) I usually recommend you cut off half of the candle growth to prevent a spindly looking pine. Always leave one leader candle at the tree top that is taller than the rest. This leader I usually prune lightly also as it will determine where the next ring of branches will form at the tree top.
