Correcting Multiple Leaders While Growing Christmas Trees
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2021
- This is how Tony Stefani corrects leaders in our Christmas Tree fields. This happens when the tree doesn't have a dominate leader the previous year.
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Very helpful. I’ve got a few trees with multiple leaders and this gives me a good,idea.
Great to hear!
Great job and video!! I was also good to see you this past week at the tree conference 😎
Thanks Jeff. It was nice meeting you as well!
Video shows you have a good understanding of tree growth habits. Excellent demonstration of fixing major structural problems by correcting last years' mistakes at last years level of growth. Big problems sometimes require big solutions. BTW, I have a bucket full of tapeners, tape, staples, blades, and spare parts I'll make a deal on. Some have excellent luck with them but we had mixed results. Some of our trouble might be due to us growing mostly pine trees. I hope your shearing season is going well. We are down to another 2-3 days of spruce trees then 2-3 days of canaan fir.
Thanks for the comment David. I have enough tapener supplies for quite some time, hopefully someone sees this post and makes you an offer. I can see how pine wouldn’t respond well to that type of correction. I just wack at them wit my knife and something will become the boss haha. Shearing is going well mostly done. Just need to do light touches on what we want to sell this year. Best of luck to you sir. Stay safe!
I have a Colorado Blue spruce in maybe a 2 1/2 gallon pot. It has 3 thick, hardened leaders. One comes off of a significantly curved trunk that leans, so it was probably supposed to be the main one, but probably grown in a cramped space to where two more decided to compete. The shortest of the 3 and the wimpiest one seems to be the one that will make the tree look straight with that trunk that curves and leans in one direction. Should I choose a leader which will make the tree look straight as in grows or the thickest one that would work but will make the tree look crooked? As you know, Colorado blue spruce trees are stiff and prickly, except for the new growth.
Thanks for the comment. What are your plans with the tree? Sometimes I don't pick the strongest leader if others have the length that I'm after. If the tree is young and can recover I would pick the one that makes it the most straight. I hope this helps. I actually just put out a video on spruce tops cutting out some old leaders like you're mentioning. It's a long video but covers a lot. ruclips.net/video/MgXKSzld9_E/видео.html
Hi Tony enjoying the videos. Just a quick question do you grow any Notdmann? If so what specific attention do you give to leader control? Thanks D
Hi David, I do have Nordmann. I started them in my exotic area 2019 so still pretty young. I have staked and used the tapener like I have my other fir. This does work but it also creates a hole in the side. I joined a tree group in the UK and they grow a lot of Nordmann, I'm learning a lot through their posts and have learned that you can shear them pretty hard and they will come back. I saw a video where they cut the whole leader off and that would force a new bud to form and take over. I'm not brave enough to try this one yet but it's an option.
Wow cant believe that new growth is still so soft at the end of July, is that just a characteristic of that specific species of tree?
I filmed this end of June just not getting around to editing and posting. We are shearing now and we do see more bud development and firmer branches. The long leader pruning video was last weekend for a better reference. Sorry for the confusion. Thanks for the comment
Great info! Is it ok to do this in the fall here in ohio?
Yes, With all single needle conifers, Spruce and Fir. doing this during the dormant months is totally fine. Be aware that you could have some dieback in really cold weather.
Was it ABC bands you are tying top with? Where do you get them? Thanls
Hi Doug, Thanks for watching. They're called ADC bands and I get them from Wahmhoff farms. Here is a link: mitrees.com/product/adc170-adc-bands/
How has the tree recovered since doing this? I will be correcting a few like this in the spring.
Can’t say for this one but here is a good before and after set of videos. I hope this helps.
Christmas Tree Top Debate Conclusion
ruclips.net/video/Ks67CDvkelI/видео.html
Christmas Tree Top Debate
ruclips.net/video/0VykdvnR814/видео.html
Should a Norway columnar have just one leader branch? I’ve got 5 competitors, they all have cone buds on them. Just in 2 days, two of the leaders have turned brown, the cones have. It’s September in Mo. been very hot. It’s a 12 ft tree planted in May. Thanks so much for considering my question.
Dan
Hi Dan, Thanks for reaching out. In general yes you should only have one terminal shoot or leader. For a tree planted as a landscape tree (I'm assuming that is what this is for) and a tree at that height it will be hard to trim them. Branches and cones turning brown is normal towards the end of summer as the limbs become woody and firm and cones start to go to seed and start breaking apart. I would let nature take care of it self. Keep an eye on it most landscape trees have a 1 year warranty, so if it doesn't start shooting new growth next spring I would ask the company you used to replace the dying tree.
@@Hillsidechristmastreefarm
Thank you so much, my friend! I kind of figured that might be the case. I guess the cones should not be cut off and just let them reproduce in the spring. Thank you for your video and all the explanation involved! I did not know that the cones could regenerate once they died , great information. Thank you kindly and have a great day. Have a nice weekend!
You’re welcome. Right the code will eventually fall off. In landscape setting the the multiple leaders isn’t a big deal. Nature knows what to do. As Christmas trees we want to control the density and look of the tree a lot more.
One more question for you if you don’t mind. What do you mean by the word, Woody? You mentioned that they turn woody in the fall and winter. Are you talking about the color? Thanks again!!!
Yes, When the tree is actively growing the stems are green and very soft. As the growing season stops that new growth become woody. What you're used to seeing in a branch with bark and brown in color. This is also to referred to as hardened off. In Christmas tree production some herbicides can't be applied to actively growing trees, we need to wait until the trees harden off so spray damage is minimized. I hope this answers your question.