Fall and winter are my favorite times to wire black pines. The trees are relatively dormant, the foliage is mature, and I have a long time before spring to get the work done.

I can also do this work when I decandle, but I don’t always make the time for it. As a result, I’ve started doing more limited wiring jobs.

I set up guy wires on the tree below last winter and as a result there is plenty of good growth in the tree’s interior.

Black pine before decandling – 19 years old from seed

After decandling – 20″ tall

The tree below is a good example of a pine that hadn’t been wired in a few years. All of the branches were growing upwards and there was no way for light to reach the tree’s interior.

Field-grown pine from Telperion Farms

Although it was easier for light to reach interior buds after decandling, it’s clear that the tree would benefit from light wiring.

After decandling and pulling needles

Here’s the tree after wiring the primary branches.

After wiring primary branches – 22″ tall

Limited wiring doesn’t take the place of full wiring jobs, but it can make the work easier when the time comes. I plan to do more wiring on these trees in fall at which point I’ll aim to get more of the branches in shape.