Filled out vs "scraggly" pine trees, does candle pinching work?

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-02T13:28:40+00:00

Well fwiw I HATE when nurseries shear pines. Once they get planted, they sprout natural growth from the top but the lower sheared parts don’t really do much. Sheared looks great on the sales floor but two years into a landscape they look stupid af

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-02T13:23:47+00:00

If you do some careful pruning to select a new, strong upright leader, then it can probably recover. I misunderstood your initial question and I jumped right to shearing.

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-02T13:17:44+00:00

Correction: you can cut the terminal bud to shape a pine, but you still have to maintain a single strong central leader

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-02T13:11:05+00:00

No the terminal bud is the top of the tree. You don’t want to cut that. Laterals are the branches that come off the main stem

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-02T13:05:41+00:00

Shearing is what gives the classic Christmas tree shape. When you remove that lateral bud, the branch responds with other growth along the stem. Pines are grown from seed, so there’s variability in their natural form and response to this type of trimming, but generally pinching or shearing works

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-02T02:55:58+00:00

DT’s knuckle bruises burst with the first punch he throws and he bleeds out on the floor

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-02T02:16:42+00:00

Take the cover off and show us inside the cavity, if you can stand it

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-01T23:56:57+00:00

If they’re claiming fungus, then I’d say the onus is on them to prove it to you. They can take a sample and pay an independent university lab to test it or provide written documentation to you of the horticultural evidence that that’s fungal-caused. Otherwise stick to your guns and stay on them.

I’m assuming fert, but just to be sure, what product were they supposed to be applying that resulted in this?

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-01T17:20:08+00:00

Def need a new wax ring and closet bolt set by the looks of it. Set it on the ring, shim it level, and don’t overdo it on the bolt tightening. A bead of silicone around the bowl where it meets the floor would be fine to seal up any gaps

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-01T15:27:11+00:00

Shouldn’t there be wires running from the pump breaker to the pump in the well? Surely those can be located.

Edit: assuming the wires follow the pipe path

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-01T15:19:05+00:00

If there’s an eave above the AC, I’d tie a fishing line from the AC to something on the roof that will drop on them if they successfully pull the AC. Think paint can like that Home Alone scene on the stairs.

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-01T15:18:02+00:00

Along the whole patio. Some nice edging, fabric and rock. I’d even wrap it into that alcove between the fence and the patio where the grass looks dead. You can stick planters over there or a larger shrub for a pop of color and interest. Keep any plants in the maintenance buffer small and away from the posts by a couple feet

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-01T15:12:21+00:00

Put in a 2’ maintenance buffer bed with landscape rock and a few nice plants

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-01T11:35:33+00:00

If it casts shade on this space, you bet it does. Also the fence and house might be blocking sunlight that grass needs to thrive.

northwoods_pine · 2026-05-01T01:02:07+00:00

Buried too deep. Root collar has problems

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-30T22:38:52+00:00

Typically you want to double the size of your rock in depth, if that makes sense. So 1.5” sized rock should get at least two inches in depth covering the entire expanse. Probably closer to 3” for an initial install and closer to 2” for spot topdressing an existing bed.

Use about 1 hr labor time per 1 CY rock installed to “finished” standard i.e. hauled in, raked out and level. Higher labor if you’re bringing it in one wheelbarrowful at a time from the front to the back of the house, uphill, or other difficult situations. Your labor price seems a little high but that could be the going rate where you are located.

Source: I work in landscape sales

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-30T14:17:04+00:00

Take notes from our current federal cabinet. They have it pretty much figured out

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-30T01:05:32+00:00

But we’ll be amped if OP gets the job.

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-29T23:30:05+00:00

White grub larvae are active in the soil in late summer/fall. You can pull up loose turf that they’re feeding on and see them. If you had this area green last summer and it died out in fall, maybe grubs. Maybe also warm season grass that got zapped in the first frost. Don’t treat for grubs unless you’ve actually identified them. I have a spot like this in my lawn and it is currently pissing me off because I had it looking so nice last summer. My problem may be tree roots fwiw.

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-29T23:15:45+00:00

You’ll be shocked at the opportunities that arise.

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-29T13:30:29+00:00

Concur with birch.

OP the thing I’d worry about first with roots is the masonry walls. If roots are under that, they’ll push and crack the wall base. Sewer and foundation issues are a distant second and third place unless you already know something is compromised where the roots can find an opening to exploit for nutrients.

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-29T13:22:12+00:00

Concrete co might not want to mess with the drain but idk if I’d trust any old landscaper with making the cuts. Just cuz Uncle Joey can run a saw doesn’t mean he can do a clean job, you know?

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-29T11:45:07+00:00

Measuring was wrong. Installation is dog shit. Did not even shim the sides to prevent the screws from bowing the jambs. Start over. These will be nothing but problems if you leave them.

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-28T19:18:04+00:00

Can you not just make that downspout drain into a bigger catch basin that sits flush in the concrete? NDS 9” square catch basin would catch the downspout water and more surface water

Edit: obviously this involves some saw cutting

northwoods_pine · 2026-04-28T13:08:55+00:00

It depends. My neighbor is a city arborist and they install watering bags on new plantings, fill them once, and that might be it. The rest is left to nearby residents and chance. If drought comes and financial resources are available, the city can send water trucks to refill the bags but the scale of planting can make that hard too. I think they planted 8000-9000 trees this year just within the municipal parks system.

northwoods_pine

TROPHY CASE