Pruning can be the most confusing of gardening tasks, but not when it comes to pine trees. See those tall, thin candles on the pine above? Control the size of your tree by snapping off a proportionate amount of candle every May. Now's the time.
Candle pruning is such an easy and efficient technique, and you don't even need to use clippers. If you want to limit your pine tree's growth, simply snap or snip the candles off at the base. If you want to make it bushier and keep it from growing too much, pinch the candles in half. If there's room for your pine to grow quite a bit taller, simply leave the candles alone this year, or snap off the tips to help the tree bush out a little. That's it. I've kept the pine tree in the photo - I think it's a Vanderwolf's pine - in a pot for years by pinching off at least two-thirds of each candle every year. As you can see in the photo, I haven't quite gotten to the task yet this year - maybe tomorrow.....
