Advice needed - Juniper

[Steve Warren]

While doing a measure and quote for a good customer today, I spotted this Juniper. After a discussion on bonsai she asked me to take it off of her hands as she was not confident on how to look after it. She has had it for five years and has done nothing to it. I reluctantly took it off of her hands I have never had a Juniper before and would like some suggestions with the following,

- How best to deal with the over extended leader and branches.(can I airlayer them off)
- How best to style the crown.
- Should I remove any of the lower branches.
- When best to repot as it is severly root bound.

If anyone has any other suggestions I would love to here them as I am a little lost with junipers of this size (500mm from rim of pot)

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Not bad for a freebie
Regards
Steve W

[Andrew F]

[Craig]

Steve, great score mate, it looks in very good health , maybe just start by cleaning out all the old dead needles and twigs. It'll give you a much cleaner tree to see where you want to go with it .

[kcpoole]

Nice score
Clean out the dead bits so you can see what is there hidden. I suspect the tree has not a lot of movement or taper in the upper trunk?

Suggest it might end up a fair bit shorter eventually. You can layer off the top if that is the case.
Branches can be shortened and needed back to a side shoot / branchlet and then wired.

You can cut back the foliage by using sharp scissors and cutting the stem between leaves, or Pinching them back as needed.
Have a look on the web for Juni photos for inspiration too

ps by the looks it is Juniper Procumbens

Ken

[Steve Warren]

Thanks for the replys.
I have just spent an hour cleaning it out a little as suggested. looks like a few more hours work ahead. Spikey little buggers aren't they.
Still a little reluctant to take too much off, think I need to gro some kahoonas and rip in. I will post some more pics when I have finished cleaning and see what you think about where best to layer the top off. I would like to keep the height if possible but if it will make a much better tree, possibly two trees, I am more than happy to layer the top off.

Thanks again

Steve W

[kcpoole]

If you can, Take it to a workshop with an experienced Juni grower and see what they can advise too

Ken

[simonvallone]

if it were up to me id remove the very 2 bottem branches but then in doing so the trunk will grow at a slower rate so maybe keep them there if you want the trunk thicker. but i believe the trunk is at a nice size. that tree has good potential it is a lil too semetrical for me tho but that is up to the individual. when we look at things we all have different visions and ideas so just go with what you believe is right and repotting wise if it is as bad as you say repot trim roots and place away from full sunlight but dont prune branches let it recover first. it appears to be in good health so its not urgent.

[chrisatrocky]

Steve, nice pick up. The tree looks healthy so no need for a re-pot until the spring. This is the best time to re-pot junipers. However,you can clean up the unwanted foliage just by pinching it back.
Decide, if you want to keep the style of the tree or change it.
Firstly, clean up the trunk, remove all the foliage along the trunk, leaving only the foliage on the branches and the top of the tree. remove branches you feel are not nessersary ( plan ahead some of these branches could form gins). Next, remove all the foliage which is growing below or down from each branch. Then wire the branches.
Now step back and have a look. this is so you can see what needs to be removed from the longer branches to form a nice triangle with the foliage ( you may need to place the branches in their approximate positions to do this), with the base of the triangle being formed by the lowest branches. Make sure you look at the front, the 2 sides and the back of the tree when doing this, visualizing a triangle at each turn. When you've finished this, the remaining foliage pads and top will need to be pinch back to abuot half their thickness ( a nice rounded top looks more mature than a pointed one). Place the branches in the correct position.
If after you have cleaned the trunk and under the branches, and the tree looks as though it needs to be reduced in height, and you plan to airlayer the top leave enough room to do so, and form a new apex (top) with lower branches. A airlayer is best started in the spring (only after it has recover from the re-potting)

chris

[JulzD]

Hi Steve.

Any progress on this Juni Procumbens?

I only ask as I too am about to start down the road of a semi-large Procumbens and I'm interested in the weather in your area and the effects it has on your tree.