Burley Blue- juniperus Scopulorum

[Eckhoffw]

Fall discount.
This tree I have high hopes for.
Pretty nice movement. Trunk is glossy smooth but I reckon that will improve in time if I keep it alive.

Very thick trident forming the top.
I’m having a hard time imagining lopping one off.

I’ve already chopped off a little from this cluster. But... I don’t know.
Very open to suggestions!!!!!
I will do something in the spring.

 

[Japonicus]

Any history? Has it been repotted or is that just a top dressing of bonsai soil?
If it’s been repotted into bonsai soil already, mid to late next June good for hard cut back up there zone 4.

In the 4th pic I would remove all foliage directly above the letter R from that point vertically to the left, gone
with this much vigour going into the reduction. Which means if you repot it 2021, do not prune any now or next year
beyond some thinning, and cleaning under and over branches, then thin again once recovered a bit more aggressively but within reason.
Then June 2022, do a hard cut back. Otherwise next June 2021 cut back.
Here in zone 6 I get good rewards on hard cut backs early July.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Any history? Has it been repotted or is that just a top dressing of bonsai soil?
If it’s been repotted into bonsai soil already, mid to late next June good for hard cut back up there zone 4.

In the 4th pic I would remove all foliage directly above the letter R from that point vertically to the left, gone
with this much vigour going into the reduction. Which means if you repot it 2021, do not prune any now or next year
beyond some thinning, and cleaning under and over branches, then thin again once recovered a bit more aggressively but within reason.
Then June 2022, do a hard cut back. Otherwise next June 2021 cut back.
Here in zone 6 I get good rewards on hard cut backs early July.

Thank you for the much needed advice!

So I did pull it from the pot momentarily to cut off the lip of the nursery pot. I gently combed out the bottom of the root ball (just a bit).
I placed some pumice on the bottom, and top.

 

[Japonicus]

Fall discount.

So this was a recent purchase and removed from pot?

 

[Colorado]

Any branch that you are considering “lopping off.” First consider jinning it. You can always remove the jin later

Sometimes it is not possible due to structural concerns, but it IS a Juniper after all so let’s see some deadwood!

 

[Eckhoffw]

So this was a recent purchase and removed from pot?

Yeah. Sometimes I like to pull out the the tree, and see the root ball. I let the loose soil at bottom (if there is any) fall off.
With a smaller mass, I slid back into the same pot with a drainage layer (pumice/lava) at bottom, and some more soil on the top.
No root work.
-I like to view the trunk without the lip of the pot in the way. Maybe not a good thing to do?

 

[Japonicus]

Maybe not a good thing to do?

Sure, many do this to get the debris off the soil and get a better idea about the nebari, to choose the front.
Slip potting however is by many considered the same amount of injury as a full on repot. I don't entirely agree, (there is merit )
but it does injure the feeding roots at the tips. The tips of the roots like the foliage, is where life exists most.
It's a matter of replenishing new feeder roots before hard frosts turns down/mutes the regeneration procedure.
So what you've done I think is ok, in particular, leaving energy up top Keep in FULL Sun.

 

[Japonicus]

I forgot to add that when making pruning cuts like this to leave a stub.
Compartmentalization as a wound heals. If you leave a stub it will heal quicker and less of a chance of the wound
carrying further into the branch or trunk, whichever is at hand.
ESPECIALLY with only one shoot left to carry on and draw life into the branch keeping it alive.
And this time of year, it is worth the effort to leave a stub in most cases, heading into the end of the growing season.
In the mountains we've already had +18ºF for an overnight low this week.
I am of the opinion that if the deciduous trees have begun turning it is good not to prune now, but that probably begins sooner
so I'm done pruning anything bigger than #8 wire in my grow zone, and that size and smaller lignified wood does get sealed if cut.

 

[Eckhoffw]

View attachment 331274
I forgot to add that when making pruning cuts like this to leave a stub.
Compartmentalization as a wound heals. If you leave a stub it will heal quicker and less of a chance of the wound
carrying further into the branch or trunk, whichever is at hand.
ESPECIALLY with only one shoot left to carry on and draw life into the branch keeping it alive.

Ughh! Thanks soo much for this reminder! I have read about this, but obviously it didn’t stick. Now I think it will!

 

[Eckhoffw]

Decided to clean the pine needles off burley blue and come up with a game plan.
With the wave of foliage coming up from the 3 strong leaders, I decided to push one up.
I wired down one of the others down to counter the Stick.

Did a wee bit of tip pruning and called it a night.

 

[Potawatomi13]

If desiring a decent sized trunk need is to plant in ground or big grow box several years until size is reached. Personally would not settle for less than 3 1/2"-4".

 

[Eckhoffw]

If desiring a decent sized trunk need is to plant in ground or big grow box several years until size is reached. Personally would not settle for less than 3 1/2"-4".

Haha, yeah.. Agreed! If I can get it even to 2”, that would b double.
I’ll plant it in a grow box as we’ve been thinking of moving sooner than later.
Still unsure of the best time for repotting. Late April seems ideal though.
Thanks!
Than

 

[sorce]

a wee bit

This was the last thing I typed here about 2 minutes ago!

Sorce

 

[Eckhoffw]

Got style heavy on this one.
So, no repot this spring.

just going to sleeve it with a terracotta pot for now.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I'm very interested to know if the foliage will go juvenile.
The scopulorum we can buy around here all have a tendency to do so after the smallest cuts.

 

[Eckhoffw]

I'm very interested to know if the foliage will go juvenile.
The scopulorum we can buy around here all have a tendency to do so after the smallest cuts.

I will keep you posted! I bet it will.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Well, this is on safe ground I assume. For most junipers. You didn't remove that much.
But still, I tossed my own scopulorum because of it.
I'm growing them from seed now, experimenting with some trunk fusion for fun. So somewhere down the line in 14 years or so, I want to know if I should have just gotten this burley blue instead!

 

[Eckhoffw]

Well, this is on safe ground I assume. For most junipers. You didn't remove that much.
But still, I tossed my own scopulorum because of it.
I'm growing them from seed now, experimenting with some trunk fusion for fun. So somewhere down the line in 14 years or so, I want to know if I should have just gotten this burley blue instead!

Trunk fused RMJ? That seems pretty darn interesting!

 

[Japonicus]

What are your plans for the original leader, jin? It's too thick for a branch.

 

[Eckhoffw]

What are your plans for the original leader, jin? It's too thick for a branch.

Yes. Most likely Jin. Thanks for your reinforcement. Just going to let it recover for a bit. Hopefully.