How to deal with juniper knuckles

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I have a couple yamadori sabina junipers and they have these knuckles on branches, where a bunch of smaller branches pop out of.

Do you cut them flush? Any specific ways of attacking these?

 

[Lutonian]

I don't know if this is used by others but I have been cutting them off leaving a stub of the branch then removing flush the next growing season, seems to work for me

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Hard to say from your photo, but it appears you have too many branches coming from one joint. Depending upon what else is going on at that location, I would usually remove two of the larger branches, leaving the trunk and a single large branch. I might even remove three of the large branches (jinning one of them), and leave the trunk and a single of the small branches.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

In my early days, I flush cut a branch of a juniper. It hasn't healed in the last three years. I'm thinking it will become part of a shari streak soon. Since then, I leave stubs of branches to either jin (once I get my Christmas present of jin pliers !) or protect against die back. Leaving a little bit preserves design options and lets the tree adapt.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

In my early days, I flush cut a branch of a juniper. It hasn't healed in the last three years. I'm thinking it will become part of a shari streak soon. Since then, I leave stubs of branches to either jin (once I get my Christmas present of jin pliers !) or protect against die back. Leaving a little bit preserves design options and lets the tree adapt.

 

[PonderingSage:]

I notice that many wild juniper have burl like growth, especially in the natural apex of the tree. If there is enough foliage on the tree you can thin them out. If the tree is sparse, you may want to leave them for a few seasons for the tree to gain strength.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Ah right, Burl is the right word.

What I'm dealing with is roughly 5 to 10 small branches of similar size coming from those burls. Jinning them is impossible and growing them all out would cause a whole bunch of swelling.
I've reduced the number of branches from a whole lot to one or two. But now I'm left with a bunch of stubs.
I'm curious how you guys would deal with that.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Concave cutters.

 

[leatherback]

Take your time and with fine-pointed scissors reduce the clumps of branches.

 

[PonderingSage:]

You can also embrace some of the funkiness that is a wild tree.
Good luck, l would love to see the “after” photos.