Juniper Styling Help

Drekula

Seedling
Messages
24
Reaction score
22
Location
Loma Linda, California
USDA Zone
9b
Hi everyone,

I really really struggle with junipers. I don’t know how to get them to back-bud or how to bend large trunks. This is my second attempt at working with some nursery stock and I managed to break the trunk. I’ve attached an image of what’s left of the tree and I’m at a loss with how to style it in the long term. Discouraged and looking for advice. I’ve attached a rough sketch of one styling idea of a semi cascade.
 

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I would just let this one grow for a couple of years. At that point, you may have enough foliage to start to style a twin trunk Of course there’s other options, but that’s what I would do.
 
Backbudding in junipers is easy. Grow them in full sun, remove weak growth, wire branches down and the ones that don't need to come down need to be spread so they're not blocking sunlight, then wait 'til they backbud. If you don't have runners/whips everywhere, you're not waiting long enough. Check for wirebite.
 
Hm.. What did you start out with for this tree?

I think you may have fallen in the misconception trap where recommendations are made to "remove all inner growth when styling a juniper".

In general junipers are amongst the most flexible trees to work with. If you are breaking branches you really need to go slower, spend more time bending and getting to know the species.

For your design, I doubt you will ever get the top branch to backbud to a point where you can make your top of canopy; On old wood junipers are just more reluctant.
 
Hi everyone,

I really really struggle with junipers. I don’t know how to get them to back-bud or how to bend large trunks. This is my second attempt at working with some nursery stock and I managed to break the trunk. I’ve attached an image of what’s left of the tree and I’m at a loss with how to style it in the long term. Discouraged and looking for advice. I’ve attached a rough sketch of one styling idea of a semi cascade.
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Essentially, you lower the left trunk away from you and then bend it toward the other trunk. If you could have someone hold the lower portion of the trunk and make the trunk bend at the desired landmark while you pull and twist the guy wire, that would be ideal. Could be a two person job, but you could also do it alone. An adjustable workbench would be good so you could clamp down on either side of the pot, holding the tree securely in place so you can perform the raffia/wire/guy wire actions.
 
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Essentially, you lower the left trunk away from you and then bend it toward the other trunk. If you could have someone hold the lower portion of the trunk and make the trunk bend at the desired landmark while you pull and twist the guy wire, that would be ideal. Could be a two person job, but you could also do it alone. An adjustable workbench would be good so you could clamp down on either side of the pot, holding the tree securely in place so you can perform the raffia/wire/guy wire actions.
Love this idea, thanks so much!
 
When you repor, you could angle the tree 90° to the right(clockwise) - the current upper branch would be at the lower 3rd of your LaCroix can. Then you would have a nice curvy trunk that you could continue to develop.
 
Hm.. What did you start out with for this tree?

I think you may have fallen in the misconception trap where recommendations are made to "remove all inner growth when styling a juniper".

In general junipers are amongst the most flexible trees to work with. If you are breaking branches you really need to go slower, spend more time bending and getting to know the species.

For your design, I doubt you will ever get the top branch to backbud to a point where you can make your top of canopy; On old wood junipers are just more reluctant.
Sadly this tree began with completely bare inner growth. It extended much farther beyond the last branch. I was hoping to make a cascade out of it. I’ve attached the original. I broke it trying to bend the long straight section.
 

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@Drekula
Look into learning how to use raffia and wire for larger bends. Raffia and supportive wire along the branch help to support it and prevent splits. I've done a bend on a 1+ inch white pine trunk using this method with success
 
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