Pinching back RMJs

[MACH5]

Hello,

I'd like to ask what is best when it comes to shaping RMJs. Is it better to cut back to lignified shoots with scissors or pinch back with fingers?

I currently have been pinching back with fingers and I get good back budding although it is juvenile type growth. Can someone please offer detail info on how I should treat this species?

Please advise and thanks!

 

[Dan W.]

MACH5, I asked Ryan Neil the same question and here is his response:

"For junipers, the rocky mountain juniper should not be pinched. This causes a shock response in the tree which stimulates juvenille growth. Instead, they need to be allowed to grow and accumulate resources and then pruned back to strong shoots."

Hope this helps

Dan

 

[Dav4]

I would suggest that this is how you shoud treat all junipers, irregardless of species. Constant pinching keeps them in a chronically weakened, stressed condition which leads to leggy, juvenile growth. Pruning back to lignified wood will allow the tree to remain strong and produce fuller, more compact, mature growth. Don't forget to wire out all the foliage so that every bit receives some direct sun. How about a picture?

 

[MACH5]

Thanks Dan! My worry is that some of these branches are quite leggy and they keep getting longer if I don't pinch back. Can I/should I cut back these leggy growths with scissors then?

 

[MACH5]

Ok thanks Dav4. Will try and provide a pic.

 

[Dan W.]

Constant pinching keeps them in a chronically weakened, stressed condition which leads to leggy, juvenile growth. Pruning back to lignified wood will allow the tree to remain strong and produce fuller, more compact, mature growth.

MACH5, I think Dav4's response answered your question. He's been working with RMJ's longer than I have.

 

[MACH5]

Yes thank you so much!

 

[MACH5]

Ok below is a pic of a troublesome branch. Not sure how/where I should cut back to make it bud back?? FYI the tree gets full sun for most of the day and is watered and fertilized aggressively. This kind of leggy and sparse growth seems to be pretty common in collected RMJs. I'd like to be able to better address this issue.

And this pic below shows the tree in question styled Spring of last year.

 

[Dav4]

Great tree! As far as that little branch in your picture is concerned, it's too weak to pinch or prune back. If you've wired it out with the tips pointed up and moved it so it gets sun, that's really all you can do right now. Assuming the tree is in the right soil mix (read that as 100% inorganic and fast draining) and it gets enough sun(sounds like it does), fertilize it aggressively(I feed weekly with fish emulsion and miracle gro) and see how it grows for the next month or two before busting out the scissors.

 

[MACH5]

Ok thanks Dav4! This is very helpful. My plan this year is to let the tree grow without any more wiring and such. Yes, tree is planted in very fast draining, inorganic substrate. Thank you again!

 

[Dav4]

It's ok to wire now if the purpose is to move the tips of the foliage out and up so they gain strength. For the longest time, I thought that wiring always weakened a tree. It turns out that wiring and proper placement of the foliage will actually strengthen a tree such as this one.

 

[MACH5]

Yes I was also under the same impression but I stand corrected! Now I know moving forward I am trying to get as much experience and knowledge about RMJs in particular before I graduate to larger collected pieces.