Without restarting the pinch or not to pinch debate may I ask a question?...

[Alain]

I wouldn't cut anything yet for a while...

No problem! I learned the lesson: let them rest one more year....

Half my nursery Junipers died in the same manner....
"Hey look at me, spring!, I'm gonna push some growth....urrrnt....no, Fuck you buddy I'm dead!"

Thank you...son of a Bitch juniper!

Sorce

Ok so that's not just me, it's actually a real rule...
that's really annoying, nothing else to do but look at it developing 50 shades of yellowish, brownish...
Well at least the dead one I can prune it And may be save the trunk for some tanuki or something.