Five days at Boon’s

[Adair M]

Attended the Fall Intensive, then stayed for two Workshop days. I managed to work a few trees...

Before:



After:



The work included pulling old needles, thinning excess summer shoots, cutting back overgrown branches to interior branches, and minor adjustments and wiring, and Soji. This took me from 8:30 to 6 pm, with a break for lunch.

Next tree:
Before:



After:



On this one, I had to decide if I wanted to show it at BIB next January. I decided to let it develop another year. So... I pulled old needles, thinned buds and wired for development. Had I chosen to show it, I would have left more needles and done less thinning. As well have done more detail wiring. When prepping for a show, I like to have the tree be more dense. When developing, we thin to promote backbudding and keep the interior branches and buds healthy.

 

[Adair M]

And now for something completely different...



I forgot to take a before picture, sorry! This tree is (was) a Western Juniper that’s grafted with Kishu. The grafts were put on 3 years ago, and this styling I finally removed the last of the Western foliage. It also got thinned and wired. Next time, I’m going to try to steam bend the straight deadwood. If it works, great! If not, I’ll shorten it.

I’m about to board my plane to return home, I’ll post more later.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Nicely done...will wish to follow more on your attempt at bending the deadwood. Sounds intriguing!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Safe travels as well Adair!

 

[Victorim]

Three lovely trees bud. The second is the pine you got from jonnas? He posted a blog on doing exposed roots on JPB seedlings in 2013, but do you know the approx age on this one? (think you said he started from seed..)

 

[M. Frary]

I like the idea of shimpaku on that juniper.

 

[ghues]

Great work and many thanks for sharing.

 

[JudyB]

Big boy pine looks great! Thanks for the post, seems like it's been a while...

 

[just.wing.it]

Sweeeet!

 

[discusmike]

Amazing trees!nice work!!!!

 

[Adair M]

Three lovely trees bud. The second is the pine you got from jonnas? He posted a blog on doing exposed roots on JPB seedlings in 2013, but do you know the approx age on this one? (think you said he started from seed..)

I think this one was part of his 2002 crop. So, that makes it 15 years old.

 

[thams]

@Adair M I'm moving back to the Atlanta area and would like to participate in intensives and workshops. Do you, by chance, give lessons? If I remember correctly you sometimes teach workshops at Plant City. Do you also give private sessions?

Awesome work!

 

[Adair M]

@Adair M I'm moving back to the Atlanta area and would like to participate in intensives and workshops. Do you, by chance, give lessons? If I remember correctly you sometimes teach workshops at Plant City. Do you also give private sessions?

Awesome work!

Yes, I’m teaching a fall Pine maintenance class this Saturday, the 18th, at Plant City. I can do private lessons as well.

 

[thams]

Yes, I’m teaching a fall Pine maintenance class this Saturday, the 18th, at Plant City. I can do private lessons as well.

Perfect, I will reach out to you once the move is imminent for all the details. I plant to hit up Plant City around Christmas to poke around some. It's been a few years since I've been there. I'm sure I'll be busy avoiding poison ivy while ripping up privet on my folks' property. I plan to invest some time into some conifers once the move happens as well. From the Plant City video a few months ago, it appears the sea of junipers is alive and well.

 

[Adair M]

You’ve seen this one before:



Removed wire, removed old leaves, cut back, and selected a new pot! Not the right time of year to pot it, so I didn’t.

 

[Victorim]

On that note.. Can you stump an olive? Seen a huge base in a local garden center that i think i could barter down.

 

[Adair M]

Back to the pines:

Before:



After:



This tree was not decandled last summer. Intentionally. It was looking a little weak, and getting a little outgrown, so I wanted it to build strength to cut back.

It will be decandled next summer, and cut back at that time. The procedure (not decandling) worked. The interior are stronger. But not yet strong enough to cut back to. But they should be by next summer.

So, each tree gets maintenance tailored specificly for it.

 

[Adair M]

On that note.. Can you stump an olive? Seen a huge base in a local garden center that i think i could barter down.

Absolutely!

 

[Adair M]

Back to the olives:





Once again, I forgot to take a before picture. Prepping this one for next year’s National Show. So, more removing old leaves, straight up and down growth, removed wire, etc.

 

[Cadillactaste]

You’ve seen this one before:

View attachment 166993

Removed wire, removed old leaves, cut back, and selected a new pot! Not the right time of year to pot it, so I didn’t.

I really like the pot though...maybe for another tree?