Fall contest trees a few months later

[VAFisher]

Let's see how they handled the work and the winter. I'll start.

As submitted last fall:

And this morning. I'm not sure if I'll shorten it or keep working it like it is. Once the primary branches are set I can start wiring the secondaries. It's coming along I guess.

 

[Underdog]

Mine is still doing well. Amazing considering what I did to it in that time frame. One branch is a little wonky as wife grabbed it out of the pond by it. I was afraid to straighten it until I see if it lives. Seems fine now. Not the best pics and needs some clean up but has many new Blue Stars popping on this Juniper.
Last week. 5/12


As entered

as received 9/24
Amazing it survived all this in one month.

 

[aml1014]

Mine got left behind at the ex's
I'm sure it's long dead by now

Aaron

 

[sorce]

Mine got left behind at the ex's
I'm sure it's long dead by now

I Can't even copy and paste that quote to the jokes thread for the REAL reply.

Pulling some cruel and highly disgusting jokes out of them there lines.

Go Chloe Go!

Sorce

 

[Starfox]

I posted mine in the other thread, not sure I can bare posting it again. Needless to say it isn't pretty.
Plus it was something I did after the contest, it was literally 2 days from flowering. lol
Still there is green and Callistemon tend to come back if there is green somewhere but no sign of any new growth yet.

 

[VAFisher]

Mine is still doing well. Amazing considering what I did to it in that time frame. One branch is a little wonky as wife grabbed it out of the pond by it. I was afraid to straighten it until I see if it lives. Seems fine now. Not the best pics and needs some clean up but has many new Blue Stars popping on this Juniper.
Last week. 5/12
View attachment 146354
View attachment 146355
As entered
View attachment 146356
as received 9/24View attachment 146357
Amazing it survived all this in one month.

How did it get into the pond? Storm blow it in there?

 

[M. Frary]

I didn't think it would live.
After the barerooting and hacking off over half of the foliage.
It was a pleasant surprise that it is alive.
Lost a couple branches on the back from over comforting when wiring but with procumbens you take that into account.
It is also going to lose a lot of the scale foliage. The juvenile foliage will be popping out all over now. That also you take into account every time you cut something off of a procumbens juniper. Some will say they don't get adult foliage at all. But they would be wrong. It's right there in the pictures.
I'm actually thinking I might be able to build a nice little tree out of this.

 

[wireme]

Mine froze right after the contest and I actually thought it was probably dead until today. Still not sure but most of it is way greener than last week and some movement in most of the tips. A few fronds obviously dead. Snowpack restyled it a bit. For some reason I never see new posts in the contest forum? Just happened to check it now.

 

[M. Frary]

A few fronds obviously dead.

I have a theory about having wire on branches in brutal cold. It seems if I lose a branch in winter it almost always is a wired one.
I think the wire conducts the cold into the branch being so close to the bark. Freezing it too much.
I don't know for sure but it seems plausible.

 

[M. Frary]

Amazing it survived all this in one month.

That's the reason why I picked a juniper too.
I knew it had to have a chance of being able to take what I was going to do to it. And you can't go wrong with junipers. They almost style themselves
The other thing that stuck in my mind was Sawgrass saying "think shohin for these kinds of contests"
People can say what they want about him but he knows how to win a styling contest. Not only here but other places too.
I enjoyed the contest immensely. And I think all of the entrants did wonderful jobs on their trees.
And would especially like to give Sorce another thank you for going through all he did to make it possible.
And the people who supplied the prizes.
Now where are the rest of the entrants?!!

 

[Josh88]

As entered, as of a few weeks ago when it bloomed, and where it began. I feel like I have learned so much in the last few months and look forward to developing this tree over time. For now, let's try to grow it a trunk and we'll see what it has to offer from there..

 

[M. Frary]

a few weeks ago when it bloomed

Killer!

 

[sorce]

I have a theory about having wire on branches in brutal cold. It seems if I lose a branch in winter it almost always is a wired one.
I think the wire conducts the cold into the branch being so close to the bark. Freezing it too much.
I don't know for sure but it seems plausible.

I believe this.

I don't know the particular circumstance...

Like...melting snow swirling down it fully, then freezing...

Something....

I've had stuff come thru ok.
But more that seemingly died unnecessarily.

We should start a Thread for it...
To track wiring times...
Weather...
Different winter storage methods...etc...

See if we can't pinpoint the cause.

It's real.

Sorce

P.S. thanks for the shout! I hope everyone is Enjoying their goodies...trees..and/or experience!

 

[wireme]

I have a theory about having wire on branches in brutal cold. It seems if I lose a branch in winter it almost always is a wired one.
I think the wire conducts the cold into the branch being so close to the bark. Freezing it too much.
I don't know for sure but it seems plausible.

I've wondered about that but can't say I've ever seen a problem with over wintered wired branches myself. I've almost never lost any branches to overwintering wired or not really. Well, that one year lost the whole collection but otherwise...
I normally don't touch trees at all in fall, no wiring, no pruning, no soil cleanup... It would make for a pretty boring contest tree if I followed usual practice though, buy a tree and look at it!!

 

[Stickroot]

Today it is alive. If it blowes off the bench again...
Wire to the bench lazy!

 

[M. Frary]

Today it is alive. If it blowes off the bench again...
Wire to the bench lazy!View attachment 146653

That's looking very good!
It's going to be excellent in a short while.

 

[Stickroot]

That's looking very good!
It's going to be excellent in a short while.

Thanks Mike!

 

[M. Frary]

Thanks Mike!

Credit where credit is due.
How's the little one you just were blessed with?
Twig.
Growing too fast I bet.

 

[Vance Wood]

I have a theory about having wire on branches in brutal cold. It seems if I lose a branch in winter it almost always is a wired one.
I think the wire conducts the cold into the branch being so close to the bark. Freezing it too much.
I don't know for sure but it seems plausible.

I think for the most part a wired branch is lost because it was jerked around to much and the cambium layer was too injured to endure the winter. That's just my opinion.

 

[Stickroot]

Credit where credit is due.
How's the little one you just were blessed with?
Twig.
Growing too fast I bet.

He is doing great!
Here is his impersonation of you