Hartinez
Masterpiece
As the title suggests, Ive started several juniper projects over the last 2 1/2 years that feel like “house Money”. No real investment per say, or even sentimental value with each of these, more an opportunity to push them horticulturally and through design. Several of the trees shared will just be threads that I’ve started over the years showing trees that were what id call “house money Junipers”.
As a general rule, the tree needs to start healthy. Its existing health and energy is what I'm using to push it hard. In my climate, if after care is proper, I can style almost any time of the growing season, up until mid to late august. Ive lost a few styling later than that. If Im styling July through August, I will not repot and will just leave the rootball as is. I will though, depending on the trees response, repot aggressively next spring.
I can repot aggressively up until mid to late June, not bare rooting, but a severe root reduction for sure. If I do repot heavily in that window, I often reduce foliage heavily down to what I see myself keeping for an initial styling. Often, if I repot heavy and reduce heavy, I will wait 2 months or so to do any styling work depending on how the tree responds. If the tree responds great, I‘ll style, as long as I'm in my styling window.
Here’s the thing, I also have quite a few great yamadori, some higher end Juniper and other projects, that I DO NOT WANT TO KILL. Having these clearance, cheap junipers lets me practice my chops (on styling mostly), but also shows me what I can get away with and when and gets me to really focus on my after care. Also, if, and lately it definitely has, the tree survives, then Ive got a great tree to grow and move forward with. One which I can potentially make valuable or graft with better foliage and really make it sing.
Not saying any of these trees posted are next level, but they are fun and I think have great starts and great current conditions. This thread was born out of a few things.
1 - I personally feel that I dont see enough people willing to fully commit to a design on a nursery juniper that is clearly quite healthy. Wire and make mistakes. Look at pictures and go all in. Take chances with design and bending and wiring. If its a cheap juniper and you have 20, 30 plus other trees, than I think you’ve got house money.
2 - the other reason was this quote I read by @Smoke the other day that I liked. May be a little gruff to some, but i like the sentiment personally.
“Please help me understand what the problem is. For years I just did it. If it worked great, if it didn't I just threw it in the trash and moved on. Most times I always learned something sometimes positive, sometimes negative, but learned something never the less.
So what is the problem? I see only a couple reasons.
1. No confidence in ability
2. Just don't know how to start.
3. Only piece of material and can't afford to replace it right now if I screw up.
No. 3 I totally get. It's hard to experiment on a single piece of material and then finding a replacement may be hard or out of the budget.
No. 1 and 2, you have to break some eggs to make an omelet. Get busy!!!”
As a general rule, the tree needs to start healthy. Its existing health and energy is what I'm using to push it hard. In my climate, if after care is proper, I can style almost any time of the growing season, up until mid to late august. Ive lost a few styling later than that. If Im styling July through August, I will not repot and will just leave the rootball as is. I will though, depending on the trees response, repot aggressively next spring.
I can repot aggressively up until mid to late June, not bare rooting, but a severe root reduction for sure. If I do repot heavily in that window, I often reduce foliage heavily down to what I see myself keeping for an initial styling. Often, if I repot heavy and reduce heavy, I will wait 2 months or so to do any styling work depending on how the tree responds. If the tree responds great, I‘ll style, as long as I'm in my styling window.
Here’s the thing, I also have quite a few great yamadori, some higher end Juniper and other projects, that I DO NOT WANT TO KILL. Having these clearance, cheap junipers lets me practice my chops (on styling mostly), but also shows me what I can get away with and when and gets me to really focus on my after care. Also, if, and lately it definitely has, the tree survives, then Ive got a great tree to grow and move forward with. One which I can potentially make valuable or graft with better foliage and really make it sing.
Not saying any of these trees posted are next level, but they are fun and I think have great starts and great current conditions. This thread was born out of a few things.
1 - I personally feel that I dont see enough people willing to fully commit to a design on a nursery juniper that is clearly quite healthy. Wire and make mistakes. Look at pictures and go all in. Take chances with design and bending and wiring. If its a cheap juniper and you have 20, 30 plus other trees, than I think you’ve got house money.
2 - the other reason was this quote I read by @Smoke the other day that I liked. May be a little gruff to some, but i like the sentiment personally.
“Please help me understand what the problem is. For years I just did it. If it worked great, if it didn't I just threw it in the trash and moved on. Most times I always learned something sometimes positive, sometimes negative, but learned something never the less.
So what is the problem? I see only a couple reasons.
1. No confidence in ability
2. Just don't know how to start.
3. Only piece of material and can't afford to replace it right now if I screw up.
No. 3 I totally get. It's hard to experiment on a single piece of material and then finding a replacement may be hard or out of the budget.
No. 1 and 2, you have to break some eggs to make an omelet. Get busy!!!”
