How far to reduce - road side collection

leatherback

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Sooo..Tonight I was at the store -I know, shocking- and noticed they had earlier today of yesterday pulled out a bund of old creeping juniper. Some of them with branches wrist-thick and twisty. So I brought one home. Rootball the size of a wheel barrow. And the crown some 30% larger.

How far can I go reducing the old rootball? Can I bring this back to a 2*2ft size? So rootball about 50% of foliage area?
 

0soyoung

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It sounds like it is in a 15 gallon (60 liter?) nursery container. Assuming this is the case, you can saw off the bottom third of the root 'ball' and loosen the roots from the other surface, maybe removing a centimeter of soil. Personally, I would focus first on getting rid of the nursery soil and might then half bare root it (i.e., clean out all the nursery soil on one side of the trunk), back filling with my favorite substrate.

I would keep as much foliage as I possibly can, removing only what I absolutely must to be able to manage it (foliage powers root recovery). Being in a USDA zone 8, I think you could HBR now and, if all goes well, again next spring. Of course, you wouldn't do the second HBR next spring if you don't see strong growth beginning - you would delay to about this time next year. But, if it goes well, you might be able to begin reducing foliage enough to take the first steps in styling it. a year from now.

Not exactly an answer to your question, but what I would do with it in your stead.
There are, of course, ways other than mine or the highway.

The direct answer to your question is often given by Adair M : it depends

Regardless, have fun with it - sounds exciting! :cool:
 

leatherback

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It sounds like it is in a 15 gallon (60 liter?) nursery container
I wish.

The were pulled out of a bed along the road to create parking spaces. So.. There was just this pile of stuff with tufts of green in it. It is not suitting in a wheelbarrow, drenched last night. Tarp over it and in the garage. When I get home tonight I will have to get it in a grow box of some sort. As I will have to remove the first inches if roots (dried out) I might as well go with the smallest roots I can get away with :)
 

defra

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Looking forward to a picture :D
Lucky bastard i never come across such trees at the store :p
 

leatherback

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Unfortunately, I had to bring them back. During potting with proper light I realized the junipers had juniper/pear rust. I kept one smaller plant that seemed to be clean; I guess spring will tell. But the most interesting pieces all had 2 or 3 main branches infected 7 swollen. So what looked like great shapes in the dark, were in fact infections.
 

defra

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Unfortunately, I had to bring them back. During potting with proper light I realized the junipers had juniper/pear rust. I kept one smaller plant that seemed to be clean; I guess spring will tell. But the most interesting pieces all had 2 or 3 main branches infected 7 swollen. So what looked like great shapes in the dark, were in fact infections.

Yuck not so lucky after all ?
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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flamenca-with-arms-up-copy-space_23-2148235180.jpg

Anthropomorphism
 

leatherback

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Been a while since I was in this thread..

spring 2020 saw a few basic wires:
20200314-R14A3191-132.jpg

Full on wiring later in 2020
20201011-IMG_20201011_170145.jpg

And this summer it was telling me: You gotta do something. I am just not sure this is going somewhere. Guess it will move on if someone makes me an offer.
20210815-R14A5806.jpg
 

Arnold

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I like the tree but the right uptrunk its very stright I would reduce it and maybe bend it a bit to give it some movement
20210815-R14A5806~3.jpg
 

Colorado

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Think you could make a nice tree with just the left trunk and jin the rest.
 

just.wing.it

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I'd jin the top and go full Cascade.
But the reverse could also be done, like CO said.
Either way, a decision must be made.....
 

Arnold

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Yes a lot of good options, you can go full upright or full cascade, but I like the double trunk effect one upright the other semi-cascade in this one
 
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