Juniperus Virginiana (Eastern Red Cedar) #2

[Orion_metalhead]

Happy with this spruce styled ERC. New pot for next year:



Age: 3yrs
Training: 1yr
Width: .23"
Height: 10"

A couple potential fronts:

#1:


#2 (My intended front):

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Long road ahead, nice start.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Thanks Leo. Will see how it does next year!

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Handling the winter nicely...



Upper foliage:


Close up of branching and buds:


Actually been growing roots this winter in my setup:


Going to this grow box this coming spring... want to give it some room to grow. Box is 7" x 6" x 6" with bottom panel raised 1/2" to allow drainage room on bottom. Made of scrap pallet wood for free. Strong little box. Should last 3-4yrs.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I think the drainage holes could be a bit larger. I've had 0.5 inch holes plugged with roots in less than a season.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

There is a 1/2" gap along two sides - hence the mesh there. Not worried about drainage. Thanks for the thought though!

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Because I used the grow box I planned for this tree for the crab apple forest, I put it in the pot I originally planned for it. Got too excited thogh and planted it at wrong front. Doh! Always next year to repot it.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Looking healthy. Buds showing now.



Closeup

 

[BrightsideB]

Looking healthy. Buds showing now.

View attachment 301074

Closeup

View attachment 301075

That's looking good! I collected a little sapling during january and it took well and backbudded this spring. I see you keep updating the progress. Will be cool to see it's transformation!

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Thanks! I hope to style it over time to resemble the tall and slender compact lodgepole pines and spruces of the canadian rockies.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Growing really strong. Figured Id do some minor clean up, remove hanging shoots and upward growth. Took out some crotch growth where I knew I didnt want it. Also pruned back a little to try and get some branching and budding to form back on branches. I also snipped the top off to get some movement near the top of the tree, which I would like to see get a bit twisted and chaotic.

Before:


After:

 

[hinmo24t]

nice, i have similar trees. i was worried about apple rust for this species.
i dont want it to spread to me eastern white cedars or anything else...was contemplating
growing them inside and keeping them small to avoid the fungus. apple orchard a mile away from me.

if not for that fungus, i love these.

have you run into any of that??

 

[sorce]

growing them inside and keeping them small to avoid the fungus.

The lessened strength of both of these scenarios will make it more susceptible.

I had it pop up on several trees this spring, trouble was, it popped up right after I cut for spring, so I had to cut off more!

So I will always wait till after the spring rust pop before cutting, this way you are not forced to cut off too much.

Cutting so late isn't the best IMO. But it's better than dead.

I let mine go a couple years. Let go out of my usual cut 3-4 times a year to keep it close and compact.
Kinda regret it. I should have stayed on it.

Bud counting works. More on the lowest branches, less on the top. Prune fest.

Sorce

 

[hinmo24t]

The lessened strength of both of these scenarios will make it more susceptible.

I had it pop up on several trees this spring, trouble was, it popped up right after I cut for spring, so I had to cut off more!

So I will always wait till after the spring rust pop before cutting, this way you are not forced to cut off too much.

Cutting so late isn't the best IMO. But it's better than dead.

I let mine go a couple years. Let go out of my usual cut 3-4 times a year to keep it close and compact.
Kinda regret it. I should have stayed on it.

Bud counting works. More on the lowest branches, less on the top. Prune fest.

Sorce

appreciate that...the ones i found were growing on rocky slope, i think i have some unique shape and decent roots on them considering that, just a shame about that fugus for the species. oh well.

 

[Oleg]

You can spray with a systemic in early spring to avoid it. It has worked for me, 5-6 years and no Cedar Apple Rust!

 

[Oleg]

If you do, get a complete list of trees that are susceptible and spray them all.

 

[hinmo24t]

If you do, get a complete list of trees that are susceptible and spray them all.

thanks

we have it all around me, apple orchard and tons of junipers. i trust a guy on here who recently mentioned that its pretty limited to the juniper viginaiainaa, apple and hornbeam. otherwise i wouldnt keep the red cedars at all. interesting that you havent had any in so long, it could be what youre spraying but also lack of 'apple catalyst' in the surrounding area...ive heard theres really nothing to prevent the rust if the area allows it aside from pruning galls off before they seep

 

[sorce]

just a shame about that fugus for the species. oh well.

I try to remember the trees don't want it, and the fungus Doesn't need my trees to live.

It's a little challenging, but isn't always changing what made The Greatful Dead's live show good?

Most of the beauty of bonsai is it's dynamic nature.

Full embraceable.

Sorce

 

[hinmo24t]

I try to remember the trees don't want it, and the fungus Doesn't need my trees to live.

It's a little challenging, but isn't always changing what made The Greatful Dead's live show good?

Most of the beauty of bonsai is it's dynamic nature.

Full embraceable.

Sorce

i like that, good point!!

 

[Oleg]

"Like many rusts caused by species of Gymnosporangium, rosaceous trees and Juniperus species are required for the fungus to complete its life cycle. The fungus primarily infects apple/crabapple (Malus), eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) and Rocky Mountain juniper (J. scopulorum). However, several other Juniperus species are also susceptible to infection, such as J. chinensis, J. horizontalis and J. communis. The disease also occurs rarely on hawthorn (Crataegus)."

From here; https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/cedar-apple-rust.

I lost two Chinese Junipers to it, the rose family has a lot of relatives. I phoned Monterey several years ago and was told to spray Fall and spring which I do, NOT just spring as I said previously. I cannot remember 100% but I think the woman said to do a weak root drench.