Live vein/ shari work

Dirty Nails

Shohin
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I have 2 Shimpakus, 2 chinesis and 1 procumbens that are all youngish with trunks from 3/4" to
2". I want to develop some shari on them and have some questions that I am not clear on after research.

1. Are the live veins on junipers always able to be identified? I simply do not see them on untouched trunks.
2. If you develop shari slowly on trunks this size are you actually creating or redirecting live vein channels around the shari so it doen't really matter where they are now?
3. Will the slow development of shari actually make the trunks twist up over time?
4. I have read to make one complete turn around the trunk in a year. Doesn't this increase the odds of cutting a live vein and hurting the tree?
5. I had my first workshop ever this weekend with Rodney Clemens from Atlanta at the Nashville show. He could not have been more pleasant, kind and sharing it was a real treat. I already asked him so many questions I didn't want to be a pest so I didn't get into shari with him. He did mention that the live veins are often found on the bottom of branches because they avoid the sun. Is this a safe assumption to make?
6. Is it safer to make vertical shari rather than spiral to lessen the chance of cutting through a vein?

Sorry for so many questions but with so much knowledge here I know you all can supply some clarity. Thanks a million.
 

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
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I have 2 Shimpakus, 2 chinesis and 1 procumbens that are all youngish with trunks from 3/4" to
2". I want to develop some shari on them and have some questions that I am not clear on after research.

1. Are the live veins on junipers always able to be identified? I simply do not see them on untouched trunks.
2. If you develop shari slowly on trunks this size are you actually creating or redirecting live vein channels around the shari so it doen't really matter where they are now?
3. Will the slow development of shari actually make the trunks twist up over time?
4. I have read to make one complete turn around the trunk in a year. Doesn't this increase the odds of cutting a live vein and hurting the tree?
5. I had my first workshop ever this weekend with Rodney Clemens from Atlanta at the Nashville show. He could not have been more pleasant, kind and sharing it was a real treat. I already asked him so many questions I didn't want to be a pest so I didn't get into shari with him. He did mention that the live veins are often found on the bottom of branches because they avoid the sun. Is this a safe assumption to make?
6. Is it safer to make vertical shari rather than spiral to lessen the chance of cutting through a vein?

Sorry for so many questions but with so much knowledge here I know you all can supply some clarity. Thanks a million.

My experience with junipers leads me to answer your questions like this:

1. no, live veins on junipers are not like veins/"straws".
2. yes, when you introduce a shari, which interrupts flow, the live line is rerouted. See post 10 of this thread. And more here.
3-4. yes, it is possible to slowly create a spiral, but slowly is the key word, because you don't want to girdle the trunk.
6. yes, vertical Shari is less invasive, solution could do a small oval, go up and over, do another small oval, repeat...etc. then the following year, begin to connect them.
 

edprocoat

Masterpiece
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Dirty, on a tree with a healthy trunk the whole trunk is the " live vein". A tree with mostly deadwood will have a live vein that feeds the living part. If you take you tree and cut most the bark off except a strip up one side what you would leave be a live vein, although probably not for long as the shock would kill the tree. Its safer to do this stuff slowly as Mr. Vance already stated.

Shari will not twist the tree trunk, but if you have enough deadwood its possible to carve it to make it look as if it is twisted. I have never heard the one about live veins being on the bottom of a branch, most you see on real distressed trees are in varying positions. I know that when you chop off a Juniper branch it can sprout new growth on any side of the branch or not all, the same as most deciduous tress as the bark itself is a live vein in reality, that can be defined into most any style with care and patience.

ed
 

Dirty Nails

Shohin
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My experience with junipers leads me to answer your questions like this:

1. no, live veins on junipers are not like veins/"straws".
2. yes, when you introduce a shari, which interrupts flow, the live line is rerouted. See post 10 of this thread. And more here.
3-4. yes, it is possible to slowly create a spiral, but slowly is the key word, because you don't want to girdle the trunk.
6. yes, vertical Shari is less invasive, solution could do a small oval, go up and over, do another small oval, repeat...etc. then the following year, begin to connect them.

Thanks Brian, those 2 links made things a lot clearer.
 
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