Not so Informal Upright

october

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Hello all... Yet another juniper out of winter storage.. I have had this Itoigawa shimp for about 4-5 years... It has many good features, but a few bad ones as well.

Some good features are it's height to width proportion. It is 13 inches tall with about a 2 1/4 inches trunk. Also, a nice meandering curved lower trunk.. I believe the tree is around 45-50 years old.

Some bad points are... There is a straight section of trunk in the middle of the tree. Also, there is no real branch on the mid to upper right section. That is actually a front branch that has sub branches that make up left and right branches. Also, the upper 3rd part of the trunk, has somewhat of a sherp bend in it

Although it does not lreally look like it.. This tree has been stripped down to the max Especially the first and second branch... This was because most of the sub branching got away from me over the last 2 years to the point where they were sticking an extreme distance in front of the tree.. The trunk looked like it was far off in the back ground. There was back budding...so, I kind of cut it back to that point...Also, this is a completely restructured apex..I will be adding a shari maybe this season or next depending upon how well the tree does...

I am hoping that there will be much new growth in the next couple of months. Normally, I would not prune this drrastically. However, the sub branching was just unacceptable.

The wiring and pruning was done in 1 day taking 9 hours

Pic 1 is the tree out of storage...

Rob
 

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october

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One more close up...
 

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irene_b

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Suggestion....Branch 3...grow a sub-branch and swing it around to the other side to create a branch....Or do some select carving to add intrest to that area.
 

october

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Hello Irene... There is really nothing left to work with as far as branches.. I utilized everything I could already. Ironically enough, I spent 2 years growing pads in places to hide these flaws.. now that it is stripped down, I see that it doesn't look too bad with them exposed. I mean, I am hoping it will still fill in though.

As far as carving, yes,,, I am planning on doing a meandering shari half way up the trunk. This will give the illusion of the straight section being slightly curved.

Before the work, I was actually thinking of repotting. However, with the extreme pruning, I think it's best to leave the tree with all it's roots to try to recover.. So no root pruning and probably no carving this year. I'll start fertilizing in a week or so...

Thanks for replying... :)

Rob
 

the3rdon

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Great tree.. I love conifers in that style.. I have been looking for a juniper to do that with forever.. NICE!!
 

mcpesq817

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Nice tree :)

It's a little hard to tell with the smaller pictures, but could you, for example, pull the second branch up from the bottom on the left side in front of the trunk, to break up the straight section in the middle (and maybe do the same with a branch on the right side)? I'm not sure if that would give an optical illusion to break up the straight section.

Also, are you able to turn the tree a little and/or tilt it forward or backward so that the middle section looks like it has more movement?

Now that the tree is opened up, you might get lucky and get new branches growing in a good spot.
 
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october

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Thanks everyone for hte comments

Hello mcpesq817..Actually,,there are no side branches there... It is a strong branch that eminates directly from the front... It is the sub branches that are going to the sides that make up the illusion of side branches...As far as the angle change..I spent like 2 years..lol.. on and off, holding the tree at every possible angle turns, tilts, tips and there were angles that somewhat hid the spot.. but the trunk and base were not as good and it just looked like a turned tree with a so so trunk..lol...

Anyway.. Some trees are what they are. I have enjoyed this tree, even with the flaws for years... It is not perfect, but it is old and does have a rough, strong presence...Not perfect, but a nice tree..none the less..

Rob
 

mcpesq817

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Anyway.. Some trees are what they are. I have enjoyed this tree, even with the flaws for years... It is not perfect, but it is old and does have a rough, strong presence...Not perfect, but a nice tree..none the less..

Rob

Agreed - very nice tree :D
 

october

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Hello again mcpesq817.. I reread you reply and that second branch you spoke about pulling up... where that one eminates from it can't really be pulled up and look ok.. All the branches either swoop down slightly or are horizontal.. To pull the one up would make it look a bit odd.. However, maybe when it fills in, I can pull the foliage up to give the illusion that the pad is higher up on the tree.

I guess that you and I both saw the same flaw.. What I did try to do was pull the sub branching down somewhat on the branch above it to elimnate some space..

Rob
 

mcpesq817

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Hello again mcpesq817.. I reread you reply and that second branch you spoke about pulling up... where that one eminates from it can't really be pulled up and look ok.. All the branches either swoop down slightly or are horizontal.. To pull the one up would make it look a bit odd.. However, maybe when it fills in, I can pull the foliage up to give the illusion that the pad is higher up on the tree.

I guess that you and I both saw the same flaw.. What I did try to do was pull the sub branching down somewhat on the branch above it to elimnate some space..

Rob

Hi Rob,

It sounds like you did the best you could with the cards you were dealt. I'm always a little hesitant to give advice when looking at small 2D pictures :)

By the way, just to be clear, I was thinking of moving the branch/branches laterally so that they cross over the trunk and interrupt the straight section, and not raise them. Given how the branches start off the trunk, however, it might not be possible to do this unless the tree is given a bit of a turn.

In looking back at what I posted, by "up" I meant the second branch on the left counting "upwards" from the bottom of the tree, if that makes sense. Sorry for the confusion.
 
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