Question - Winter work on foliage?

Japonicus

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Sounds like a silly question, but I've never done it and curious about Winter wiring
on juniper and other conifers that still need thinning before wiring.

With COVID quarantine and a beautiful stretch of weather, I find myself wanting to play catch up
on a couple juniper, but have reservations doing any Winter work, as it does not fit my norm.
Just watering them takes a lot of energy out of my body at this point, but the fresh air would do us both good.
 

Japonicus

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perhaps @Brian Van Fleet could advise on what I otherwise find taboo
February isn't over by a long shot, and our 2nd snowiest month of the year.
Just early next week lows in the teens and highs around freezing or slightly below for a day or two.
 

Adair M

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I guess you could get away with some light thinning. Like trimming off hanging twigs.

But as for wiring? Don’t. Any wood that’s “woody” will snap when it’s bent. Junipers suck all the moisture out of their tissues for the winter, making them brittle. Fall is the best time to wire them. In the fall, they are in the process of “drying out”, so when you wire and bend them then, as they suck the moisture out, that helps to “set” the bends in place. Then next spring the new growth grows in with the bends.
 

Japonicus

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I guess you could get away with some light thinning. Like trimming off hanging twigs.

But as for wiring? Don’t. Any wood that’s “woody” will snap when it’s bent. Junipers suck all the moisture out of their tissues for the winter, making them brittle. Fall is the best time to wire them. In the fall, they are in the process of “drying out”, so when you wire and bend them then, as they suck the moisture out, that helps to “set” the bends in place. Then next spring the new growth grows in with the bends.
Well that's one chore I get away with today.
I have covid fatigue terribly and bronchitis. I think the worst is over, but my wife had a relapse this past weekend.

I pulled one prebonsai out yesterday, a procumbens, and removed some upper growing foliage
but did no wiring.
 

Japonicus

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This procumbens in particular and a yew was 1st on my mind. 20220208_163751.jpg20220208_163813.jpg

The one on the left below wasn't near as full as one on the right, but i leveled foliage by means of some light thinning yesterday.
20220208_164224.jpg

20220208_164638.jpg

20220208_164737.jpg

Branches are set mostly, more detailed wiring is needed...and practice could benefit.

Nothing drastic i just dont have the time to tend to them all in the Fall.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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I prune and wire junipers in the winter, but save big heavy bends until spring or fall. Trees that have been pruned and wired will need some protection from the coldest weather (anything below 27-28f) until they’re growing in the spring.
 

Japonicus

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I prune and wire junipers in the winter, but save big heavy bends until spring or fall. Trees that have been pruned and wired will need some protection from the coldest weather (anything below 27-28f) until they’re growing in the spring.
Thanks Brian! I can't provide that kind of protection so no wiring for me.
The more full of the 2 above was bare rooted last March, so I've called it a wrap on that one for now
after some light cleaning. I can do a little more cleaning on it, but saving thinning till July
and most of the work till after I repot it next time, and it's growing on.
 
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Well that's one chore I get away with today.
I have covid fatigue terribly and bronchitis. I think the worst is over, but my wife had a relapse this past weekend.

I pulled one prebonsai out yesterday, a procumbens, and removed some upper growing foliage
but did no wiring.
Hope both you and your wife getting better soon!
 

Bu-Jetjet

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This procumbens in particular and a yew was 1st on my mind. View attachment 419565View attachment 419566

The one on the left below wasn't near as full as one on the right, but i leveled foliage by means of some light thinning yesterday.
View attachment 419570

View attachment 419573

View attachment 419574

Branches are set mostly, more detailed wiring is needed...and practice could benefit.

Nothing drastic i just dont have the time to tend to them all in the Fall.
Are both trees still in recovery? I only ask because the foliage isn't the greenest... and would advice against wiring it during winter.
 

Japonicus

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Hope both you and your wife getting better soon!
Thank you making progress i think.
Are both trees still in recovery? I only ask because the foliage isn't the greenest... and would advice against wiring it during winter.
Thanks, actually the foliage is quite robust for being in their Winter coat.
Evening Sun also plays into colour particularly having used a phone for picture.
Thanks Brian! I can't provide that kind of protection so no wiring for me.
 

Japonicus

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I found a project, Ole' No. 2, another procumbens that needed some cleaning on the shari and jins.
Perhaps a better use of my time to catch up on missed tasks.DSC_7369.JPG

DSC_7371.JPG

DSC_7375.JPG

DSC_7378.JPG
A little weeding including some Irish "moss", and a little hanging foliage to boot, though that is scarce really.
This is a unique shari/jin as it was on a branch that was made up of 4, in a fork that had little separation,
similar to the knot above it probably, only older.
DSC_7383.JPG

DSC_7384.JPG

DSC_7386.JPG
Removed from soil and moss from underneath the shari at bottom to allow it to dry out.

Most all my procumbens will be quite very heavy with a juicy Spring flush, starting in about 4 weeks buds will begin swelling.
 

Bu-Jetjet

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Thank you making progress i think.

Thanks, actually the foliage is quite robust for being in their Winter coat.
Evening Sun also plays into colour particularly having used a phone for picture.
Hmmm maybe the California climate makes a difference, but this is the winter coat on my Nana 932E57DD-E85A-4D96-87CA-F2A30B98A094.jpeg
684B6B2A-845C-4291-B531-94D398DBCE5F.jpeg
 

Japonicus

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Hmmm maybe the California climate makes a difference, but this is the winter coat on my Nana View attachment 419797
It does, we are just back from single digits, and 10th snowiest January on record.
Does the foliage on your shimpaku differ as to Winter?
There are several juniper that change more drastically, looking burnt. Blue star comes to mind,
but my shimpaku always change more than procumbens.
They are fine and robust. I had never done Winter work before on any of my plants
and knew @Brian Van Fleet did, so I was just reaching out to see what the general consensus was.
He does a lot of juniper work on beautiful specimens, so when he said I would need protection
in my zone, I called it a wrap.
 

bwaynef

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I guess you could get away with some light thinning. Like trimming off hanging twigs.

But as for wiring? Don’t. Any wood that’s “woody” will snap when it’s bent. Junipers suck all the moisture out of their tissues for the winter, making them brittle. Fall is the best time to wire them.

See a snippet below from a handout on shimpaku from Boon.
 

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Arnold

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I found a project, Ole' No. 2, another procumbens that needed some cleaning on the shari and jins.
Perhaps a better use of my time to catch up on missed tasks.View attachment 419755

View attachment 419756

View attachment 419757

View attachment 419758
A little weeding including some Irish "moss", and a little hanging foliage to boot, though that is scarce really.
This is a unique shari/jin as it was on a branch that was made up of 4, in a fork that had little separation,
similar to the knot above it probably, only older.
View attachment 419759

View attachment 419760

View attachment 419761
Removed from soil and moss from underneath the shari at bottom to allow it to dry out.

Most all my procumbens will be quite very heavy with a juicy Spring flush, starting in about 4 weeks buds will begin swelling.
Beautiful Sonare, I just dont get why a lot of people hate nanas they are a wonderful species
 

Japonicus

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Beautiful Sonare, I just dont get why a lot of people hate nanas they are a wonderful species
Thank you Arnold! Here's the thread I started on it.

I've given up on gluing the jin back on, so it remains as you see
it in this thread inquiring about Winter foliage work, this page here today.
I need to do a lot of detail wiring and it will look really good I think.
 
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