The $10 juniper chinensis “blue point”

[19Mateo83]

So I found this guy at lowes the other day. Looked like a normal blue point juniper, it had the shape of a little Christmas tree or little Leland cypress. It looked straight pointy and round. Upon further inspection it was a double trunk with a little movement in the nebari. So what the heck, for $10 in the Honda it went. After playing in it and cleaning out all the dead needles and debris I formed a half ass plan and away I went. I wish I would have taken a before picture. I hope this little guy lives after the trimming and chopping but I think it’s definitely got a little potential and one ugly root lol. This is phase one. The ugly root will be removed when I repot and the lowest branch I’m leaving to thicken things up a bit. I may let it grow another season in this pot. Tell me what you guys and gals think and if you see any improvements that could be made to it or have any advice on reporting.

 

[Ugo]

Hi,

Good job on the jin and shari.
I dont like to criticise or anything so my opion is purely to engage discussion.

I would let it grow as it is to thinken it.
Maybe reducing the top once in awhile so you get backbudding on that first, lowest branch.
Junipers backbuds quite easily from my short experience.

Wire the first branch as low as possible, lower then my drawing while creating a pad.

I would bring the jin on the left side lower down and work it as a finer piece I would take off more wood on the right side to make it look like a little bit more natural.
Ive seen people with little experience do wonders with a simple rotary tool.

Chop the top off when the tree has thicken up.

You could even create a shari coming out behind the canopy if you leave material after cutting that main trunk.

 

[19Mateo83]

Thank y

Hi,

Good job on the jin and shari.
I dont like to criticise or anything so my opion is purely to engage discussion.

I would let it grow as it is to thinken it.
Maybe reducing the top once in awhile so you get backbudding on that first, lowest branch.
Junipers backbuds quite easily from my short experience.

Wire the first branch as low as possible, lower then my drawing while creating a pad.

I would bring the jin on the left side lower down and work it as a finer piece I would take off more wood on the right side to make it look like a little bit more natural.
Ive seen people with little experience do wonders with a simple rotary tool.

Chop the top off when the tree has thicken up.

You could even create a shari coming out behind the canopy if you leave material after cutting that main trunk.

View attachment 417924

Thank you for the complements and suggestions. Hopefully this little guy makes it and back buds nicely.

 

[TN_Jim]

Those low branches you cut I would have probably kept

 

[Crazy Diamond]

This cultivar I think its pyramidal and very apical dominant, as soon as you see it growing and recovered cut the apex lower to promote low backbuding

 

[19Mateo83]

This cultivar I think its pyramidal and very apical dominant, as soon as you see it growing and recovered cut the apex lower to promote low backbuding

I will as soon as it starts growing again, thank you for the tip

 

[HorseloverFat]

Those low branches you cut I would have probably kept

Me too! But we can aim BIGGER, if adventitious budding does NOT occur.

, as soon as you see it growing and recovered cut the apex lower to promote low backbuding

Yes try this.. If it was real healthy LAST year.. it'll break REASONABLY low.

Looks like everything has been said.

Nice Drill Press!!!

 

[19Mateo83]

Me too! But we can aim BIGGER, if adventitious budding does NOT occur.

Yes try this.. If it was real healthy LAST year.. it'll break REASONABLY low.

Looks like everything has been said.

Nice Drill Press!!!

Most of those smaller lower branches had been shaded out and were dead. I was kinda going for that “tree that had fallen over and the top died but a new leader grew off the base” look