Winter Silhouette Exhibit Discussion Page

Smoke

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If a person has questions or wishes to enter into a discussion about certain trees or why things are done the way they are, this would be the place to do that. That way we can have a quiet place with just beautiful trees to look at while the winter brings us such harsh conditions.

Thanks, ajk
 

MrWunderful

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@Smoke

Re:the other thread, how do you get such vivid fall color? What does your overnight temps get into?
Do you think it has to do with humic acid?
 

Smoke

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@Smoke

Re:the other thread, how do you get such vivid fall color? What does your overnight temps get into?
Do you think it has to do with humic acid?
I don't get much fall color at all. Many years in a row pass by and the leaves start to get a tinge of yellow, then turn brown and just fall off. I knew this year was going to be good. The weather here broke all of a sudden about Sept 30. The whole month of Oct barely broke the 80's which is like New England here. The evenings started to get in the fifties mid Oct. and then down to high 40's by Nov. Sun still out daily around 71 /72 here with nights around 45. That is how you get good color, cold nights and warm by day. Last year sucked....

I have no idea how it works on which tree. For instance, this maple is only less than two feet from this tree and it is still bright green

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But other trees around are turning. I think airflow has some to do with it and some may be blocked. Even the little broom elm in front of the green one is turning. Here are more just starting last night.

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In an effort to get some of the better trees to turn before leaf loss I have tried moving them to the center of the lawn. what the heck would make just that small corner of the tree to turn early?

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PABonsai

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I want to give this my best shot.

@Smoke (or @Adair M) what is the difference between pinching junipers and using scissors on the growing tips? Are both techniques used on the same tree for different goals or is it just a difference in technique used by different people? Beyond hearing people fight over do or not do, I don't understand the end results of either.

Before answering feel free to let me know if I am approaching this thread in the right way.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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You’re getting some good color this year Al. You’re definitely ahead me here. Maples just starting to show color this week...pix to follow on the other thread.
 

Smoke

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You’re getting some good color this year Al. You’re definitely ahead me here. Maples just starting to show color this week...pix to follow on the other thread.
How far from the ocean are you? I get no air from the ocean inland. To get this color is very unusual indeed.
 

Adair M

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I want to give this my best shot.

@Smoke (or @Adair M) what is the difference between pinching junipers and using scissors on the growing tips? Are both techniques used on the same tree for different goals or is it just a difference in technique used by different people? Beyond hearing people fight over do or not do, I don't understand the end results of either.

Before answering feel free to let me know if I am approaching this thread in the right way.
It’s not fingers vs scissors, it’s where to make the cut. I try not to remove the actual “tips”. I use scissors to make the cut farther back, and remove a little “tuft” of foliage. @BVF has posted excellent photos detailing how to prune juniper.
 

PABonsai

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It’s not fingers vs scissors, it’s where to make the cut. I try not to remove the actual “tips”. I use scissors to make the cut farther back, and remove a little “tuft” of foliage. @BVF has posted excellent photos detailing how to prune juniper.
So when people discuss pinching vs pruning they are actually discussing where on the foliage to remove it? Where could I find his photos? Would they be here or on his personal site?
 
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MrWunderful

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@Smoke Thanks for taking the time to post those extra pics. Your fall color is so much better than mine. On the coast its been 70-72 during the day, with 45 at night but a lot of dew. Not much fog the past month but its starting to come back.
 

Smoke

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@Smoke Thanks for taking the time to post those extra pics. Your fall color is so much better than mine. On the coast its been 70-72 during the day, with 45 at night but a lot of dew. Not much fog the past month but its starting to come back.
The reason I mentioned the ocean to BVF, and now knowing your in SF is because I get no air from the ocean. I live in the central valley and in a giant canyon do to speak. The air here at night is very still and cold. Citrus growers love this place because the nights are cold and the days are warm, which you need for navel oranges. So when it gets freezing they use wind machines to move the air. It is still freezing but the moving air cause less damage or even no damage. It is so still here that some ocean air (and movement) really helps with fall color. When the air is still, it just freezes and the leaves turn brown and just fall off.

That is why this little nerifolia has no leaves. I didn't defoliate it, all the leaves froze and turned brown in one night. I think last Friday, so I just took all the leaves off.

The ocean for you is just a giant heat sink, which is why the air temp at the coast stays within a range. Hard to get fall color at the ocean, just not cold enough at night.

Also notice the big branch up top.
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Now it's gone and another small branch bent down in it's place. Beisides it needed pruning anyway, which it got.

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Brian Van Fleet

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How far from the ocean are you? I get no air from the ocean inland. To get this color is very unusual indeed.
250 miles. We still had 100f temps in early October, and no rain for months until mid-October. Our color usually peaks in mid-November.
 

thams

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250 miles. We still had 100f temps in early October, and no rain for months until mid-October. Our color usually peaks in mid-November.

Still that hot in early October? I always thought of Alabama weather as similar to GA. We've been having some chilly weather here in ATL with a little rain, which has been nice. All my trees stalled in the crazy hot and dry weather we had this summer.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Still that hot in early October? I always thought of Alabama weather as similar to GA. We've been having some chilly weather here in ATL with a little rain, which has been nice. All my trees stalled in the crazy hot and dry weather we had this summer.
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Dav4

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We were in the mid 90s for the last week in September and the first week of October. I'll say that the cooler temps and increased precip have definitely improved the fall color in the landscape but not much going on with my potted trees... just a little red-purple hints to the palmatums before browning up, all the tridents still green.
 

thams

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We were in the mid 90s for the last week in September and the first week of October. I'll say that the cooler temps and increased precip have definitely improved the fall color in the landscape but not much going on with my potted trees... just a little red-purple hints to the palmatums before browning up, all the tridents still green.

We were?? I must've blocked those weeks out of my mind then. I thought we were in the cooler weather starting in mid-September. Then again I can hardly remember what I had for breakfast the day before. Ignore me and carry on!!
 

Dav4

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We were?? I must've blocked those weeks out of my mind then. I thought we were in the cooler weather starting in mid-September. Then again I can hardly remember what I had for breakfast the day before. Ignore me and carry on!!
Ha ha, you definitely blocked it out... we broke record highs almost daily for that 2 week stretch.
 

JefeW

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Chiming in to say I love the displays.
 
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