Squamata Juniper Wired
This is a Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Alps’. It is a very vigorous variety of juniper and has developed quickly since its first styling last spring. Junipers are a ton of work… I spread the wiring of this guy out over three evenings.
Before work.
After work. The pot is by Chuck Iker of Batavia, Ohio. I have lots of his pots but this one may be my favourite.
October 2011. This is the preferred planting angle of the tree, but I was not able to achieve it in this years repotting. Maybe next time.
First styling March 2011.
As purchased from garden center. $20 on sale!
Korean Hornbeam Cutting
I’ve been developing this carpinus from a neglected stump for about 6 years. Most of the primary branches had died back under the previous owner. I have been trying to build a new tree from thread grafts. It is coming along, but slowly.
Korean Hornbeam need to be cut back later than maples, otherwise they won’t backbud well. Usually this mean late spring, once the new growth has hardened off. This is also a good time to send through some thread grafts as defoliated branches will bounce back quickly, and smaller holes can be drilled since winter buds have not yet formed.Thread grafts can also be sent through in the late winter, but larger holes need to be drilled to get the branches through without rubbing off the large winter buds.
Healthy spring growth. I was planning on repotting this year, but never got around to it.
Leaves have just hardened off in the last week.
After cutting back. The tree will be moved to a sunnier location and fertilized heavily to encourage backbudding.
This branch was thread grafted a few years ago.
This is the first branch I threadgrafted on this tree. Funny that it is now supplying the whip for this year’s thread graft (note small branch wired inward)! Ahh… the circle of life… :)
This years little threadgraft, growing well. Note the size of the hole. This is the disadvantage to sending threadgrafts through in the winter. Larger hole = longer time period before the scion is large enough to start fusing with the trunk.
Some fruiting structures (catkins?) were spotted and removed. The branches that these grown on weaken dramatically. I try to remove the conspicuous flowers in the spring, but usually miss a few.