How to prune?

[The Hacker]

Hi Zubin,

Nice close up, If you follow Kcpoole's advice all will be good, so no hackin at them just nice & easy cos when there brown they do look very ugle & that's not what we wont, so good luck

Regard's The Hacker

[Andrew F]

Hope thats a bit closer. so you guys mean im taking the new growth off? Silly question tho, does this help in still maintaining the lush growth?

Theres a post with a diagram on here somewhere showing the difference between pinching and pruning the new growth, and with pinching it pushes new growth in 2 directions making it more compact. * I think.





*Opinions may not be true or real im very very tired lol

[time8theuniverse]

Its to keep the spaces between the branches short (internodal spaces) and to get branching at the spot where the new the tip is pulled of. When you do pull a tip it breaks at the spot where it would branch and you can sometimes see the spot is by the leaves being shorter around the stem.

[Scott Roxburgh]

Indiscriminate pinching junipers does not work , you need to build a framework of well placed branches prior to bulking up the 'pads':
viewtopic.php?f=131&t=8079#p90124

[alpineart]

I sometimes Cut my Junis if I have a larger amount to remove, other wise just pinch mostly.

To prune with scissors, use a fine tip pair and slide them between the leaves and cut the stem only, If you cut the leaf itself it well brown off and look ugly.
To tip prune by Pinching, I get the tip to remove between thumb and finger and pull and twist in one motion.

Speaking of Pruning with the Chain saw, we have and exponent here in our dear Alpine this thread he discusses his method, but alas no pics of him wielding it viewtopic.php?f=104&t=9382&hilit=chain+saw&start=30

Ken

Hi kc , slight error on this one . I used a sabre saw to remove the branches on this lilly pilly and an 100mm angle grinder fitted with a saw blade to carve it .I couldn't risk a slip on this trunk. I did used a chain saw on a few Elm trainers and urban yamadori plum .All care and safe equipment is in place and a few decades of using a chainsaw gives me the experience to operate it safely . I have seen confident operators severe legs , arms and on one occasion imbed the chain into his forehead using the tip of the saw to hollow a trunk , which run up the trunk and whopped him between the eyes . Chainsaws are only used on big stuff for quick removal and pre -carving as in the Plum and Elms and always operated in a clear area. Its bloody hard to do bonsai armless , legless or headless .

Cheers Alpineart