Return to the Professional Gardener Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Pruning Blue Rocket
| | |
Posted by groundshero (Oregon) (My Page) on Sat, Jan 14, 06 at 9:52
| I've got two 40 year old 'Blue Rocket' Juniper, one on each side of a door into an office building. They are about 20 feet tall. There is very little room.
Over the last couple years the top third has been losing the tight columnar habit, spreading out and waving around. The result is a sloppy, too wide plant rather than the tight columns that fit the space.
Whatdya think? Shear 'em? Thin 'em? Top 'em (Yikes)? Replace it? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Pruning Blue Rocket
| | |
- Posted by bboy z8 WA USA (My Page) on
Sun, Jan 15, 06 at 1:21
| Clip over whole thing each summer. Maybe change the irrigation setting (if these are being watered during the summer). |
RE: Pruning Blue Rocket
| | |
- Posted by laag z6CapeCod (My Page) on
Sun, Jan 15, 06 at 8:54
| Has the area become more shady over time? Junipers will definitely thin without strong light. If that is the case, shearing them will only weaken them. |
RE: Pruning Blue Rocket
| | |
| I have a similar problem. We have a rocket juniper that is around 7 feet tall. It is dense and gets plenty of sunlight. The branches keep "hanging out" instead of keeping that tight rocket shape. My husband tied rope around them in hopes to train them back into shape, but when we untied it, the branches fell back down. It seems like they are too heavy. Do they just need to be pruned? Please post if you find any info. |
RE: Pruning Blue Rocket
| | |
| OK... I ended up taking them down from 20ft to about 14 ft. And, since they weren't in increasing shade, I sheared them a little tighter than usual. While I took away the highest 1/3, I didn't cut it straight across the top. I left the branches that were higher than, and covering the new top. It's over 3 years now, and I am happy with the results. |
|
|
|
|
