Gardening and Horticulture - Pruning skyrockets
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Pruning skyrockets
Concretemasonry
07-28-08, 11:58 AM
I have 3 Skyrocket Junipers (Arborvitae?) and would like to control the shape (narrow & tall) without leaving htem bare in the lower areas.
I am in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. They are on the north side of my townhouse, about 12' from the house, 3' out from a deck that is 8' above and they are about 6' apart. During the summer, they are in the sun most of the day (at 1:00 PM today they are all in the sun and wil be again after 4:00 PM) and partially shaded (bottoms) in the middle of the day. They were planted about 2 1/2 years ago when about 3-1/2' above ground and are now about 6' high. They appear healthy and the deer have not found them. The soil is a firm mixture of clay and sand.
Now that they have taken hold, some of the new growth seems a little "wild" and I would like to find out what is the best time/method to keep the vertical shape them. The newer shots seem a little limp, but they may become more vertical as they grow/strengthen.
Thanx for any and all opinions.
Dick
I am in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. They are on the north side of my townhouse, about 12' from the house, 3' out from a deck that is 8' above and they are about 6' apart. During the summer, they are in the sun most of the day (at 1:00 PM today they are all in the sun and wil be again after 4:00 PM) and partially shaded (bottoms) in the middle of the day. They were planted about 2 1/2 years ago when about 3-1/2' above ground and are now about 6' high. They appear healthy and the deer have not found them. The soil is a firm mixture of clay and sand.
Now that they have taken hold, some of the new growth seems a little "wild" and I would like to find out what is the best time/method to keep the vertical shape them. The newer shots seem a little limp, but they may become more vertical as they grow/strengthen.
Thanx for any and all opinions.
Dick
Newt
07-29-08, 05:27 PM
Hi Dick,
From this site with other helpful info on pruning evergeens.
http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/frederick/2003/prune_evergreen.htm
...there is a basic rule of thumb for ever-greens: Sun-loving conifers, those whose needles all need sun, can be pruned annually, but only gently within the living green foliage. This type of ever-green does not have green needles in the interior of the plant. Most do not even have growing buds on interior branches. As a result, if you prune that plant hard, into old wood, once it has become extremely over-grown, you will end up with an ugly brown bare spot in your tree or shrub. Most junipers and arborvitae fall into this category.
Here's an evergreen tree pruning calendar you should find helpful.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/nursery/430-461/430-461.html
You should find this helpful as well.
http://www.conifersociety.org/cs/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=19&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&POSTNUKESID=6992a8935f54613ab0e0687804397b4f
See figure #4 here.
http://ag.udel.edu/extension/horticulture/pdf/hyg/hyg-73.pdf
Newt
From this site with other helpful info on pruning evergeens.
http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/frederick/2003/prune_evergreen.htm
...there is a basic rule of thumb for ever-greens: Sun-loving conifers, those whose needles all need sun, can be pruned annually, but only gently within the living green foliage. This type of ever-green does not have green needles in the interior of the plant. Most do not even have growing buds on interior branches. As a result, if you prune that plant hard, into old wood, once it has become extremely over-grown, you will end up with an ugly brown bare spot in your tree or shrub. Most junipers and arborvitae fall into this category.
Here's an evergreen tree pruning calendar you should find helpful.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/nursery/430-461/430-461.html
You should find this helpful as well.
http://www.conifersociety.org/cs/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=19&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&POSTNUKESID=6992a8935f54613ab0e0687804397b4f
See figure #4 here.
http://ag.udel.edu/extension/horticulture/pdf/hyg/hyg-73.pdf
Newt