A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Shrubs and Trees How to trim this Juniper?

I planted a wild type Juniper years ago. Every year we decorate for the holidays (outdoors). It hit a huge growth spurt this past year and it just under the power lines now. When and how do we trim this and still have the relative Christmas tree appearance and how to maintain?

I don't know about the shape, most junipers around here are shurbs and don't have the christmas tree shape; but I think the best time for pruning them is in the early spring, just as their growing season starts.

Juniperus virginiana

Can grow up to 50ft.
Often called "Eastern Red Cedar"

It is somewhat pyramid shaped.

There are lots of Juniper varieties from small groundcover to large trees.


Just wondered if anyone here ever trimmed them smaller to not grow into the power lines but, keep a Christmas Tree shape. I'll take photos of it this morning sometime. It has some lights on it (what we could reach).

These are often used here as tall hedges and windbreaks. If you cut into old wood it will just leave a stump that won't bush out and be green again. Any pruning should be done on newer green growth only. They are often just topped here to stop them from growing into power lines. Not kept conical. With age they spread out and are not naturally cone shaped any more.
I found this on the timing;
"When pruning is needed, August through October, or January through February work best"

Junipers are fun to work with.
I have ths one,a volunteer, right by my garage door,
and have been trying for years to shape it into a neat
bonsai form.


Pardon the winter look; I work on it around May, at which time it
takes on a darker and denser appearance. Quite nice, really.


And I use these: manual shears and a telescoping pole pruner:

Junipers tend to be slow-growing, reaching only 5 feet in height in the first 20 years, and typically growing no taller than15 feet. Junipers should be pruned when they are young. Overgrown junipers probably should be replaced, because most won't survive a severe pruning.

Prune in early spring before new buds appear. Junipers do not grow on "old wood" or on growth that occurs in late summer or fall. Cut off any branches where they meet the main stem and cut out any branches that are growing upward instead of outward. Do not over prune.

Remove any branches that are crossing one another or rubbing together. Cut out any dead or weak wood and cut out the dead zone or middle of the tree. These are the branches in the center of the tree that don't receive sufficient light. Though not dead, they won't produce new buds or growth.