Well, I'm glad you're philosophical - it happens to all of us and sometimes it's nothing we can trace, or change. It may have been better to do the job in November, when the tree would be dormant (it's more important for conifers) and the wind where you live probably wouldn't matter normally, but in this situation, unless you misted a LOT from immediately after the repot (small conifers need it then, if not otherwise) it probably didn't help much either. The fert. probably didn't hurt, though having pinched on Apr. 30th may not have been the best thing when followed up by the repot so soon after. If you were concerned about the roots, good misting would also have added water to the shallow roots, while sparing the deeper ones that might not have needed it as much, though if you are now using a mostly gritty mix, and it's windy (sapping moisture in general), maybe waiting the week was too long a wait (if normally ok). You notice I'm qualifying everything here, because it's hard to pinpoint any one thing that made 'the' difference, but as you say it's a learning experience, and there is no lack of junipers out there!

I had to buy a shelving system to deal with all of my cuttings. Some are my old plants that are regenerating after the move. Lots are new cuttings. They are mostly doing well. I would say about 10% are just chilling without any action.

Since no one else posted, I'll give it a shot. The problem is that the plant hasn't been pinched often enough after it was initially formed into a tree shape. The shoots coming from the trunk are too long. Cut it back to about a foot from the trunk after it quits blooming. It's too late in the season to do a lot more shaping than that in your zone. But in the spring, cut the new growth that has resulted from that initial cut back to 1 foot from that "Y", then each time those cuts grow a foot from that "y" cut it back again, etc. until you get it back to your 8 foot size you liked, but it will be much denser and stronger, having many more short branches. Then rain wouldn't gather on the branches the same since they are forming a "y" every foot or so, and not so long, the extra weight of the wet rain and the long stems is what caused the problem. It was "tip heavy" with all those flowers and leaves and buds on the tips, and then they got wet all of a sudden and it added more weight..... If this doesn't make sense, e-mail me and I'll try to explain it better, or draw a picture or something. When you notice it's setting on buds in the spring/early summer you have to quit pruning it back at that time, or you'll cut off your flowers, regardless of what size you've reached with it. So this might be a long-term project getting it back to the original size. But you'll have a stronger tree out of it, and fuller, and more round in the long run.

I keep coming back to this thread and loving the pictures of the black satin doggies! You were so lucky to get these pretty girls. you were so unlucky to lose your other 2 pretty girls. The people who bought Lucy and Ethel were so very unlucky to have a diagonosis of cancer prevent them from enjoying their 2 lovely girls ( and imagine the worry and angst when you get that diagnosis and then know that you must part with your doggies!) And they were so lucky to find the vet who, I imagine, said something like "Don't worry, I will find them a good home together". And how lucky to think of you.... AND then you find they are litter mates of your beloved lost doxies. More than strange.... Syncronicity? Perhaps? Linda C