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'standard' etiquette

12 years ago

With the exception of weeping types, I typically see them manicured into a formal looking ball shape. Is this for stability of the graft union, personal preference or something else? Anything wrong with a rough ball shape having a bad hair day, mini conical tree form, or just letting it grow as it wants (well maybe snip a little here and there but not much)?

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Comments (6)

gardener365
12 years ago
It's to sell them like sheared Christmas trees. Of course if the plant in (our) own gardens has a few wild hairs, we should snip them off.

I'll go a little further and say that possibly I want a mugo pine that is gold during winter but cannot find a form for reasons that it may grow too quickly or that its' form is not what I'm looking for; therefore, I may manicure another cultivar to bring the form I need for that particular space/effect.

Dax
midwest_dave
Original Author
12 years ago
Hi Dax,

Of course if the plant in (our) own gardens has a few wild hairs, we should snip them off.

That's the question. I'm wanting to try a few conifers on standards without maintaining that formal perfect look. Other than personal preference, does graft stability or health come into play? Anything wrong with weird on a stick?

Dave
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
yeah.. there is something wrong..

it's not manly ...

foo foo carp ...

seriously .. you want conifers on long sticks???? whats that all about ...

the only excuse.. is lack of space.. and wanting to jam a few more in with minimum foot print ... i can live with that ... though i dont understand it with 5 acres ....

BTW .. many are mini's ... with the one or less inch per year growth rate.. i am not sure in whose lifetime they will achieve a natural shape ... arent most brooms from which minis come from.. of the same basic shape???? what would a natural shape be.. rather than a lolly pop.. a sno ball [w/o the pink]

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
gardener365
12 years ago
There's no stability issue, no. Watch out for snow loads of course.

Dax
midwest_dave
Original Author
12 years ago
I am out of space and hoping to put some slower things in the back/middle of beds, inner mingling with perrenials, shrubs and of course other conifers. Put them on a stick so you can see them plus they won't out grow the space being elevated. I had large mini's or small dwarfs in mind, maybe 2-3" or 4" per year stuff.

gold spruce, gold pine, firs, heavy coning spruces, just throwing some ideas out, not sure what's available.

Starting small and training (stake and tape), maybe something other than the ball is possible.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
I am out of space

==>>> request approved ....

now just dont start looking at those spiral trimmed juniper at the bigboxstore.. and we will be all set...

lol

ken

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