Generally one begins by training/directing the leader. Lateral branching will typically follow naturally but you can also direct them if they are heading in a different direction. I will also tell you that the tree will rapidly outgrow that spot without a lot of pruning. Which I am disinclined to recommend for this tree, as it is hard to do without messing up the form.

This is what a weeping blue Atlas cedar will look like in time.

Thanks for the tips! I'm aware they can get absolutely massive over a significant amount of time, but I do plan on staying vigilant with pruning. I'm guessing this would be the lead (in red) what about the one in blue? Would it make sense to stake the the blue one parallel or slightly less outward, in addition to the red? I guess my real question is, how do they grow? Is It only the lead and the rest follows? This gets a ton of sunlight (faces south west) Will it naturally head towards the sunlight? Do you advise staking it, or should I let it go and see what happens?

you are in way too much of a hurry ...

how about we get it settled in.. and fully established.. for the next year or two ...

then worry about training it ...

and why have you ruled out that little spurt ... highest on the stake???

that would be the easiest piece to train ... or do you just like doing things the hard way ... lol ...

BTW.. what is the goal of the training ... most branches will head down .. so let them .. its extremely hard.. to pull up anything more than a whisp ... cracked a few of those off myself ... and that is how i learned to work with the top most smallest ... and that gives you time ...

BTW ... you can research any tips on any such tree ... perhaps p strobus pendula ... either of the larix pends... etc ... there arent rules specific to BAC ... of which.. use the latin name.. these conifer peeps.. use it pretty regularly.. especially in using a search engine ...

and most of the weirdest you see .. most likely involve a 6 pack and hand shears ... and not much note taking.. lol .. i doubt you are going to find a lot of sources of info.. specific to what you want to do..

which leaves you with... wing it ...

ken

Ken,

Thanks for the insight, I really appreciate. No rush on anything at all, I figured the guidance here would be much better than the teenager at the nursery. In one hour of posting, that proved to be entirely true!

I asked the guy at the nursery what to do to make sure it grows away from the house toward the open area, he told me to stake it. I ready probably 50 articles on here about the topic, it seemed like no one addressed exactly how or when to stake it. Perhaps the additional info you provided on the Latin terms and will also help me uncover some more info on google. I left the nursery under the impression I needed to get this thing going the right way the moment it was in the ground or it would get out of control quickly.

I still don t fully understand exactly how and where it will grow (without direction) but I guess no one really does. I highlighted in red what I thought would be the lead. I assumed the lead was the end of the extension of the main trunk that curves back and forth. Bad assumption? Again, please understand I was told staking steering that was of utmost importance, chalk it up to bad advice or asking someone I should have known isn't expert.

Not that it matters since I'd need to wait a year or so to get it established. I'd rather be well informed then take what I was told and start this thing off entirely on the wrong foot because of some bad advice and have a mess on my hands.

I'm certainly enjoying the learning process on this awesome piece, that's half the fun anyway isn't it? Thanks again for any and all input!

-Gary

from the looks of plant in gal's link,,get ready to take out some grass and maybe some brickwork too,,ha

no,you don't have to do it before noon tomorrow , but I think the sooner the better,,

while the limbs are still limber,,,,looks like the red is the leader,,,you could also go with the blue,,,I would study that link photo real close,,,,print it,,put it on your desk

wing it , ron

Cool.. Interesting perspective killer. What I suspect is the lead is easily manuverable, in fact, so is the blue and another one down toward the bottom. Conventional wisdom suggests the red is my best bet but I certainly value the insights and opinions on here. I guess i'll just pay very close attention to it. Im sure it wont sneak up on me one day. I do look at all of my landscaping everyday!

Thanks for the tips Sara! I'm guessing I could find a lot of info on proper pruning (once it's more established, of course) on these forums. I appreciate the insight. It's good to hear you've got your completely under control also!

Sara, having successfully grown 2 in (I'm guessing a tight space) any tips on staking them? When and what branches would you suggest. Ideally I'd like it to grow a bit taller then flow down and out toward the lawn.

Thanks in advance!

-Gary

Hi Gary, It seems to me to have been planted a little to close to the window.....You may want to think about that before it gets established.

Al

I would choose another location for the cool tree and just plant couple more yellow chamaecyparis (?) in this spot. Or different dwarf conifers. The tree wants to get big, plus the shape does not feel right for the spot. The window is a major architectural feature of the house, it does not need to be covered by plants.

Gary the only issue that I see with the placement is that you are going to pretty much cover that window and that will make the room darker than you might want it. I would agree with Al that it might be better to move it another foot away from the house, also.

I have learned the most about pruning from my bonsai friends. I don't do bonsai, and the landscape pruning that I do is not bonsai, but it borrows from bonsai and the bonsai approach. Societies such as the American Conifer Society and the Maple Society have a lot of members who have bonsai experience and that is a great way to get to know something about it without having to join a bonsai group. The SF Bay Area has a big group of aesthetic pruners and there are pruning guilds here that one can join. Keep an eye out for arborist certification classes, which often non-combatants can attend and sometimes you find tree people with a good aesthetic sensibility. If you can find one-two folks who can work with you live a couple of times, that is worth all of the books and photos in the world.

GardenGal is right in not recommending willy-nilly that this plant be placed in a spot where it will need ongoing maintenance, but, if you want to have some fun and are willing to stay on top of it, it won't be a problem in your lifetime! If you look on my blog you'll see photos of mine in front of my door and another that is free-standing in the landscape that I am pruning to make it look like it is spilling over a rock. I also have a huge one that was 'gifted' to me (a local nursery had it planted in their display garden and it was scratching the customers' cars so they told me that if I could get it out I could have it) that sweeps in an arc to one side. The possibilities are endless.

Sara

Form and Foliage blog

Canyon- Thanks for the input. What you don't see is a small tree that's probably 40 feet straight ahead of that window. Not sure what it is, it has purple leaves in the summer and right now has beautiful pink flowers. Unfortunately, they only last about a week each spring! In the summer, you can only see that bay window from one direction. My thought process was to have this weep out and over the bed and a part of the lawn area. Walking up my path to the front steps, this will be on full display behind the crimson queen maple on the corner that turns a fantastic bright red in season. I thought the contrast of that with the golden mops and WBAC and Colorado Blue Spruce on the end would make a nice array of color contrast.

That bay window is a solid 8 or 9 feet from the ground at the midpoint. It's about 2.5 feet out from the bay window also (And 4 feet from the foundation.) Unless I'm totally missing something (which very well could be the case!) I don't think it will ever block much, if any sunlight or the view, unless I just let it grow straight up without training it outward.

Again, trying to learn as I go here. I actually did the entire other side of my house about 4 years ago and that's really starting to fill in nicely. I'm not one to just plant something and walk away. I carefully prune everything (including a cool topiary on the far left that you can just make out in the first photo) at least 3 times a year. That one keeps my on my toes as the Pom's can get out of control pretty quickly during growth periods.

Sara - Wow! I saw your 2 WBAC's in the archway in background of that one photo.. absolutely stunning! And Thank you for the tips on pruning, I will absolutely look further into them, much appreciated!

I really truly do appreciate all the insights from everyone.. thanks again! Keep em' coming!!!

I agree about contrast. How about Picea sitchensis 'Papoose' in that spot? It will give you very nice color and texture contrast with existing plants, would not require any pruning and will work nicely with the house architecture. Or any other dwarf blue rounded conifer. I am sure that you can find some place on your property where the BAC can be showcased to maximum effect without requiring constant pruning. I have seen it trained along a fence - absolutely gorgeous.

Gary I meant to add that mine were almost exactly the same size and shape as yours when I planted them almost 10 years ago.

Sara , I gave my 2 cents to gary maybe without knowing what I'm talking about

with spruces the growth can be directed and held in place for a " time" and it will "harden" and stay in place ,,,more or less

is this true with atlas cedar ? Or must support be provided forever ?

will never have a cedar myself , ron

The new growth is soft and then it hardens; you can direct it and then remove the support.

Sooo,,,gary would want to start training reletivly soon . ! ?

ron