juniper repot after style

Hello everyone. I have this juniper that had a very good growing season and I am going to style it this fall. I will be wiring and removing some branches. I also wanted to repost it. So my question is can I reduce the football since I am removing some branches?

Just noticed I put this in the wrong category. So when ever you can move it please

With junipers, don't repot and style the same year unless you are expert at handling junipers, in which case you wouldn't have asked.

The foliage sends out hormones that signal the roots to grow. If you prune the top just before repotting, the hormone signal to the roots won't be strong. Recovery will be lack luster, and if there are any major stressors, the tree might not make it. Similarly the reverse. After pruning the top, a large root system will push new buds and growth. This will also keep recovery time down. If you do the tasks in separate years, 5 years down the road, you will be ahead of where you would be if you did them both the same year.

You are fairly experienced, likely the juniper would survive no matter what you do, but it may take more recovery time if you do both tasks in the same growing season.

Ever wonder why so few "demo" junipers are still around a couple years after they were styled and repotted? Some are, but not the majority.

When I get new material, I like to repot right away - or soon, into a training pot. Then for the next year get to know the tree, then style it.

Ok thank you

Leo Schordje wrote:

When I get new material, I like to repot right away - or soon, into a training pot. Then for the next year get to know the tree, then style it.

I follow this last piece as well. I nearly lost my itoigawa when I purchased and styled it, but by the end of the year the soil was holding too much moisture and it suffered. Popped right back when I got it into new free draining mix.