Although juniper is considered to be well tolerated by pruning, you have to consider a few aspects when pruning. The wood does not tolerate any pruning. You should proceed with caution and cut off a little less than too much to avoid nasty surprises.
A regular topiary is good for the creeping juniper
Cut regularly
Creeping junipers should be regularly subjected to minor topiary. Start cutting the shoot tips of young plants. This gives you the uniform and mat-like character of the ground cover without stressing it with radical cuts. The less you have to cut back, the more magnificently the creeping juniper will thrive. There are varieties that hardly grow out of shape and do not need regular pruning.
These are ideal ground covers:
- Carpet juniper with a silvery blue colour: Juniperus horizontalis 'Glauca'
- Slow-growing creeping juniper: Juniperus communis 'Repanda'
- Creeping heather juniper with a mat-like shape: Juniperus communis 'Hornibrookii'
time
Juniper is not only considered hardy when it comes to extreme weather conditions. The wood has no special requirements when it comes to cutting. You can prune creeping juniper throughout the growing season. The ideal date is spring just before budding, so that the shrub buds and develops dense branches. You can also cut the low shrub between August and October. Choose an overcast and cool day when neither the blazing sun shines nor rain falls.
Cut right
Only remove green branches, as creeping juniper does not tolerate pruning back into the old wood. The shrubs only grow on the green shoots. If individual branches disturb the overall picture, you can separate them at the branch fork. Don't leave stubs behind, as these are an ideal entry point for pathogens and fungi.
Maintenance pruning tips:
- Thin out the inside every few years
- completely remove dead and bare branches
- regularly shorten shoot tips
- check for pear rust in spring and remove affected shoots
bonsai
If you want to form a creeping juniper into a bonsai, you should constantly prune the shrub and avoid radical pruning. Dense branching can be achieved through regular shoot cuts. Make sure that the cut is uniform so that the wood sprout freshly in all places. You can snap off fine tips with your fingernail.