Chinese juniper chop this time?

[Poink88]

I found a Chinese juniper (not sure what cultivar) at a garden center last weekend in a (estimated) 10 gallon pot, about 3" base, 2" trunk, and 6 feet tall. (all given dimensions are most likely conservative and actual is probably bigger).

Question is, can I buy this and chop by half down to 3 feet now (so I can take it home)? There will be lots of foliage left (about half) because of lots of low branches.

Thanks!

EDIT IN: The tree is a HOLYWOOD CHINESE JUNIPER

 

[garywood]

No problem

 

[Poink88]

Thanks Gary. I will pass by later today and see if the one I liked is still there.

 

[Poink88]

I purchased the tree and it turned out to be a Hollywood Chinese Juniper which I learned is not very easy to bonsai. It was chopped down to 3 feet from 7 and trimmed some.

I am tempted to investigate under the soil to look for the actual base. With the chop recently done, can I safely do the exploration now if I try to contain the disturbance to say 3" around the trunk?

Please note that the "soil" is basically a mat of roots w/ a little soil.

Thanks!

 

[Dav4]

Here's a thread on my Hollywood juniper, if you're interested. The foliage is really the only challenge (on smaller trees)...they are very strong growers, love hot summers, and can freeze solid in the winter.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?4550-My-Hollywood-Juniper

 

[Poink88]

Here's a thread on my Hollywood juniper, if you're interested. The foliage is really the only challenge (on smaller trees)...they are very strong growers, love hot summers, and can freeze solid in the winter.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?4550-My-Hollywood-Juniper

Nice tree and great thread.

Can you share more about Hollywood juniper care? I am interested in the timing of potting, wiring, pruning, etc. Also appreciate any lessons learned while working on your tree.

Thanks!!!

 

[Dav4]

The timing for re-potting, wiring, etc., would be the same for any other juniper in your local. I think the typical approach to pruning juniper foliage would apply here, as well. With the tree in my thread, I have been trying for a thinner, lighter, canopy, so the tree really was pruned heavily to reduce the foliage mass over the last year...it's in recovery mode right now and throwing alot of semi-juvenile foliage. I probably won't touch it again until next year at the earliest.

 

[Poink88]

Pictures added

 

[Dav4]

That one is going to be fun...nice find.

 

[Poink88]

From this thread.. http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?9187-Progression-Mugo-Pine-from-a-nursery/page2

Do this anytime after Father's Day, or the middle of June. Remove the tree from the container. Remove as much of the soil from the top of the soil mass until you encounter roots;, you want to know how much of the soil mass is actual active and how much is just a bunch of junk piled in the top of the pot while the tree was in the nursery. This could be very little to a lot, it all depends.

Once accomplishing this, take a saw and saw at least one third to one half off of the bottom of the soil mass. Pick a couple of spots along the top of the soil mass, like taking a couple of slices out of a pie, and rinse out the soil as far back toward the trunk as possible. Leave the rest of the soil alone. You should remove at least two segments totaling about 1/3 of the remaining soil mass. Plant the tree into a well draining bonsai mix in a pond basket, collander, or specially designed bonsai planter and allow it at least three years before disturbing the roots again. Once you get to this point we can talk about what's next.

Vance, Is this re-potting procedure applicable to Hollywood Chinese Juniper also? I want to start reducing the root ball of my tree and re-pot next year. Thank you.

 

[edprocoat]

You gonna knicname this one the Hydra ? Theres a lot to work with, are you the kind that can see a style hidden in there? I am not the kind that sees the style in the tree, I usually decide on a style and try to force the tree into it, sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. lol I bet if you could get Stan to look at it he could give you a good suggestion for styles his drawings are amazing. Good luck with it.

ed

 

[Poink88]

...are you the kind that can see a style hidden in there? I am not the kind that sees the style in the tree, I usually decide on a style and try to force the tree into it, sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. lol I bet if you could get Stan to look at it he could give you a good suggestion for styles his drawings are amazing. Good luck with it.

Thanks Ed. Sounds like you and I are on the same camp. I am still learning how to find the best style from a stock and if it is coming...it is verrrryyyyyyy sllloooowwwwww. LOL

I would appreciate any design/styling help or suggestions. Thanks!

 

[jk_lewis]

Hmmm. Looks like a J. parsonii to me. Also a difficult bonsai subject.

 

[Poink88]

Hmmm. Looks like a J. parsonii to me. Also a difficult bonsai subject.

Are you positive?

It is labelled at the pot and the branch hang tag as "Hollywood" and "Torulosa" IIRC. I know some trees can be mislabeled so I checked j. parsonii online and it is supposed to be 2-3 feet high. This was 7 feet when I bought it.

 

[BonsaiRic]

You have a GREAT find with this tree's trunk possiblities with plenty of wood for jins/sharis/deadwood!!!

With much of the tree's energy stored in the roots at this time of year, your cutbacks are timely!

These Junipers (Hollywood, torulosa, and the 'Wintergreen' juniper I've done --> http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthr...Juniperus-c-Wintergreen&highlight=wintergreen ) backbud well in branch crotches and even along the trunk in the spring following a late fall/winter cutback. Even if you find your main trunk line and branching right now, the tree might need some time to fill in on top before the next step of refinement... 1-3 growing seasons possiblly (?)

If you feel the top needs more growth, I would leave the Juniper's root ball undisturbed (not pruned back) until the top is regrown from the back budding that will occur further down on the plant. This may take several seasons. the undisturbed root ball will be the 'engine" needed to bring about the top development you need.

On several of my nursery-grown juniper trees like this one, I slip potted it into a slightly larger diameter pot (with no increase in pot depth) to allow some root run if needed. However, as I look at your pics, it seems the tree has adequate root zone without slip potting.

If you find a good trunk line with branching and you're ready to commit to a style, the root ball could still be maintained for one growing season, as described above, to allow your tree to still fill in some.

Great work on the amount of top cutback too!! (only my opinion )

 

[Tona]

Hi Dario,
Check out this torulosa.

http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t1662-torulosa-juniper?highlight=torulosa

Tona

 

[Poink88]

Hi Dario,
Check out this torulosa.

http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t1662-torulosa-juniper?highlight=torulosa

Tona

Thanks Tona. I actually had Dorothy comment on my thread (similar to this) there at IBC back in August.

 

[Poink88]

I just noticed this tree have scales!!!

I plan on treating/spraying it with Neem oil with a little dishwashing soap. It is much colder now and the sun hardly comes out but I will move it in the shaded area still. I will also cover the soil while treating. Anything else I should do? How often should I re-treat?

Thank you.

 

[Dav4]

I just noticed this tree have scales!!!

I plan on treating/spraying it with Neem oil with a little dishwashing soap. It is much colder now and the sun hardly comes out but I will move it in the shaded area still. I will also cover the soil while treating. Anything else I should do? How often should I re-treat?

Thank you.

If not too many, removal by hand, or applying rubbing alcohol directly to the scale via a q-tip would work.

 

[Poink88]

If not too many, removal by hand, or applying rubbing alcohol directly to the scale via a q-tip would work.

Thanks. I am aware of that but I am afraid it is worse than I can manage that way. Also the bark and leaves make it almost impossible to find all of them.

Do you know the ideal Neem oil treatment frequency? I just remembered that it is possibly in the Juniper Master Series book, I should check it later.