continued workday with Ryan Neil

[bob shimon]

After Ryan did some preliminary work on this Sierra, he went back to work on the Utah Juniper. I then wired out the Sierra, and Ryan set the branches. At the end of the day, the first styling on the 2 trees was completed. In the past year Ryan has styled or help me rework 7 of my collected junipers. I will be with him a couple of days the end of Feb and a couple more the end of March. I am looking forward to repotting the trees when he returns

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Great photos. Ryan is such an approachable guy. He is a real asset to bonsai here in the US.

 

[bonsai barry]

That's quite the juniper. Are you planning on carving it up?

 

[elliott]

Hi Bob
I also help start a study group with Ryan in the Los Angeles area. We got together the first time the day after the GSBF convention while he was still in town, It was amazing to spend all day with him. He really helped me with a couple of my favorite oaks. He liked one so much he wanted to buy it from me! (what a compliment). we will meet again when he comes back for the California bonsai society convention in April. I wish his schedule wasn't so full so we can get together at least monthly. i would post pics but i cant even upload pics from my camera to my computer, let alone post them. Sorry.

 

[bob shimon]

update on sierra juniper

It has been 15 months since my original post. I've included a picture after repotting it into a Sara Rayner pot a coupke of days ago with Ryan Neil. Notice how much the foliage has filled in from the original pictures. I'll start cutting back on the foliage, probably in June.

 

[dick benbow]

Yes, it has filled out foliage wise nicely. Would you think it worth while checking with Ryan to see what he might suggest removing foliage wise. My understanding is that folliage plays a stronger part with junipers then we often give them credit for.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Nice! I really like the deadwood on this one. I'm not usually a big fan, but this one is awesome. You've got a nice batch of growth now and I'm anxious to see how the refinement turns out.

 

[bob shimon]

Hi Dick - Back in the day, maybe 25 years ago or more, we were advised to remove most of the foliage when collecting since we didn't get all of the roots. The thinking was that the roots couldn't support all the foliage. Our success rate was about 50%. We learned later that juniper roots develop from the foliage. More foliage, the better chance of developing more roots. Since then, I do not remove any foliage or cut off any branches when collecting. My success rate is around 75 - 80%. I've had this conversation with Ryan, and he is in total agreement.

 

[Brian Underwood]

Good stuff Bob! That is a lot of growth in a short amount of time, plus it all looks like mature foliage (is it?). I really wish I could have attended, but had school all day every day this week. It's seriously cutting in to my bonsai time.

 

[misfit11]

That looks great, Bob! Do you know when Ryan will be back in the area? I bought a sierra from Ned Lycett back in November and wanted to give it the first styling at a workshop with him.

Thanks,
Cory