Did I Trim Too Much?

[turnyface]

Working on my first Shinpaku from nursery stock. I am worried I did too much pruning and concerned I may have killed the tree.

The image with the red markup is what I’m planning for trunk direction. Is this good?

 

[Tieball]

Just a quick note. I’d keep those roots buried.
I’m sure there are some experienced Shinpaku members. I will let them comment on the pruning and address any other subjects.
Are you happy with the thickness of the trunk?

 

[turnyface]

Just a quick note. I’d keep those roots buried.
I’m sure there are some experienced Shinpaku members. I will let them comment on the pruning and address any other subjects.
Are you happy with the thickness of the trunk?

Just covered them up! Thanks!

Yes, I think so. It’s 1.25 inches in diameter and I was planning a 10-15 inch tree. Is it too thin?

 

[Tieball]

Probably a little on the thin side. The Shimpaku members should chime in soon.
By the way it's a Shimpaku tree….Shinpaku is something else. Just thought I’d mention.

 

[turnyface]

Probably a little on the thin side. The Shimpaku members should chime in soon.
By the way it's a Shimpaku tree….Shinpaku is something else. Just thought I’d mention.

Yes, thanks for that. I meant ShiMpaku but mistyped ShiNpauk.

Do you think if I let it be for the next year the foliage and tree will recover?

 

[vesper818]

You did fine! Jades are easy to care for, and very forgiving.

 

[Paradox]

You did fine! Jades are easy to care for, and very forgiving.

Huh?
It's a juniper

I'd say you over did it a bit, @turnyface
Just leave it alone now. Water it when it needs it, feed it when you start seeing new growth again, and hope for the best. If it survives, you should just let it grow next year and get strong again.

Don't feel too bad. This is a common new to bonsai mistake

 

[vesper818]

Woops, wrong thread....I think I hit the back button before replying. ...

 

[turnyface]

Huh?
It's a juniper

I'd say you over did it a bit, @turnyface
Just leave it alone now. Water it when it needs it, feed it when you start seeing new growth again, and hope for the best. If it survives, you should just let it grow next year and get strong again.

Don't feel too bad. This is a common new to bonsai mistake

Thanks. I feel stupid for getting too cut happy with my scissors thinking I knew what I was doing.

I have several books coming tomorrow, so I plan on reading for the next few months to really learn the basics.

 

[turnyface]

Will I know whether it’ll survive in a couple of weeks? Or do I need to wait until the next growing season to know for sure?

 

[Paradox]

Will I know whether it’ll survive in a couple of weeks? Or do I need to wait until the next growing season to know for sure?

Patience padawan.
Bonsai is an exercise in patience.

Trees work on a time scale of months an years. I think it will take until next spring to know for sure. Junipers rely on their foliage for energy storage over the winter so we are going to have to see if it both grows enough the remainder of the growing season and survives winter.

 

[turnyface]

Patience padawan.
Bonsai is an exercise in patience.

Trees work on a time scale of months an years. I think it will take until next spring to know for sure. Junipers rely on their foliage for energy storage over the winter so we are going to have to see if it both grows enough the remainder of the growing season and survives winter.

Haha, I’m learning patience with these trees.

Thanks!

 

[Shibui]

Not sure what you started with but it does look like you have taken off a lot of foliage. I have no doubt it should recover given no root pruning.
I'm also concerned that you still have a very tall tree which, therefore looks skinny. I would probably have tried to find a lower branch to chop back to to reduce height but need to let if recover and gain strength before taking that step now.
Well done on the low jin. It is also probably a bit long but can always be shortened at any time.
What are the wires and support doing? I can't work out what that might be bending? Maybe just supporting the trunk?

 

[turnyface]

Not sure what you started with but it does look like you have taken off a lot of foliage. I have no doubt it should recover given no root pruning.
I'm also concerned that you still have a very tall tree which, therefore looks skinny. I would probably have tried to find a lower branch to chop back to to reduce height but need to let if recover and gain strength before taking that step now.
Well done on the low jin. It is also probably a bit long but can always be shortened at any time.
What are the wires and support doing? I can't work out what that might be bending? Maybe just supporting the trunk?

I was trying to twist the trunk to straighten it out a bit.

I don’t have raw nursery stock photo, but I do have this after I tried to bring it vertical and do a little cleanup.

 

[turnyface]

I was trying to twist the trunk to straighten it out a bit.

I don’t have raw nursery stock photo, but I do have this after I tried to bring it vertical and do a little cleanup.

Darn. Looking at the before and after photos, I honestly have no idea what I was doing. I guess I was too focused on “cleaning up” each individual branch and didn’t step back to look at the entire tree.

Disappointing…

 

[hardtimes]

you got good practice in. this one may still bud back and give you something to work with.

heres a good video i like about the subject

 

[turnyface]

you got good practice in. this one may still bud back and give you something to work with.

heres a good video i like about the subject

Yes, I did watch this video! It was part of my reasoning to keep cutting because he pruned back so much on his original tree. I guess I misinterpreted the video.

I have Principles of Bonsai Design by De Groot arriving today.

I’ve also ordered Bonsay Heresy and 101 Essential Tips by Harry Tomlinson.

Lots of reading the next few weeks.

I wonder if I should get a specific juniper book.

 

[RoadManDenDron]

I'm sorry if it comes across wrong but my advice would be to get another from wherever this came from,

Looked like a decent tree to start with,

Then attend a workshop with someone who is good with junipers or get help from a local club member who is good with junipers

you can only learn so much from YouTube and even books,

 

[Paradox]

Darn. Looking at the before and after photos, I honestly have no idea what I was doing. I guess I was too focused on “cleaning up” each individual branch and didn’t step back to look at the entire tree.

Disappointing…

Yup agree with @hardtimes
You learned something.
So do better next time.

 

[Paradox]

I'm sorry if it comes across wrong but my advice would be to get another from wherever this came from,

Looked like a decent tree to start with,

Then attend a workshop with someone who is good with junipers or get help from a local club member who is good with junipers

you can only learn so much from YouTube and even books,

Good advice also