How does this kishu juniper look after styling! This is my first try at styling.

[JustALoneSpirit]

I used large pumice to create the rocks, I had a bronze figure of an eagle which I thought would go well with the rough look. The soil used is 80%perlite with 20% coco coir. It is around 2 years old(purchased from bonsaify USA. Feel free to criticize, give your rating on a scale of 1 to 10.

 

[Ruddigger]

Just let it grow now. I wouldnt mess with it for another year, once you have some size to the trunk and branches you can do more.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

What did you do to it? Do you have a before and after photo? What is your long term goal in style? How large do you want the final tree to be?

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

What did you do to it? Do you have a before and after photo? What is your long term goal in style? How large do you want the final tree to be?

I think I want this tree to be a mame to shohin size, because otherwise I can't fit it into the fridge for dormancy. I have a before photo, I'll send it. My long term goal would be a semi cascade - Informal upright. Basically I just did a slight thinning and removing a few awkward branches and wired a few branches in place. I wired the main trunk with a guy wire

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

this is the tree 1 month ago

 

[misfit11]

Is it being kept indoors?

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Is it being kept indoors?

He thinks he can overwinter in a fridge even though weve all told him it wont work.

 

[Themilkyway]

I used large pumice to create the rocks, I had a bronze figure of an eagle which I thought would go well with the rough look. The soil used is 80%perlite with 20% coco coir. It is around 2 years old(purchased from bonsaify USA. Feel free to criticize, give your rating on a scale of 1 to 10.

I’m surprised that bonsaify sells and delivers to India…

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

He thinks he can overwinter in a fridge even though weve all told him it wont work.

I have for one winter tho

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

I’m surprised that bonsaify sells and delivers to India…

No, I brought it personally by flight.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I have for one winter tho

A refrigerator is not a replacement for winter conditions.

 

[Ruddigger]

Whats the lowest temperature you get to in winter?

 

[RoadManDenDron]

No offence, its clear you have much to learn,

Maybe an idea to get basic horticulture and styling tuned in on natives before you make life hard on yourself trying to achieve the impossible

What would have been interesting to see is if you had got 2, not done any work to them and gave 1 a fridge winter and leave the other outside and see which dies first.

Now when this tree is struggling and then dead there is no way of knowing if it was the repot, the soil, the styling, the lack of a proper winter or conditions in the fridge

 

[Orion_metalhead]

If it dies in the fridge... its because it's in a fridge.

 

[Gabler]

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

No offence, its clear you have much to learn,

Maybe an idea to get basic horticulture and styling tuned in on natives before you make life hard on yourself trying to achieve the impossible

What would have been interesting to see is if you had got 2, not done any work to them and gave 1 a fridge winter and leave the other outside and see which dies first.

Now when this tree is struggling and then dead there is no way of knowing if it was the repot, the soil, the styling, the lack of a proper winter or conditions in the fridge

If it dies in the fridge... its because it's in a fridge.

Why would it die in the fridge? What would be the problem? I understand for deciduous broadleafs it's dessication but aren't conifers adapted to low humidity conditions? Anyway, the exposure into the fridge is gradual and before doing it on this expensive tree, I've got 4 juniperus communis cuttings so do not worry. This tree has not been to the fridge. The tree I experimented on is still alive and growing. I gradually decreased daylength and started putting it in the fridge for longer periods. I saw a color change from vibrant green growth to a bluish green, I think it is because of temperature change? The cutting is doing great now, good new growth(it's only 6 months old, I potted it up 1 month ago) Please check the photos too. If the kishu juniper dies, it is probably the styling, because it has been in the same pot for the last 4 months and has shown good growth. I've seen junipers in my local bonsai community, they do not give it a winter. But I think a winter is necessary.
Does this look like a dead tree to you?
Fellow bonsai artists, isn't experiment the way to success?? This one was kept in a fridge for winter

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

Whats the lowest temperature you get to in winter?

Around 16°C in the nighttime and daytime highs upto 26°C

If I use my fridge it's gonna got From 4°C upto -15°C

 

[Orion_metalhead]

let me see your junipers in 2 or 3 years after fridge/artificial dormany treatments for 4-5months.

Its not an experiment when its been tried before and fails 99% of the time.

 

[JustALoneSpirit]

let me see your junipers in 2 or 3 years after fridge/artificial dormany treatments for 4-5months.

Its not an experiment when its been tried before and fails 99% of the time.

I'll experiment on the cuttings ig, I'll keep my precious bounty safe

 

[RoadManDenDron]

4 months in bonsai terms is nothing

For beginners and even many more experienced people it is good practice to keep to one insult a year

For example I gave some pines their first styling in September, now I won't repot them this spring as planned, by the time I wait til September its the wrong time of year so it will be spring 26 they get repotted.

The tree is still green, but for junipers that doesn't mean much at all, it has now lost a fair amount of the foliage mass that was helping it recover from the repot.

it's good to experiment, Sure, but when something has been around as long as bonsai there have already been so many people trying what you are doing that it is clear to those of us who have seen it how this will end. There are similar posts on this forum and no doubt documented elsewhere

Please continue to post updates on this tree, you have been happy to tell us it will work, and maybe you're right, but if it eventually dies I would like to hear your reasoning

Missed dormancy and not proper dormancy can take a few years, the tree slowly burns out and then dies.

I am currently having an early winter in my area it was -4 a couple nights ago and we already had snow and ice, I would love a full year growing season like you seem to have, do you have any native trees that don't require all this effort?