Juniperus horizontalis "blue rug" advice

[Bonsaicarpenter]

Hello everyone. I am new to bonsai and to this site. I'm a carpenter by trade but have always loved bonsai and decided to give it a try this year. I live in Baltimore Maryland.

I picked up this blue rug juniper while on vacation in Hilton Head back in May. When I got it home I did a very light pruning of any weak/dead foliage and anything growing straight down. About a month later I potted it into this training box and have done nothing but water and feed since then. It seems to have stayed very healthy and put on some growth since then.

Originally I envisioned it as a semi cascade with the 2 right branches being jinned. Recently though I am starting to think it may be a much more interesting tree if I were to change the angle to create an informal upright.

Being new to bonsai, I am having trouble seeing the tree within the tree. Anyone have any input or advice? I don't plan on doing anything else to it this year. I would like to decide between semi cascade or upright over the winter so I can report it upright in spring if that's the direction I decide to go. Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and contribute their opinion.

 

[defra]

Angle at last pic is good!
Just put a wedge underneath the pot and dont do the repot next spring cus you repotted this year already so its unnessecary !
Keeping it alive well done!

Welcome to bnut!

 

[0soyoung]

I've been there and am still doing that.

I suggest you focus on tending to the foliage - keep it from 'running away' and see if you can develop foliage pads. Your perspective of it will change. You will find other, maybe better possibilities because of how it responds.

This won't keep you occupied for long. Get some other trees - buy some 'junk' at the season close-out sales, especially anything in which you see 'the tree within'. Struggle with them the same way. You'll be busier, more frustrated, more impatient, and enjoying it more!

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

Thanks for the quick feedback. I may have to get creative and make a new stand to hold it at that angle. It's pretty steep and I worry about the stability. My yard is the one all of the neighborhood kids gather in to wreak havoc. It's a miracle they haven't already done a number on it. Also, at that angle the box will block a lot of light from hitting that side of the tree that is already pretty bare. I will give it a shot though.

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

Osoyoung I have a few others. I grabbed an azalea from the big box store earlier this year that I'm working on turning into a small broom style, 2 very small trident maples and a Fukien tea (so I have something to look at when the other stuff is dormant).

 

[defra]

Thanks for the quick feedback. I may have to get creative and make a new stand to hold it at that angle. It's pretty steep and I worry about the stability. My yard is the one all of the neighborhood kids gather in to wreak havoc. It's a miracle they haven't already done a number on it. Also, at that angle the box will block a lot of light from hitting that side of the tree that is already pretty bare. I will give it a shot though.

Then keep it this way but when you are going to work on it put it at this angle
but i reccomend not to disturb the roots it will reward you with strong vigour growth next season meaning growing more styling options too!

I know the wait is hard lol but this year i have been rewarded with strong growth too from last years wait !

 

[0soyoung]

Osoyoung I have a few others. I grabbed an azalea from the big box store earlier this year that I'm working on turning into a small broom style, 2 very small trident maples and a Fukien tea (so I have something to look at when the other stuff is dormant).

Super!

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

Then keep it this way but when you are going to work on it put it at this angle
but i reccomend not to disturb the roots it will reward you with strong vigour growth next season meaning growing more styling options too!

I know the wait is hard lol but this year i have been rewarded with strong growth too from last years wait !

Sounds like a plan. Would you recommend doing any work on the branching/foliage this year or let it continue to grow unchecked until spring?

 

[defra]

Looking at the pics i think its safe to give it a light pruning to keep the foliage mass opened up so the light penetrates the inner parts of the tree to keep the inner growth alive also the air can circulate trough the foliage mass to keep it healthy and less susceptible? To fungus issues

Look up some videos on youtube about thinning junipers once you know how and why to do it give it a light trim

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

Thanks a lot. Now I have something to do tomorrow. I appreciate the input.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

I got about 7 of these last year.

I only lost one so far, mites, that was being neglected as it was slated for landscape. I torched it!

The main tree in this thread...
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/semi-cascade-nana.22476/
Has amazed me so well, I since bought two more that had/have like 3ft extensions.

I would have bought more but only 2 of them had these giant runners which made me look at how fat they make the trunks....

Don't underestimate their power to thicken and turn into something you may not have thought possible.

Everywhere I've cut back to has grown well.
Including a recent one with a dose of "Fuck it" so powerful I knew it would die, but it didn't.

Some of the best $2 material there is!

I got special shoes made to dance on these Blue Rugs I love em so much.

Sorce

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

Welcome to Crazy!

I got about 7 of these last year.

I only lost one so far, mites, that was being neglected as it was slated for landscape. I torched it!

The main tree in this thread...
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/semi-cascade-nana.22476/
Has amazed me so well, I since bought two more that had/have like 3ft extensions.

I would have bought more but only 2 of them had these giant runners which made me look at how fat they make the trunks....

Don't underestimate their power to thicken and turn into something you may not have thought possible.

Everywhere I've cut back to has grown well.
Including a recent one with a dose of "Fuck it" so powerful I knew it would die, but it didn't.

Some of the best $2 material there is!

I got special shoes made to dance on these Blue Rugs I love em so much.

Sorce

I actually just read that thread today. You hacked the hell out of that thing. It's looking good as it progresses though. I've been babying mine so far. I started with a procumbens nana and managed to kill it inside of 2 months.

 

[sorce]

I actually just read that thread today. You hacked the hell out of that thing. It's looking good as it progresses though. I've been babying mine so far. I started with a procumbens nana and managed to kill it inside of 2 months.

Yours is way healthy!
And intact !

Where's your mind about wire and such?
Fitting to buy it or anneal your own scrap?

You're off to a great start....
My interest lies in not letting you off that track.

Watch the Bonsai Art of Japan videos?
Read all the Walter Pall articles and watched the videos so well you can sync yourself to his arm movements?
Watched all the free Mirai Videos?
(The first Nursery hunting video is on Blue rug.)

After you devour all the information available, every video or article by Bjorn Bjorholm, Walter Pall, and Ryan Neil, you pretty much can fend off the bullshit information for yourself.

After that it's all goin' slow and boat rowin!

Speaking of boat rowin...

What kind of carpenterin you do?

I may have to show you the shit show of a light gauge roof truss job we got going on.

You thought a foot fetish was kinky!
Good God!

Sorce

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

Yours is way healthy!
And intact !

Where's your mind about wire and such?
Fitting to buy it or anneal your own scrap?

You're off to a great start....
My interest lies in not letting you off that track.

Watch the Bonsai Art of Japan videos?
Read all the Walter Pall articles and watched the videos so well you can sync yourself to his arm movements?
Watched all the free Mirai Videos?
(The first Nursery hunting video is on Blue rug.)

After you devour all the information available, every video or article by Bjorn Bjorholm, Walter Pall, and Ryan Neil, you pretty much can fend off the bullshit information for yourself.

After that it's all goin' slow and boat rowin!

Speaking of boat rowin...

What kind of carpenterin you do?

I may have to show you the shit show of a light gauge roof truss job we got going on.

You thought a foot fetish was kinky!
Good God!

Sorce

I follow bjorn quite a bit. He does great work. I've been watching video after video trying to gather as much info as I can. I've watched all of graham potter's videos, a lot of Nigel Saunders and a ton of others. I haven't had a chance to watch any of mirai's videos yet. ill definitely check them out though.

As far as wire goes, I have some thinner gauge aluminum wire and that's about it. I'm going to have to grab some thicker gauge stuff before I can get started wiring mine up. Also, I see that people usually use copper wire on juniper. What is the reason for that?

I'm a cabinetmaker and wood finisher. We do cabinets (obviously), reception desks, countertops, stair treads and hand rails, etc. Pretty much any type of custom millwork. In my spare time I work on the finer end of woodworking. My goal ultimately is to work for myself but that's a ways off. Right now my basement shop is under 200 sq ft. It's really limiting.

 

[M. Frary]

I like the last picture.
I would tilt it in the box next spring then shove a stake in next to the base and crank the trunk towards upright as far as possible without breaking it. This will put another direction change in the trunk and give you a taller tree to work with.

 

[sorce]

I owe a lot of people a lot of stuff I gotta make good on.

Buying some stands off you may be one of them things!

Choke and electrician and steal his scrap !

Copper holds better .

Aluminum tends to need to be thicker.
Thicker wire don't bit in as fast.

Perfection would have some copper and some aluminum on one tree.

But a lot of folks are concerned with aesthetic bandaids that don't matter with a perfect final product.

My Cabinets need to be fixed but they are bitchin 1920's wood.
Ikea kitchen cabinets are a joke.
White cabinets will die.
Wood is forever!

Sorce

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

I like the last picture.
I would tilt it in the box next spring then shove a stake in next to the base and crank the trunk towards upright as far as possible without breaking it. This will put another direction change in the trunk and give you a taller tree to work with.

I'm not too worried about the heaight as the trunk is only a little over an inch thick (inch and a half tops). I would like to get it upright though. It seems pretty intimidating to bend though. I need to find a workshop to take it to and get some supervision. At least to get started until I'm more confident I won't butcher it.

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

I owe a lot of people a lot of stuff I gotta make good on.

Buying some stands off you may be one of them things!

Choke and electrician and steal his scrap !

Copper holds better .

Aluminum tends to need to be thicker.
Thicker wire don't bit in as fast.

Perfection would have some copper and some aluminum on one tree.

But a lot of folks are concerned with aesthetic bandaids that don't matter with a perfect final product.

My Cabinets need to be fixed but they are bitchin 1920's wood.
Ikea kitchen cabinets are a joke.
White cabinets will die.
Wood is forever!

Sorce

I love real wood but people are too cheap to buy it most of the time. 75% of what we sell is laminates and what-not.

I am totally down to build some stands. I need to get one made for my Fukien tea when it's time to come inside. It's in a wooden pot that I made. I'm not sure yet if it's going to hold up or if I even like the pot with the tree but it was a fun experiment.

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

So today I went ahead and did some pruning. Nothing too heavy and nothing that would really change the shape. My goal was just to start back budding and ramification so I have something good to start styling next spring.

I took roughly 2 handfuls of foliage. Also, turns out it's a girl. Hopefully it's not weakened much by what I removed today and it can put on a bit more growth before the growing season comes to an end.

Thanks everyone for their input. Hopefully I have a nice tree to work with come spring. Happy Sunday (even though my ravens got destroyed by the jags in London today)

 

[defra]

Nice looks well opened up now no worries it will be fine!