my first juniper bonsai

angelr87

Seedling
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Location
Torrance, Ca
USDA Zone
10b
k so i just bought this bush at a nursery gave it a big hair cut and wired up... this is my first bonsai im looking for some constructive criticism... tell me how looks what you think would make it better or what i could do next time... anything will be greatly appreciated... thx :D

sorry if the pictures are crappy i took them with my phone...

2012-05-13_16-07-03_192.jpg2012-05-13_16-30-10_925.jpg2012-05-13_16-30-24_76.jpg2012-05-13_16-30-30_894.jpg
 
Do you have any "before" pictures?
That is a tree that looks to have a lot of potential. The trunk has great movement.
 
You obviously have a decent eye for design and you have made a good start with this tree. Give it a couple of years to develop. It looks a lot like a Shimpaku Juniper or at least one of the Chinese Junipers closely related; good choice. If you can keep it alive and healthy you will have crossed a major boundry, that of keeping a tree in a pot alive. Then you will be able to conentrate on artistic development. From my point of view I think the tree, as potentially nice as it is, in the near future you will find the tree to be conflicted. The problem manifests it'self with the junction of the two major parts of the trunk forming a kind of sling shot. Been there done that. Eventually I think you will want to remove one or the other and design the tree from there. That decision is yours to make from what your eye sees and your perception of what a bonsai should look like. I don't see you having to make that decision in at least three years, and would probably be foolish to do so any sooner. My first conflicted tree correction took me twenty years to make.
 
danilo i wish i did i was so excited when i bough the tree i started working on it as soon as i got home...

vance thank you i appreciate your input. yes, i noticed that with the two trunks but im still new at this and i didnt want make any dangerous decisions yet. im hoping when the foliage thickens up some ill be able to make a decision.
its a Shimpaku Juniper
 
I actually like that lower trunk split, and think in the future it can be used for an interesting design in the tree. maybe the left trunk (taller of the 2) would have to be cut down a bit, and use the opposing trunk as a semi cascade... kind of the "2 trees in 1" look. I'm not sure it would work 100%, but I think it might. Either way, it will be a while before you need to make such a decision.
 
I'd be cutting that long straight branch coming off the top left. You have it as a leader now but I don't think it should be there at all. See attached vert.
 

Attachments

  • 2012-05-13_16-30-10_925.jpg
    2012-05-13_16-30-10_925.jpg
    174.8 KB · Views: 41
I'd be cutting that long straight branch coming off the top left. You have it as a leader now but I don't think it should be there at all. See attached vert.

Or at least wire some movement into it.

Vance said to take your time with making the decision to chop or not.

"take your time" is something you're going to hear a lot. It's ALWAYS good advice.
 
thanks for the input im actually thinking of removing either the entire left or right branch and try and makes some nice jin out of it...
im going to wait till the next year or so and see how much growth comes out of which side before i decide on anything...
 
Back
Top Bottom