Need some styling help

[subnet_rx]

Here is what I would do now if it were mine.....this needs to be hacked back hard and it will back bud like crazy. This is a very young tree and if you feed it heavily and hack it back it will be a totally differnet tree in 2 years.

Instead of buying a bunch of cheap trees, save some dough and buy something that is a bit more money but offers potential. Know what I mean?

Jason

Yes, thanks for the advice. I definitely could spend the money and buy from a bonsai nursery. Some people like doing that, some people find pleasure in growing from seed, my happy medium is transforming a nursery plant. I really need some practice pruning, finding lines, and wiring. These were bought for that purpose. I also really like juniper chinesis as a species, but rarely find them anywhere around here.

 

[JasonG]

Where is here?

Jason

 

[subnet_rx]

Ohh, South MS

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes, thanks for the advice. I definitely could spend the money and buy from a bonsai nursery. Some people like doing that, some people find pleasure in growing from seed, my happy medium is transforming a nursery plant. I really need some practice pruning, finding lines, and wiring. These were bought for that purpose. I also really like juniper chinesis as a species, but rarely find them anywhere around here.

Most common nursery Junipers are Juniperus Chinensis of one form or another, they are the most common Junipers in the nursery trade. As to the Juniper you have your problem is not that you did not buy something with a higher price tag, price does not necessarily determine quality, but size. The Juniper you are currently working with because of its trunk size will not as it is now make a decent bonsai more than about six or seven inches tall.

Anything larger will take on the appearance of the classical stick in a pot simply because the trunk is not in proportion to the height of a tree much over seven inches tall. That is not a rule in bonsai so much as it is a fact that a tree does not look like a mature grown tree unless the height to trunk diameter is in the 6:1 ratio. The exception would be the Literati style which does not fit this particular tree. What is an axiom in Bonsai is that most good bonsai are not grown up into bonsai but cut down into bonsai.

Simply put, you start with larger material and reduce it down to a pleasing bonsai form. You start with a larger tree because of the size of the trunk in a larger tree allowing you the option to finish with a larger tree and not a Mame or Shohin sized tree. Even Yamadori are cut and reduced down to make of them a bonsai. The advantage of a Yamadori is the character of the trunk which is difficult to duplicate by artificial means. A nursery grown pre-bonsai from a bonsai nursery is a good option but again I don't particularly care for buying a tree that I cannot examine first hand, even if it is from a trusted supplier.

It has been suggested to you previously that you have removed many of the branches that you could have used. I agree, but this is not an uncommon mistake with people just starting out in bonsai and with a Juniper it is not a irreversible disaster. Junipers will back bud and return those options to you latter on. On that note I see no reason you should not think of making this tree into a smaller bonsai for two reasons. One; the trunk has good movement and is worth dealing with. Two; the experience of thinking your work down will be a good exercise for you, that will in the end give you a really nice little bonsai.

 

[subnet_rx]

Thanks for the advice Vance. I'm going to keep these trees for the time being to see what happens next spring. I really don't mind the small trunks as I have always throught anything over 24 inches is a little out of the range of what an average person thinks is a bonsai.

I've jinned the branch that had the knot in it, and I'm going to wait on pruning anything else till the spring so that the tree can regain some of it's strength.

 

[crhabq]

Hey, don't feel bad about your initial bonsai efferts. I too went too my local nursury and selected a juniper. You should see the whack job I did on this tree. Actually it was two junipers (one I planted in full to part shade) and I feel lucky to have one left. Its all about the learning curve and it can be steep when you start out. Don't be discouraged and have patience. After a short time in bonsai the one thing I've learned is that 5 to 10 years grow out time is standard in less you have a big budget. I've spent a little money just to have the oppurtunity to practice bonsai instead of just growing out stock. Heck, I've spent a just as much trying to come up with the right soil mix too. Dang, e ordering pumice is expensive and akadama anin't' much better. Where's a local drystall vendor when you need one? I'm gladf turface is cheap and locally available. Anyway, good luck and you might try a few of the net order bonsai outlets, too. Evergreengardensworks is my favorite, Essesence of the tree is good for maples (watch out for the shipping charge -- pretty high for something shipped in peat). Good luck and don't be discourged (You may want to ask my this summer about ONE LEAF ELM or about drunking repotting project elm, (same tree) depending on any growth this spring. BEST OF WEATHER

 

[Tiberious]

Ya, the trunk still has some good movement and if you can get branching lower down for all that pruning you may have something worthwhile. I personally wouldn't touch the roots until you get some good growth going. It still can be saved, it just may have to hide behind some of your other shubbery Oh, and I feel like I am doing just growing too. My wife always refers to trees as bonsai, but in reality, none of them are! Sure, anyone with any money could go buy a nice bonsai and take care of it too, but to create one takes alot of growing and alot of patience and alot of trial and error.