Newly acquired San Jose juniper

[Ugo]

Hello gentlemen,

I'm really happy to see the reactions on this post.
Thanks again for your help.

I'm simply an amateur who gets more and more engaged in bonsai thought the years, Im 38yrs old and Im sure there are members here that were practicing bonsai while I couldn't walk so if my plan explained here doesn't sound good I'm all hears!


it is probably the language barrier that prevents me from correctly answering certain comments, but can I ask you if my comment on compacting foliage on the the first branch and second branche to enhance the mid section and base section of the trunk was correctly phrased?
I had in mind to put the emphasis on the mid trunk section with the wiring applied to the tree and not to reduce the trunk in any way down to this point!
To correct my remarks I would like to draw focal attention to these points of the trunk when styling the tree but don't worry my mini saw will stay in the tool box!

Here's the principal focal points I would like to emphasis in RED.
I think working especially on the first branche and bring the apex foliage towards the right side, in the same direction as the first branche will focus the viewer attention to the deadwood pieces and bark.
The apex following the direction of the first branches will probably minimise the rounded canopy effect and add more coherence in the design.
Please let me know if my explanation makes any kind of sense!

How does a long mature shoot TAKE energy, that makes no sense. It may become more dominate than nearby foliage, that's why you prune, to control growth.

Good morning!

I would especially not want to bring false information on the forum or in this thread but without having an explanation I read this information in a guide of the Ottawa bonsai society.
See a screenshot of the article in question.
I'm not the type of person who blindly trusts everything he hears and immediately pulls out those scissors to randomly carve precious resources and that's the reason why I'm on the forum, a big table or the whole team gives their point of view.
I wanted to bring this ¨debate¨ while several connoisseurs are present here.
My first impression is that this affirmation is definitely not the case for other trees either, removing foliage in general is counterproductive so why do you think this comment?



For the complete reference:
Link to complete document

Thin the crown some, if anything......it's a Trump comb over, basically a umbrella......don't look good on him or this tree...

Ahahaha! I can't believe you dare to insult my tree so much!!!!... Good thing he can't read it would kill him...
I understand the reference but at least my tree looks less plastic

I think there might have been someone in between David and @Ugo

In fact you are right, I contacted his son as I was not able to reach David directly!
I was surprised to know that David's son, Nicolas was behind @BonsaiSociety on Instagram and is currently starting a new website: bonsaisociety.com
Nicolas arranged the meeting and visit for me.
Theses 2 guys gave me a tour of the nursery, while answering all my questions during 2 hours, really good people! by respect I didn't even asked for taking pictures but let say it was a great experience, the most impressive collection I've seen so far.


For more design discussion and opinions I also made a short video of the complete rotation of the tree.

Juniper Chinensis San Jose Complete rotation

More footage of the canopy

Canopy details


Thanks again
Ugo

 

[LanceMac10]

I know a guy WAY worse than that!! But his comb-over is D.I.Y. Trump's is a huge production. For what it is it looks good. If ya' get past the price!

Please don't take my comments as derogatory towards your tree.

A line like "in some cases" sounds more anecdotal than scientifically proven. Just sayin'..... "faible" no, not growing anytime soon. San Jose foliage mostly looks like that though, that's why it ends up grafted with Shimpaku foliage or the like.

I'll take a look at the 360...is it long?

I'mma ol' geezer'.....you mention IG and my eyes start to look for the "exit".....

 

[Colorado]

Hello gentlemen,

I'm really happy to see the reactions on this post.
Thanks again for your help.

I'm simply an amateur who gets more and more engaged in bonsai thought the years, Im 38yrs old and Im sure there are members here that were practicing bonsai while I couldn't walk so if my plan explained here doesn't sound good I'm all hears!


it is probably the language barrier that prevents me from correctly answering certain comments, but can I ask you if my comment on compacting foliage on the the first branch and second branche to enhance the mid section and base section of the trunk was correctly phrased?
I had in mind to put the emphasis on the mid trunk section with the wiring applied to the tree and not to reduce the trunk in any way down to this point!
To correct my remarks I would like to draw focal attention to these points of the trunk when styling the tree but don't worry my mini saw will stay in the tool box!

Here's the principal focal points I would like to emphasis in RED.
I think working especially on the first branche and bring the apex foliage towards the right side, in the same direction as the first branche will focus the viewer attention to the deadwood pieces and bark.
The apex following the direction of the first branches will probably minimise the rounded canopy effect and add more coherence in the design.
Please let me know if my explanation makes any kind of sense!

View attachment 454040



Good morning!

I would especially not want to bring false information on the forum or in this thread but without having an explanation I read this information in a guide of the Ottawa bonsai society.
See a screenshot of the article in question.
I'm not the type of person who blindly trusts everything he hears and immediately pulls out those scissors to randomly carve precious resources and that's the reason why I'm on the forum, a big table or the whole team gives their point of view.
I wanted to bring this ¨debate¨ while several connoisseurs are present here.
My first impression is that this affirmation is definitely not the case for other trees either, removing foliage in general is counterproductive so why do you think this comment?

View attachment 454031

For the complete reference:
Link to complete document


Ahahaha! I can't believe you dare to insult my tree so much!!!!... Good thing he can't read it would kill him...
I understand the reference but at least my tree looks less plastic




In fact you are right, I contacted his son as I was not able to reach David directly!
I was surprised to know that David's son, Nicolas was behind @BonsaiSociety on Instagram and is currently starting a new website: bonsaisociety.com
Nicolas arranged the meeting and visit for me.
Theses 2 guys gave me a tour of the nursery, while answering all my questions during 2 hours, really good people! by respect I didn't even asked for taking pictures but let say it was a great experience, the most impressive collection I've seen so far.


For more design discussion and opinions I also made a short video of the complete rotation of the tree.

Juniper Chinensis San Jose Complete rotation

More footage of the canopy

Canopy details


Thanks again
Ugo

I liked the videos! It looks like a good location for the tree to me. I do feel you’ll be able to make the canopy quite a bit more compact when you prune and wire it. Nice!

 

[Ugo]

I know a guy WAY worse than that!! But his comb-over is D.I.Y. Trump's is a huge production. For what it is it looks good. If ya' get past the price!

Please don't take my comments as derogatory towards your tree.

A line like "in some cases" sounds more anecdotal than scientifically proven. Just sayin'..... "faible" no, not growing anytime soon. San Jose foliage mostly looks like that though, that's why it ends up grafted with Shimpaku foliage or the like.

I'll take a look at the 360...is it long?

I'mma ol' geezer'.....you mention IG and my eyes start to look for the "exit".....

good one a DIY comb-over..

For sure there is no offense!
I guess my humor is hard to translate so be sure my answer was absolutely not serious!

The 360 last only a few minutes...
Yeah I shouldnt have said it was a walkthrough video when Im actually just turning a table....

Dont worry I got it about IG, please stay with us I wont mention it anymore!
Funny thing is its the first time in my life I ever write that media name.
Your comment arrive on point to put me back on track!

Thanks again!

 

[bwaynef]

removing foliage in general is counterproductive

Once I was taught the proper way to clean a juniper, their health improved. I tried to describe it in my earlier post.

 

[Ugo]

Once I was taught the proper way to clean a juniper, their health improved. I tried to describe it in my earlier post.

Hello,

You can be sure that I have not forgotten your comments.
The article I linked seemed to go in the same direction.
My comment above about removing foliage being counter productive was meant in its simplest expression and didn't mean to disrespect you or your advises.
In general I think it is easy to prove that a tree which keeps all its leaves during the growing season will be more vigorous than a tree which has lost part of its foliage even if it was ¨weak¨
In the case of a Juniper it seems that on the contrary keeping these weak shoots can be to the detriment of the tree which totally goes with your previous advises.
.
Don't worry all the statement you made makes total sense to me.

If I was asked the question What foliage would you remove to bring more light and air inside the canopy my immediate answer would have been weak foliage, foliage between acute crotches, foliage growing downward and structural flaws.
I never would have guessed that weak foliage left on a juniper could 'remove' energy from the tree, regardless of the need for interior light.
I wanted to push the discussion further and perhaps in a somewhat clumsy way..

Thanks again!

 

[bwaynef]

My comment above about removing foliage being counter productive was meant in its simplest expression and didn't mean to disrespect you or your advises.
...
In the case of a Juniper it seems that on the contrary keeping these weak shoots can be to the detriment of the tree which totally goes with your previous advises.
...
I never would have guessed that weak foliage left on a juniper could 'remove' energy from the tree, regardless of the need for interior light.

I didn't take it that way, but to further your discussion, I wanted to add that without university-backed scientific studies, my experience is that a properly cleaned juniper is strengthened by that process more than its weakened. It facilitates the tree putting its energy into healthy growth which becomes strong growth which is what will drive backbudding.

I have a reclamation project in the yard right now that I'm doing precisely this. I repotted it, wired it out, and I've been letting it grow. I've got noticeably healthier growth growing from backbuds that will eventually be used to rebuild the canopy.

 

[Ugo]

Hi!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Yesterday, I did remove all the weak foliage from the tree and it definitely put things in perspective, really showing the foliage I have to ¨work¨ with.


My question today is about algae.
I would like to preserve the bark on this needle juniper and Im concerned about Algae forming on the ¨juvenile slat bark¨ and mature ¨flaky bark¨, mostly all over the trunk, on deadwood and in between forks in the branching.
From my short experience the slat bark is quite easy to brush with a soft nylon brush without damaging it, the deadwood also but the flaky bark and especially in between forks and on the secondary branching is too fragile to be brushed.

Is there a spray application or a on ¨dab¨ on product that can be applied to control algaes on fragile flaky bark that wont damage the foliage if sprayed or cause damages if it comes in contact with the live vein?

Or trying to control algae will cause more harms than good, and just stop watering from the top! from now on?

I must admit Im hesitant... applying a product that possibly can come in contact with the live vein at some places makes me nervous while leaving the algae grow everywhere might not be the best either...
I would like to being able to stop watering the tree from the top so at least it would help control this phenomenon but I tend to spray the foliage of this tree a few times during hot days, humidity is also quite high this week which doesn't help.

Thank you
Ugo

 

[LanceMac10]

Vinegar mixed with some water in a spray bottle might help kill the algae. You can gently pick away at it in a couple days.

And yes, when you water, focus on the soil.

 

[Ugo]

Hi everyone!

Little return on this tree.

I did some work on the tree in preparation for my first workshop that I just came back from.
What an experience, it was simply awesome.
I can say now that I hit the bullseye, after having had an intuition.
The intuition that since my beginnings I did not do Bonsai but horticulture in relation to bonsai.
So I became a more experienced ¨sprinkler¨, who more easily adapts the environment to the tree, the one who applies fertilizer, the different fungal / insecticide treatments but who does not see beyond the present structure and does not understand the reasons behind some work due to lack of knowledge.

So after doing my horticulturist homework for the past few years, I felt ready for a new challenge.... Bonsai!
Know the reasons behind the work and adapt my horticulture accordingly.


I humbly present to you my project, which I brought to the class and I realized with the great help and knowledge of my Sensei.
I chose this tree for the good reason that it was ''simple'' for a beginner like me.
Mr. Easterbrook had done a remarkable job on the sinuosity, the trunk, the dead wood shari and Jin, the preservation of the bark and so on.
I wanted to put forward all the previous work by adding more femininity to it and find a style that suited this tree as naturally as possible by emphasizing the most interesting points it has to offer but adding a personal touch.
The design in itself remains ¨formal¨ because I am far from having the experience to go further on the artistic side and to fully understand the impact.

I'm still trying to properly apply certain notions of more masculine / feminine designs and I believe that the current design is also a little in between despite my efforts!

So without further ado, here are the completed steps of the project.

-Emphasize a feminine style

- Application of the wire in view of the positioning of the structure

Please forget the current foliage.
I still applied wires to allow the current foliage to receive the light well but the tree will be grafted (A world that I must study...) so really the first few inches for each important branches was really important structurally.
I made this decision when I was drawing and I couldn't see the current foliage compacting in any way... I had already been warned on the forum but I wanted to study this aspect before taking a decision.
My Sensei painted the precise location of the future foliage grafts.

First step was to clean the tree from the moss and algae from the trunk and branches.

After cleaning up the weakest foliage I realized that this tree, by giving it a softer dormancy period, could easily accept this type of structural work this year.


With a clearer view of the structure, I was able to make a very basic drawing of the elements ( Another aspect I have to work on even if I'm getting better at it...)
My Sensei Michele Andolfo imaged the tree beautifully in a quarter of the time it took me so I will use his drawing for the presentation of this project!
Far from the initial plan, I realized the natural feminine sinuosity of the trunk had to be emphases.



I'm going ahead with the preparation of the Jins.... Night time because I work as fast as a turtle.....




Positioning of raffia and structural wires also showing the new Jin that will require future work


As you can see... Alot of inexperience in the wiring work... This tree is still in the development phase so I use that as an excuse to show amateuir work... I will get there!!


Before and after initial Positioning of the structure with the addition of paint to mimic the future shari along the trunk




Me posing a little too proudly next to the tree!
Foliage was then placed a little bit more precisely but Im now too tired to take more pictures!!




So as you can see this is a project far from over.
I have to admit I'm a bit nervous about having to do justice to Mr.Easterbrook past work while showing my Sensei Mr.Michele Andolfo that the tree is actually progressing...
You have to start somewhere so might as well raise the bar even if I have to work harder to get there!!
That aside I'm now focusing on the next steps that are coming soon before winter:
Ensure optimal conditions for the proper recovery of the tree, Application of lime sulfur on the old dead wood, winterization in the greenhouse for this young girl and planning of the future foliage transplant in Spring 2023 or 2024.

Hope you enjoyed and please feel free to comment constructively as my learning also depends on you!!
Ugo

 

[AshleyMammal]

Hey @Ugo I just found this thread, how about an update - i think the work done so far has dramatically brought it back in the right direction.

 

[Ugo]

Hi friends!

Thank you for asking and sorry about the late reply, bonsai work got in the way!

I didnt work alot on this tree.
I gave it some time to heal and to set the new branches positions.
I took the tree out from storage, did a cleanup and removed the weak foliage.
This tree was just unwired last week.

Im still boucing with the idea of grafting new foliage or not..!

New foliage (shimpaku probably) would rise the tree value and aesthetic but at some point I also appreaciate the more natural caracteristics and look of the actual foliage.

Your opinions guys?

Thank you
Ugo

 

[snowman04]

Hi everyone!

I would like to present my new tree a San Jose juniper.
It as been taken from a nursery tree to a bonsai by David Easterbrook 22 years ago.
I know some bonsaist dont appreciate the mixed foliage of the San Jose juniper, but no foliage graft for this little guy, I do enjoy the foliage look as it remembes me the trees from my parents place!

In terms of sun this little guys will be well served in my backyard, I will see how it respond but I think I found a spot he will appreaciate.
The tree actually sit on a rotating table so it will be turned each 3-4 days to ensure light distribution accross the canopy.

My future plans is the following:

September-Nov 22'
-Cleaning of the moss on the trunk, Jin and shari and presevation of the deadwood
(I still have to do my homeworks about the cleaning solution to use either on bark and deadwood plus gathering more informations on Harry Harrington technique consisting in applying ash from burned wood before the application of lime sulfur...)
-Removal of the weak shoots early September.
-Preparation of the tree for winter - application of dormant oil in Oct-Now

Spring-Early Summer 23' (Ill ask the tree when time comes!)
-Wiring of the entire canopy
-working on establishing moss on top of the soil

My priority being the general health of the tree and the building of foliage mass, the styling is not my priority for next year so it will fully depend on the tree response.

View attachment 453870


Actual front ( I plan on adding a Shari somewhere on the front of the trunk in the future)
View attachment 453869

Back
View attachment 453873

View attachment 453871

View attachment 453874

Hope you enjoy, Im all ears on your comments and advises
Thanks
Ugo

A lot going on in that tree! I like it... Is that an Ironwood tortoise next to it?

 

[Ugo]

Hi!

Thank you!
No its not so fancy its just a metal casting beetle! But I would like to get bronze sculptures to put aside my trees that will be after I build a proper setup to display them.

A little more on this tree.
I removed all the wire after almost 2 years on the tree. I will rewire the second and tertiary branching this Autum and more cleanup of the deadwood.

Thank you
Ugo

 

[snowman04]

This has progressed very nicely. Are you still sticking with the original drawing design?

 

[Ugo]

This has progressed very nicely. Are you still sticking with the original drawing design?

Yes, my goal is to reproduce the design.
Only thing is I wont graft the tree with new foliage as first planned! I like the wild design with this type of needle foliage for now!

 

[bwaynef]

I'd try to tame the current foliage. Shimpaku is nice, but I think this foliage can be harnessed yet. Either way, I look forward to its continued development.