Old nursery juniper

[Japonicus]

Ive heard juniper roots don’t like to be disturbed that much.

This time of year I agree.

Right out of a nursery can in Spring with good vigour at least 50% removal is very safe.
I go a little further about 2/3 or more initially, and subsequent pottings, less.
After sawing off 2/3 I continue at that point raking out from underneath radially.
Like Ole No.2 here for a subsequent potting.

Repotting another juniper today (Ole No. 2)

I've no clue when I acquired this tree, but this is one of the oldest pics I can archive on it 2 29 2012. I did the jin, so have had to have had it at least since 2009. Not sure if it was a Lowes mallsai of not in the smallest pot they sold them in at the time. Good chance, that's where I got...

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Then 1st week in April, I removed 70 some % of the roots on this shimpaku post 11.

My 20-$25 Shimpaku from NEB 2008

Time for a dedicated thread for the 1st Shimpaku I owned. Oct. 8th 2008 I carried this one around with me in fear it would get snatched up if I set it down. Pretty good sized area NEB is. Tag read-shimpaku 20 or $25 and the fella at the register questioned the cost, and I said I had not...

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July I do hard cut backs no rootwork here. Frequent rootwork not good, meaning you can lose
years of development of the root system by being too cautious. So now you would not revisit
the roots till at least 2022, 2023 maybe depending on how quick it bounces back from what styling
occurs next year. Fish emulsion sounds good

 

[JesusFreak]

So you think it’s fine to really get rid of lots of foliage as long as I don’t mess with the roots? Also, I want to do an informal upright but completely tilting the tree. I’m not sure how this spindly branches will grow. It’s almost like they will never actually grow into anything useful. I’ve only been doing bonsai until last Christmas. I really have no idea what I’m doing lol

 

[rollwithak]

So this one has been neglected for quite some time. It doesn’t have the greatest root ball and it’s very spindly. What’s the first steps I should take besides cleaning out the under growth? View attachment 311873View attachment 311874View attachment 311875

WWJD??

 

[Japonicus]

So you think it’s fine to really get rid of lots of foliage as long as I don’t mess with the roots?

So you've messed with the roots. Not now no. One or the other in a given year, especially when you're learning a species.

This Sargent juniper was cut back in the original nursery can July 8th 2019

This is today 13 months later. A paint stirring stick for size reference.
Next Spring there will be zero issues with all this foliage to take 70% of the roots away
and begin transitioning to inorganic bonsai soil.

Last juniper purchases this year I "promise" (fingers crossed)

Sarcastically, my wife said I needed another juniper, so I got 3 :p All 3 are in 3g cans. Left to right Sargent, Robusta (tall like a Hollywood juniper) and Gold Lace. There's a nursery not far from here in the Green Bottom Lesage area that sells wholesale from Columbus, Cincinnati -...

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Read through this thread, and see the golden one I went ahead and potted up this year.
Both cut back same time last year, both very vigorous this year.
This should give you a prime example of the amount of root work that a nursery bought juniper will handle safely.
Some will bare root them all at first, personally I don't.
So you're setting this one aside for the remainder of this year and feeding it. I would anyway.

I’m not sure how this spindly branches will grow. It’s almost like they will never actually grow into anything useful.

They may not, especially if you're not committed to a long term development cycle.
Do not clean out the crotches of new buds except on branches that are not spindly.
You can build new branches from these, very slow process though, and you have to begin cutting back the strong parts half way-ish
next year. Right now the growth tips are providing auxins which will help recover from the recent potting up.
Same next Spring, let them get strong, feeding heavily in Full Sun, then in July cut back half way give or take, to a viable branch.
This should push energy to the interior more.

Another way to handle spindly branches is to wire some bends into them to bring the growth closer into the trunk.
They should also angle down, which of its' own will bring the growth in closer to the trunk visually.

You may, might maybe have, captured the future design, with the cropping your camera did in the last 2 pics you posted post 22.

 

[JesusFreak]

I never messed with the roots. Just cleaned it up a bit

 

[Japonicus]

I never messed with the roots

and put it in a grow pot

That's considered messing with the roots by folks here on BN much more knowledgable than I am about bonsai.
It's a missed opportunity, a delay by another year.

 

[JesusFreak]

Ahhh. I see. Well dang

 

[JesusFreak]

Need help designing this one. I know I’ve got to let it grow interior buds before I can really do anything. Anyone see something in this?

 

[bwaynef]

I think this trees future is in foliage that hasn't sprouted yet. I'd half-bareroot it in spring and let it grow 'til summer, slowly ramping up the fertilizer. **IF** it seems to be growing vigorously at that point, I'd cut it back to force backbudding and leave it to grow strong again. I think you want strong growth coming off the trunk rather than those wispy branches you've got now.

The 2nd picture if you cut off (jin?) the first major left branch, theres an interesting trunkline.