Please help, thrown into the fire with a collected juniper well beyond my knowledge

[Pjm]

I have this attached juniper from landscaping changes from a neighbor. It is now on pumice and some bonsai soil on top…. I need help with a long term plan. It’s like Drago says, “if he dies, he dies”

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Awesome specimen. Let grow this year and next to strengthen.

Styling Options:
1. Determine the most promising trunk line for a literati / bunjin style.

2. Plan which branch can be wired back towards the trunk to grow out closer foliage

3. Determine definite branches that wont be used and mark them for deadwood later on.

4. If undecided on anything, just chase foliage back in as best as possible.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I see these options:



I like yellow, red, green in that order.

 

[Pjm]

Thanks for some direction. Any care suggestions since it is straight from the ground? I know I’ve should’ve have done it now, but opportunities aren’t always ideal

 

[Orion_metalhead]

How much root mass did you get?

Partial sunlight / out of hot midday sun, keep watered, no fertilizer til you see new tip growth.

 

[Pjm]

How much root mass did you get?

Partial sunlight / out of hot midday sun, keep watered, no fertilizer til you see new tip growth.

Between a cantaloupe and soft ball. Also have its twin that I can post pictures of too

 

[Pjm]

Between a cantaloupe and soft ball. Also have its twin that I can post pictures of too

The feeder roots looked ok

 

[Michael P]

First, keep it alive, LOL. Shade and mist help with large collected junipers.

 

[Shibui]

Let's not put the horse in front of the cart here.
Planning is one thing but you should not do any work on recently collected junipers until they show definite signs of returning strength and that's usually at least a year.
Junipers do not transplant easily so bear in mind that there's a very real chance this one will not survive. No point getting attached to a new style only to be disappointed.
Collected junipers down here tend to look good for ages, living on the energy stored in the trunk and branches and making me think all is well. I do not count a collected juniper as successful until after middle of summer. That seems to be when most suddenly turn brown if they have not grown new roots.

Fingers crossed but please be patient.

 

[Pjm]

Let's not put the horse in front of the cart here.
Planning is one thing but you should not do any work on recently collected junipers until they show definite signs of returning strength and that's usually at least a year.
Junipers do not transplant easily so bear in mind that there's a very real chance this one will not survive. No point getting attached to a new style only to be disappointed.
Collected junipers down here tend to look good for ages, living on the energy stored in the trunk and branches and making me think all is well. I do not count a collected juniper as successful until after middle of summer. That seems to be when most suddenly turn brown if they have not grown new roots.

Fingers crossed but please be patient.

Thanks that’s my mindset. I have its brother as well. Hopefully one of the two are happy transplanted

 

[PonderingSage:]

The tree may decide the trunk line for you as certain parts, live and die back as it recovers.
I’d recommend setting up a misting system on a timer line goes off one minute every two hours. If that seems like too much just spray the foliage in the evenings but don’t water the soil too much.

 

[bwaynef]

Make sure the tree is completely immobilized in the pot. I'd consider bracing it as well.
Situate it in bright shade, out of the wind.
I'd go with a completely inorganic soil, primarily/completely pumice even.
Misting the foliage seems to help. Some folks let this comprise all of the water given the first few months.
Let the soil dry down a little.

Don't fertilize until you see growth all over.

While you wait, sharpen your grafting knife.

 

[PaulH]

Any care suggestions since it is straight from the ground

Keep it in filtered sun. mist the foliage 4+ times a day and don't water the soil until it starts to dry. This is the secret to having collected junipers survive.

 

[Pjm]

Make sure the tree is completely immobilized in the pot. I'd consider bracing it as well.
Situate it in bright shade, out of the wind.
I'd go with a completely inorganic soil, primarily/completely pumice even.
Misting the foliage seems to help. Some folks let this comprise all of the water given the first few months.
Let the soil dry down a little.

Don't fertilize until you see growth all over.

While you wait, sharpen your grafting knife.

I’m so new, I don’t know what a grafting knife looks like

 

[MaciekA]

Grafting knives have a particular appearance to them, Jonas sells a couple types for example: https://store.bonsaitonight.com/collections/bonsai-tools/products/grafting-knife

There is also the option of a fresh razor blade. Sharpness and cleanliness are the important factors.