Rocky Mountain Juniper

[JasonG]

Dwight, the RMJ is doing great. It is coming out of its winter color where it went almost a purpilish color. Now it is awake and green. The other day Rich and I scratched in the soil and found a ton of new root growth, so that is a great sign. So for now I will just feed and water and maybe next year start working on it depending on well it grows this year.

Will, Welcome! Glad to see you made it to the Nut!

See Ya, Jason

 

[buddhamonk]

Hi Jason,

I love that monster!

I just had a quick question - do you eventually graft shimpaku on it or do you typically keep the native foliage and style it.

I've never had any experience with RMJ and I usually stick with shimpaku's but the quality of collected RMJ i've seen so far really makes me wanna start collecting someday.

Manny

 

[JasonG]

Hi Manny,

Typically I want to keep native trees native. I would like nothing more for my trees than to keep the native foliage and not turn everything into a Shimpaku or Japanese variety of pine. I feel American trees should stay that way. Now, I am sure there are some junipers that will eventually (several yrs) get grafted with something. I would like to find an American juniper, like witches broom for example that I may graft on eventually. But for this big monster it will stay native since it has good foliage.

Good luck collecting, it involves tons of driving, sometimes up to 3 days one way, and lots of practice and skill that only comes from doing it. I would advise you to start local to learn. There are good places all around you to find good trees, you just have to put the time in to get out and scout for them!

See Ya, Jason

 

[JasonG]

Updated RMJ

I have finally got around to updating this post! Better late than never I guess

Here are some pictures from Walter Palls visit in late early July 2007. We had some very odd weather during his visit and while we were working on trees. One minute it would be in the high 90's and then before you knew it there would be heavy down pours.... roll up the grinders and run for cover. Repeating that process atleast once every 45 minutes!!

On the 4th of July, no rain just super hot, we put the finishing touches on this first initial styling. Before that I had a good 8 hours of carving to do on the tree. Most of the branches that I carved on were the size of a mans forearm or bigger. And this bieng my first real carving job it took me forever!!! Add to this, I don't have the correct bits for detail carving. So, this is just round 1 of the carving.

Before we did anything to the tree we looked it over to make sure the health of the tree would allow us to work on it. The tree was super healthy despite being collected less than a year ago. It was collected with an intact root ball, in a sense making it like slip potting from nature to this very pretty box, lol!! (I can't wait till 2009 when I can get it in a pot!)

Once we decided that the health wasn't a factor we pulled up a few chairs, grabbed a few cold ones and started to discuss the many options for this tree. After a few cold ones and some indepth discussion we arrived at this design. A great deal of the overall design is Walters, while 99% of the work was done by me. Walter wanted to make sure I did the work, which was great for me!!

First pictures are all taken by Walter and you may have seen them on his blog.... http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.com/ in the travelouge section....

First picture is selecting which branches needed to go, send picture is after I removed the branches

 

[JasonG]

This third picture shows me carving away! All my fingers are still intact but I did draw a little blood, just to keep me on my toes, lol!

I spent several hours just carving, and carving and carving. Wow, for my first time I really went for the biggest tree....

Done carving for now...... although once I get the right bits I will finish up the carving and get some natural looking detail in there. The last picture (ninth) was taken this morning...

 

[JasonG]

Once the carving was done, the deadwood was edited all that was left was to guy wire the branches down to where we wanted them. Once we started to do this the whole tree really came together and I was besides myself. This is the best tree I have ever worked on and to see it all come together was quite an experience. All the wood shavings in the ear and down the back of the neck were now out of my mind!

Rich and I attaching guy wires, Walter and I, final image for the first styling. Wow, 2 days of me working pretty hard.... whew, when can we do it again????

 

[JasonG]

Since all the pictures I have shown so far, except one, were picutres I stole from Walters blog I decided to take pictures this morning as an update to my update.

Here it is as of now. Very healthy, pushing pollen cones (or whatever you call them) and hasn't missed a beat. Since July I have tightened the guy wires past the point that we want the final branches. This way we they spring back it will be in the right position, I hope anyways. Either this spring, 2008, or this Nov. when Walter comes back I will wire EVERY single shoot, branch, etc and start getting everything in place. Jim Gremel will love me, that is a lot of wire on such a big tree!!!

Back and 2 fronts.....

As you can see the tree has become very powerful, much more so than the first pictures. The canopy was compacted in a big way and that really brought out the deadwood and the massive trunk. The tree went from a big rmj with potential to a much more compact powerful rmj with a very good future.

Next up for this one is wirring, more wirring, finish carving and pot it up in 2009. Until then I will continue to feed, water and enjoy my tree!!!

Thanks, Jason

Sorry for my pictures lacking in a big way!! I need to learn how to do this.......

 

[Dwight]

All I can think of is WOW ! What a tree !! Good job !!!

 

[grouper52]

Kudos, Jason! Simply marvelous! It's quite a transformation from the impressive but unruly tree I first had the pleasure to see there in your yard. Really great work, and I truly look forward to seeing it make its way to a pot and an exhibit some day.

If you don't mind revealing your secrets, I'm curious to know what particular beer provided the inspiration for this guy?

Will/grouper52

 

[Rick Moquin]

Kudos Jason! O wouldn't want to have to buy a pot for it though

I'm curious to know what particular beer provided the inspiration for this guy?

Will,

Does it really matter? Inspiration is inspiration When I drink wine for inspiration mine turn out like vines Beer on the other hand does a better job.

 

[JasonG]

Kudos, Jason! Simply marvelous! It's quite a transformation from the impressive but unruly tree I first had the pleasure to see there in your yard. Really great work, and I truly look forward to seeing it make its way to a pot and an exhibit some day.

If you don't mind revealing your secrets, I'm curious to know what particular beer provided the inspiration for this guy?

Will/grouper52

Thanks Will, Rick and Dwight.

I appreciate the good words. Getting good feedback and all that makes it worthwhile!!

My beverage of choice for such a project........ Well the picture is worth a 1000 words!!! And a local brew that uses a puppy dog on thier label gets my vote everytime!!!

Hey Will, you are the virt master, what pot would you suggest for such a tree????

Enjoy, Jason

 

[bonsai barry]

Certainly looks healthy and vigorous for an old guy... I'm talking about the tree, not Jason.

 

[grouper52]

Thanks Will, Rick and Dwight.

I appreciate the good words. Getting good feedback and all that makes it worthwhile!!

My beverage of choice for such a project........ Well the picture is worth a 1000 words!!! And a local brew that uses a puppy dog on thier label gets my vote everytime!!!

Hey Will, you are the virt master, what pot would you suggest for such a tree????

Enjoy, Jason

Ah, I might have guessed! One of my favorite beers - ever since YOU turned me on to it!

Oh my gosh, Jason, you honor me too much with the virt request. I'll see what I can do over the weekend. Only one pot flashed into my mind when I read the request, so I'll do that one, but I think others may have a better eye for pot selection even if they're not as good with virts. We'll see.

Will/grouper52

 

[art-rodriguez]

excellent tree & beer

Thanks Will, Rick and Dwight.

I appreciate the good words. Getting good feedback and all that makes it worthwhile!!

My beverage of choice for such a project........ Well the picture is worth a 1000 words!!! And a local brew that uses a puppy dog on thier label gets my vote everytime!!!

Hey Will, you are the virt master, what pot would you suggest for such a tree????

Enjoy, Jason

i had the pleasure of visiting with jason yesterday afternoon to see this excellent tree for the 3rd time! it was a nice sunny day for sure.
i also picked up a ponderosa i acquired from him and also downed some of these excellent cold ones.
doesn't get any better than this !
thanks jason for your hospitality !
art rodriguez
vancouver, wa.

 

[grouper52]

How about this quick virt: (pot's a bit small, perhaps, and certainly needs cleaning!)

 

[JasonG]

How about this quick virt: (pot's a bit small, perhaps, and certainly needs cleaning!)

Awesome Will!!!

I know its not the right pot for final potting but it sure is cool to see it in a pot vs. that ugly box is sits in now!!! Good job, and I like it!!!

Thanks, Jason

 

[Hans van Meer]

Wow Jason, You made me come out off the shadows with this beauty!!! Like we say here in Holland: This one, is the one that makes you famous! It makes me even more excited to come and visit you and see this amazing tree with my own eyes. I like what you have don so far, it all looks very promising!!! Keep us up dated about this one Jason and well don so far!
Hope to see you soon,
Hans van Meer.

 

[grouper52]

Awesome Will!!!

I know its not the right pot for final potting but it sure is cool to see it in a pot vs. that ugly box is sits in now!!! Good job, and I like it!!!

Thanks, Jason

You're welcome, Jason. Now that the tree's virted into a black background it should make it easy for others to do further virts with other pots, or with other styling suggestions. I'm looking forward to such virts from some of the heavy hitters here with really good eyes for pots, and good selections of pots to propose.

Will/grouper52

 

[anttal63]

CONGRATULATIONS jason on one bad ass world class RMJ!!!
THIS IS JG TIME NOW.

 

[No it's not...]

Hardly a "heavy hitter" but...