Sea Green Juniper - Overgrown Nursery stock

[Iowa newbie]

I picked up this sea green juniper from my local nursery in April. Here she is the day she came home, quite a mess, I probably cut off a lower branch or two that would have been useful but I've learned already to not do that. She has a thick 3 inch trunk with some great flare at the base.



The tree was not healthy, it was severely pot bound, probably have been in there for a few years, I cleaned it up a little bit, and repot it in a big wide tote/basket in good bonsai jack conifer soil


I left it alone all summer, fertilized it a few times and in the last month or two it started to add growth all over.







This is today, the large rocks are just to keep the soil from spilling out the back, I tried to leave a good sized rootball so she would thrive.

The goal was to get the tree healthy and I feel like I have gotten there. My question is, do I begin to style it this fall? What do I keep and get rid of? Im only about a year into this and not sure what to do next. I live in eastern Iowa, planning on keeping this in my backyard all winter, I'll mulch them in well and add some wind protection. Thanks in advance

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I think you could start styling it. Start with taking out crossing branches. Then see which of the 2 trunks will be the taller one. It's hard to tell from the pictures but here are some thoughts: the right trunk could be wired and bent lower. The left trunk could be wired and straightened up to become the main trunk. But I think you need to pick one and make it the dominant one. The lower branches on each side could be discarded. Just some thoughts.

 

[Iowa newbie]

I think you could start styling it. Start with taking out crossing branches. Then see which of the 2 trunks will be the taller one. It's hard to tell from the pictures but here are some thoughts: the right trunk could be wired and bent lower. The left trunk could be wired and straightened up to become the main trunk. But I think you need to pick one and make it the dominant one. The lower branches on each side could be discarded. Just some thoughts.

I can definitely see that as a good starting point, currently all my outdoor trees are mulched in and resting til spring. Winter came REALLY fast this year, had 4 inches of snow on the ground for Halloween. Glad I have these pictures to look at and formulate a plan. I'll post an update once spring hits,
Im working on my indoor setup and tropicals while its cold out.

 

[Pitoon]

What are your plans with it?

 

[Eckhoffw]

Like the tree, and good job restoring its health!
I agree with Bonjour on this.
I would start selecting some branches you want to keep and discard the ones you don’t and do reduction of foliage where needed.
i think styling and shape maintenance + working on pad development is precious experience.
then if you’ve decided on a new - maybe smaller tree, you can cut back and start again with a better understanding of the material.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I would not start working on this tree - yet. If you can stand it, leave it alone until August 2020, give it one additional year of unrestricted, unpruned growth. As you said, it was not healthy in April 2019. Your Autumn 2019 photos show healthy green foliage, but no evidence of vigorous growth. You have no shoots elongating, or running. This means the tree is still weak. Just leave it one more growing season. You will have long shoots at the end of August 2020, and you will be able to do more drastic work end of 2020 and have a more rapid recovery in 2021.

If you rush it now, growth next year will not be vigorous, you will not get the response out of your tree that you would hope for. Make sense?

 

[Iowa newbie]

I would not start working on this tree - yet. If you can stand it, leave it alone until August 2020, give it one additional year of unrestricted, unpruned growth. As you said, it was not healthy in April 2019. Your Autumn 2019 photos show healthy green foliage, but no evidence of vigorous growth. You have no shoots elongating, or running. This means the tree is still weak. Just leave it one more growing season. You will have long shoots at the end of August 2020, and you will be able to do more drastic work end of 2020 and have a more rapid recovery in 2021.

If you rush it now, growth next year will not be vigorous, you will not get the response out of your tree that you would hope for. Make sense?

Makes total sense, thank you

 

[BunjaeKorea]

I would not start working on this tree - yet. If you can stand it, leave it alone until August 2020, give it one additional year of unrestricted, unpruned growth. As you said, it was not healthy in April 2019. Your Autumn 2019 photos show healthy green foliage, but no evidence of vigorous growth. You have no shoots elongating, or running. This means the tree is still weak. Just leave it one more growing season. You will have long shoots at the end of August 2020, and you will be able to do more drastic work end of 2020 and have a more rapid recovery in 2021.

If you rush it now, growth next year will not be vigorous, you will not get the response out of your tree that you would hope for. Make sense?

I love it how newbies advice is always 'start working on it'.....

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Makes total sense, thank you

Follow Leo's advice and enjoy this tree for many years

 

[Iowa newbie]

I love it how newbies advice is always 'start working on it'.....

From the perspective of reduction and development on this tree and others, I am often frozen in the paralysis by analysis stage and it takes advice from the veterans in the forum to help guide my decisions. I am less than one year into this journey and my interest is still growing.

 

[Pitoon]

From the perspective of reduction and development on this tree and others, I am often frozen in the paralysis by analysis stage and it takes advice from the veterans in the forum to help guide my decisions. I am less than one year into this journey and my interest is still growing.

Look at pictures, read books, and watch videos. The more you look at trees the easier it gets to decide what you can do with a tree.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I love it how newbies advice is always 'start working on it'.....

Just like a tree, a newbie's enthusiasm benefits from helpful direction. Thank you @Leo in N E Illinois for your insights.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Just like a tree, a newbie's enthusiasm benefits from helpful direction. Thank you @Leo in N E Illinois for your insights.

Indeed.
Lesson one: Take it slow. Slow is good. Fast is bad. Fast plus low experience is dead.
Read. Read. Read . Watch. Watch. Watch. Ask . Ask. Ask.
Everyone was a hyperactive newbie once.

 

[Japonicus]

I also agree with @Leo in N E Illinois.
I bought this Sea Green juniper in a 3g can this March.
3g mind you, and it only weighed 7# when I got home with it.

Sea of - My 2 new junipers for the year

2g on the left Sea of Gold (Juniperus x pfitzeriana) 'Monsan' Zone 3-9 full Sun 3g on the right said to be Sea of Green (Juniperus x pfitzeriana) Zone 4-9 full Sun Was at a local nursery today and found an inventory of these with no label. About 10 of them lined up on a cross tie, dry as a...

www.bonsainut.com

I had my doubts on its health, and have to date, removed only dead foliage/twigs.

The link is from March...this pic I just now took.
I am concerned with the amount of juvenile growth with no pruning. It was in poor health.
I never considered to even look at the roots let alone repot.

 

[Japonicus]

Sure I could thin it some and there's (like yours) good recovery
but you're not seeing runners extending. It's not POPPING with vigour which
is where I like my junipers to be the year before I repot them, leaving most foliage in place
till I feel the new root system is quite supportive, and that varies per subject more than by species for me,
maybe that late Summer I begin some reduction and wire, maybe not.

Besides, going into dormancy I am done making open wounds for the year now.
Surprised we never saw this thread from Oct 1st...

 

[PABonsai]

Go look at this thread and try this exercise. I think you'll find this highly beneficial.

WARNING: ignore everything after the initial 2 posts by Al.

Bonsai Stick Figures with special guest Rick Martin

Bonsai is about evoking feelings. Like all art, the feelings may be simple or complex. Maybe a past memory or childhood remembrance. Maybe the tree you proposed to your sweetheart under or carved your initials. The point is stirring a feeling or emotion is what art is all about. To remove the...

www.bonsainut.com