The Tree That Lived — ERC ⚡️

[Grunge_Bonsai]

I made most of my beginner mistakes on the subject Eastern Red Cedar, so I was sure this shrub would die within a few months of the “work” I did on it.

I hard cut it back from the first pic to a windswept style (oh, I know I am SO original), before realizing that I left it too sparse. I took a few bonsai courses, and now see how badly I made mistakes.

I cut it down to the low branching, and basically gave it an imperative to “live or die”.

Well, it flowered out a couple of weeks ago and seems happy. So now I am perplexed, because I was sure I had killed this tree.

Since it’s a juniper, it is slow growing. I am going to probably turn its scars into Shari and apply lime sulphur. Convinced almost nothing I do to this thing will stop it’s vigor.

Anyone with experience on junipers / ERC have ideas looking at it? Constructive, instructive, and destructive advice welcome.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Hey, you did something and you learned something.
That's a good move. Other junipers might not be so forgiving so I'd keep that in mind for the future.

Only criticism I have is the use of a knob cutter, those wounds will have to be worked for them to look natural. I prefer leaving a stub or just breaking the branches off with pliers.

ERC can be difficult when it comes to foliage management because it reverts to juvenile foliage pretty easily. So whenever it goes back to the worm foliage, don't cut as hard as you did the first time. You might be looking at needle foliage for a long time!

 

[Grunge_Bonsai]

I will have to trim back the juvenile foliage after I let it grow out. I got this on a whim not knowing at the time that ERC are not ideal. So I will let it be my “problem child”, I guess