Unknown Juniper

[jesseblunt]

Not sure of the variety of this Juniper. I am lost as to what the next step should be in styling and shaping this. Any suggestions?

 

[jesseblunt]

I'm thinking I may just need to leave it be for the rest of this season and get it happy and thriving and ready for a training pot in the spring. But it can't hurt to start thinking about where to take it after that, right?

 

[bonsairxmd]

I agree with leaving it alone for the rest of the year but admit that I'm not a juniper expert by any means. Looks like a great start though with nice trunk with some movement and plenty of low branches. Would be nice to know the type of juniper as to know if foliage pads can be developed or if it will always look somewhat sparse. I like it though. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully the juniper calvary can arrive and help you a lot more.

 

[garywood]

Guys, I would recommend looking at growth patterns and scale (proportion) rather than species or cultivar. If you only have limited access then think about how the growth patterns and scale fits "your" aesthetic principals. Obviously a 'Torolusa' wouldn't make a good shohin but would make a good large tree. "Think about it" Trunk to branches to foliage tips with movement and taper. It's not easy starting out but the exercise is what makes good bonsai.

 

[jk_lewis]

Nice shape, but it looks to me like you took too much foliage off. The branches nearer the trunk are too bare, and it is unlikely to bud back that well, if at all.

And photography: PLEASE take the pictures at EYE LEVEL. Pics from a high angle don't tell us much.

 

[jesseblunt]

Nice shape, but it looks to me like you took too much foliage off. The branches nearer the trunk are too bare, and it is unlikely to bud back that well, if at all.

And photography: PLEASE take the pictures at EYE LEVEL. Pics from a high angle don't tell us much.

That was my concern and the reason I stopped where I did. While I tried to only remove dead and weak branches, there was inevitably some live stuff that came off with it. Nevertheless, it seemed as though it had suffered from lack of light in the interior and thus had very few live branches in close anyway. Perhaps some grafting practice is in my future this spring?

And I apologize for my lazy photography. I felt accomplished just to have thought to take pictures. I will put more effort into it next time. Thanks for the input, everyone!

 

[jesseblunt]

Guys, I would recommend looking at growth patterns and scale (proportion) rather than species or cultivar. If you only have limited access then think about how the growth patterns and scale fits "your" aesthetic principals. Obviously a 'Torolusa' wouldn't make a good shohin but would make a good large tree. "Think about it" Trunk to branches to foliage tips with movement and taper. It's not easy starting out but the exercise is what makes good bonsai.

I think I understand you correctly, I was just interested in the characteristics of this species and hoped to research some finer examples to see the possibilities. It's exercises like this that I need to practice. I am not a horticultural expert by a long shot, so it seems logical to discover what the patterns and scale tell me about the tree.

 

[Poink88]

With juniper, it is a good practice to leave some snag for possible jin later (easier to remove excess branch than add).

You can also help the tree get more light by chopping the pot down. Removing the top will help your tree a lot.

Over all, nice reduction IMHO and you did a good clean-up.

 

[jesseblunt]

With juniper, it is a good practice to leave some snag for possible jin later (easier to remove excess branch than add).

You can also help the tree get more light by chopping the pot down. Removing the top will help your tree a lot.

Over all, nice reduction IMHO and you did a good clean-up.

Thanks I will definitely be chopping the pot on this and the blue star I posted as well. I know I got a bit carried away with removing and probably nixed some decent Jin possibilities. There must be a name for the hysteria and confusion that happens when an inexperienced bonsai trainer is hacking at a bush. Any suggestions?

 

[Poink88]

There must be a name for the hysteria and confusion that happens when an inexperienced bonsai trainer is hacking at a bush. Any suggestions?

Practice (which you are doing now) will solve the problem. Learn from each mistake (there will be plenty)...and you will be doing all the right things before you know it.

Reading online (here and elsewhere), magazines, and books will help you avoid some "landmines" also. In other words, learn from others mistakes and experience.

Good luck!

 

[jesseblunt]

Practice (which you are doing now) will solve the problem. Learn from each mistake (there will be plenty)...and you will be doing all the right things before you know it.

Reading online (here and elsewhere), magazines, and books will help you avoid some "landmines" also. In other words, learn from others mistakes and experience.

Good luck!

Thanks for those suggestions. I have been obsessed with learning and practicing bonsai since I stumbled across this site last month (ask my wife, she'll tell you).

What I meant by suggestions was to think of names for the altered, panicked state I tend to find myself in when I've got shears and cutters in hand. More of a joke than anything, but I feel as though I need to set roadblocks for myself or stopping points where I seek advice on what I've done. I know the answer to this is to seek out my local club and I'm definitely going to do that. It is a little bit annoying that I didn't think to do that earlier in the year when I could have gotten some hands on experience with collecting from the outdoors and air layering and whatnot. Patience patience patience.

I have one!
Macrophobia: fear of prolonged waiting...

 

[Poink88]

I am probably one of the most impatient people here...if you go back some of my posts/threads you will see. Even got flamed several times for rushing and wanting to do bonsai faster.

What helped me is having lots of trees. They give me lots of practice and keep me busy enough (or at least have something to do at any given time) that I do not love any tree to death.

 

[jesseblunt]

Here are some better views of the trunk from four sides.

 

[jk_lewis]

Juniper do a LOT better if they're right side up. They're also hard to water this way.

 

[jesseblunt]

Juniper do a LOT better if they're right side up. They're also hard to water this way.

Haha. Yeah, I gave up on it last night. I can't figure out why the pics get rotated like that. I will try to get it fixed sometime.

 

[Poink88]

Juniper do a LOT better if they're right side up. They're also hard to water this way.

Hey, it is not sideways. LOL