Newbie Juniper

KimchiMonger · 09-04-2010, 02:45 PM

A Home Depot Juniper that I've had in 100% oil absorbent, 20-20-20 fertilizer, and half day full sun with mostly shade the rest of the evening. It's been in this oil absorbent from O'Reily Auto Parts for four months now.

I've done some wiring and pruning.

How does one put these in the ground and maintain any cascade effect training? Does this little guy look healthy? Any suggestions before leaving it to grow another year or two?

I've given the two longest branches a test bend and they are willing as far as pictured. After walking away from it for a while, I've decided I would like to see it with all three branches curved toward the longest. I heard the middle branch squeak saying "Not bending that way yet!" so I'll let the branches acclimate to the initial styling before pushing my luck again.

Will post photo progressions thruoghout though. Again, thanks for your help!

dankone · 09-04-2010, 10:29 PM

just grow in a bigger pot. nice start to the tree. next year u can do detailed wiring and it will get better.

Bonsai Barry · 09-05-2010, 09:23 AM

Interesting triple trunk (sort of)! If it were mine, I'd add some movement to those trunks, making it look like a triple cascade waterfall.

KimchiMonger · 09-05-2010, 11:29 AM

Here we are Sunday morning. I had to change wires - ugh! Don't ya love the inexperienced cleaning up their mess! I learned as I've now been told here and in other forums that this sp of Juniper is extremely flexible and forgivng but you must have a gauge wire that'll hold the bend or it slowly snaps back.

As suggested, I've managed a little more movement on the branches. Thank you all for giving me the courage to bend and shape the branches as I've never worked with this variety and found this one out of a couple of hundred and several trips to the garden center.

I'm amazed at how well it's done in this oil absorbent material. The water runs right through and Juniper is ready for another and another drink with no stagnant wet spots.

How do you experts ever put up with us....

Here's the progress.

KimchiMonger · 09-12-2010, 10:32 AM

Well, I've decided against that cascade notion and just tightened up the overall body even further. The greenery seems OK so far and no die off after two weeks of being wired. After it sat with the initial styling (if you can call it that), I found the bends so much easier. This is not what I had envisioned for this little $10 plant but then again, what can you expect from a newbie, the given materials, and learning curb on how to pick 'em right.

A very interesting journey for me.

My other $10 Juniper procumbens Masterpiece here at this site.

treebeard55 · 09-12-2010, 10:32 PM

[QUOTE=KimchiMonger;8745] ... How do you experts ever put up with us....
[QUOTE]

I don't know about the experts.

For me, I was once a newbie myself.

dankone · 09-17-2010, 08:26 AM

i still make mistakes. you are doin better than i did when i first started. have fun!

artyanimal · 01-06-2011, 05:47 AM

Experts?

So, I had this cascade juniper...

that had been in trainning for about 12 years. This one branch (that actually WAS the cascade) was already well established (very thick and very stiff) when I got it and I had hollowed out at least a foot long trench on the underside to make it bendable. I had wrapped and rewrapped with raffia/vet wrap and bent and bent season after season with really, really heavy wire, guy wires...the works! Last season I went for one more "improvement" bend and yep, SNAP!

So, I have this informal upright juniper...

Cheers,

Arty

KimchiMonger · 01-06-2011, 10:21 AM

Don't say 'SNAP'! Oh boy! That was unbearable to read knowing it was in training for 12 years! Not an easy read. Sorry to hear that. Not sure I could handle that...

Hurry!!!! Where's the super glue!?!?

09-12-2010, 10:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
treebeard55 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 510	[QUOTE=KimchiMonger;8745] ... How do you experts ever put up with us.... [QUOTE] I don't know about the experts. For me, I was once a newbie myself. __________________ Treebeard 55 Steve Moore http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

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09-04-2010, 10:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
dankone bonsai monk Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: huntertown IN zone 5 Posts: 27	just grow in a bigger pot. nice start to the tree. next year u can do detailed wiring and it will get better.

09-05-2010, 09:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
Bonsai Barry Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cental Coast of California Posts: 36	Interesting triple trunk (sort of)! If it were mine, I'd add some movement to those trunks, making it look like a triple cascade waterfall.

09-17-2010, 08:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
dankone bonsai monk Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: huntertown IN zone 5 Posts: 27	i still make mistakes. you are doin better than i did when i first started. have fun!

01-06-2011, 05:47 AM	#8 (permalink)
artyanimal Snipologist Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mid-coast Maine / Zone 5 and S. Florida / Zone 10 Posts: 89	Experts? So, I had this cascade juniper... that had been in trainning for about 12 years. This one branch (that actually WAS the cascade) was already well established (very thick and very stiff) when I got it and I had hollowed out at least a foot long trench on the underside to make it bendable. I had wrapped and rewrapped with raffia/vet wrap and bent and bent season after season with really, really heavy wire, guy wires...the works! Last season I went for one more "improvement" bend and yep, SNAP! So, I have this informal upright juniper... Cheers, Arty

01-06-2011, 10:21 AM	#9 (permalink)
KimchiMonger Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Dallas Zone 8a Posts: 26	Don't say 'SNAP'! Oh boy! That was unbearable to read knowing it was in training for 12 years! Not an easy read. Sorry to hear that. Not sure I could handle that... Hurry!!!! Where's the super glue!?!?

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