Going Vertical

[Sean M]

I purchased a Juniper Squamata Prostrata back in March of this year, It was my first attempt at DIY as opposed to buying the other stuff from Bunnings. Being a Prostrate plant my very unimaginative self went for the windswept/semi cascade look. It sat in a boring pot for about 2 months and I kept thinking, wow I've done a great job. Then in April I joined the Canberra Bonsai Society, who happened to be doing a demo on heavy bending. Well the trees the members had blew me away, and the technique used by Grant and Leigh opened up my eyes to what could be done. Now I should have taken a photo for history but I didnt so my dodgy photoshop version below will have to suffice. (I couldn't be bothered PSing the original pot back in though) Then as mentioned about a month passed and I thought the main branch was too straight and I employed the heavy bending technique as shown by the CBS. Worked a treat and I managed to get a good bend in the trunk for a bit more movement. Left it for about 3 months and removed the wire, well most of it held.

OCT 11 - JSP - Original design.jpg

After another month or so (about August/September and after attending the Peter Adams workshop back in June) my brain decided to kick in and I thought why not take this baby vertical. I looked around for a pot that would take the roots in their current condition and could only find a Mirkwood pot I was saving for a rainy day. Anyway to cut a boring story short here it is.

OCT 11 - JSP - Front.jpg

Now going from Horizontal to Vertical has posed a few problems. All the branches that were at the top are now either at the bottom or in a weird spot. It has created a group/raft style. It now also has what I call the welcome branch (after the famous welcome tree in china).

OCT 11 - JSP - Top.jpg

I thought about bending the bejesus out of the smaller "trees" and jinning them or even doing it to the welcome branch, but again Im not really that confident in that technique. I know the pot isn't quite right and its set too far back but that is because all the roots are at the front and until next season (as this baby has had a hard year already) I will prune the roots back a bit and get it into a smaller pot.

OCT 11 - JSP - Right Side.jpg

Happy for constructive criticism, ideas etc. Finally a size comparison.

OCT 11 - JSP - Size.jpg

Thanks for veiwing

Sean