Help for an amature in getting started.

[Shifty]

Hi all, I'm very new to this's I have wanted a Bonsai for a whole but never been in the right place to buy one. That all changed the other day when I actually ended up buying 2, an established juniper and a fiscus (roots over rock). The guy I got them from said to cut the fig right back and allow new growth. I ha a tidy up of it last night but couldn't bring myself to complete defoliation. I was just after some advice on where to get started on both of them. I will upload some pictures shortly.
Any advice or tips would be great on this if it's not to much bother.

Thanks, Toby

[Shifty]

Here they are

[Shifty]

Here is the juniper

image.jpg

[Shifty]

Here is the back of the jig

[kez]

G'day and welcome

Both look like good trees, the juniper especially, I would be surprised if there wasnt something very workable under all that good healthy growth.

My advice would be to thin it out and get a bit of an idea of whats under there. Then you should have a clearer idea on taking it forward. This will also help to keep the growth near the trunk healthy by allowing in light and air.

The fig would benefit from a good few feeds and a defoliation late dec early jan after it's had time to push some growth.

If you are hesitant to cut/defoliate and style in general perhaps take them along to a club. There you will get the knowledge of when and how much to cut, and what to do next. You will build your confidence and in no time be chopping things off left right and center

Have fun

Kerrin

[Shifty]

Thanks for te reply and information. The fig was quite bushy but I cut back all the large leaves and nipped all te new leaf shoots at the branch tips. It's interesting you say wait until late dec, the chap I got them from reckoned cut everything right back on it now. I will take your advice and wait for some new growth. What fertiliser would be best? I fed it yesterday with some seasol power feed.

What's te best way to approach thinning out the juniper?
Taking to a club is a good idea but Unfortuantley I don't get much spare time at the moment. I wanted to enroll on a Bonsai course but unfortunately they have already run this year. I can get a house call tuition though but it's more than I was looking to spend right now.

[Brad75]

Hi shifty,

Those are two very strong purchases there; you have a lot of material to work with. I am surprised you were able to buy them- bonsai people normally hang on to workable plants just to have something to do with the tools.

Good work. You ma be the site's new divvy!

Cheers,

Brad75.

[Shifty]

Thanks, you can safely say I was stoked when he showed me these ones at what I think is a very reasonable price. It's a local grower of 25 years who sold professionally but is heading of traveling/cross staye and he is selling up his collection. He had some absolutely beautiful finished pieces which which where very reasonably priced. That's what I went to buy but then he showed me these. I'm still thinking of going bank and trying to grab a deciduous tree from him.
I just hope I havn't bitten off to much to chew with these for a newbie.

[Ray M]

Hi Shifty,
Welcome to AusBonsai. There is lots of good help on this forum. Use the search facilities on the site to find posts on the two species of trees you have. Another very valuable source of help is to join a club. Do a check to see if there are any clubs/club close by.

Regards Ray

[kez]

The reasoning behind feeding now before defoliating is to get some good growth, defoliating will slow the tree down as it recovers so pushing some growth now will give you more in the end. You can also let the leaf size go with the heavy feeding as you will cut them all off anyway .

With the juniper you want to thin out the foliage, then select the branches you want to keep and remove the rest. This will depend on your chosen style. Be aware that you don't want to remove too much foliage at any one time with junipers as they get there strength from the foliage, too much in one hit will severely weaken and maybe kill the tree.

Once you have your selected branches wire for placement.

The above work is what daunts us beginners the most and is where an experienced hand to guide and advise helps

Regards,

Kerrin

[shibui]

Both of these trees have been allowed to grow for a while without trimming. Now you need to cut the long new growth back quite a bit on both.
Look for the different colored bark - the new growth on the fig is brownish while older parts are grey/white, on the juniper it will be greenish on the new parts and brown on older wood.
Cut all the shoots on the fig to just leave 2 or 3 nodes (look for the marks where the leaves were attached if they are already gone). A few weeks after cutting new buds will form at each node and start to grow new shoots and suddenly your tree will become bushy. I think in WA it should be warm enough to prune figs now. Figs do love fertiliser so feed it regularly.

When you prune juniper always leave plenty of green leaves. If you just let it grow it will get long and lanky with foliage just at the ends of the branches and very bare branches and trunk. You might need to cut some bits out entirely to leave some spaces so light can penetrate into the interior of the tree.

Very hard to describe accurately with words. Much easier to demonstrate in person.

[Shifty]

Thanks forball the helpfull advice. I started cutting back last night, when you say about the green and brown parts of the branches, should I be cutting right back yo the brown parts? I cut back last night leaving 10-20mm of fresh green branch. I removed all the deadwood and strangely bits. I quite a lot of growth inside the tree, should I be cutting that all out? I'm going to the bonsai Emporium on Saturday to get some wire so I can start to shape it a little.

[Shifty]

Side one

[Shifty]

Few more pics

[Brad75]

Hi Shifty,

With Junipers you will get green growth back down a branch towards the trunk. Don't trim those green bits off as they will develop into foliage pads with pinching. Also it is better to have more branches than less as you will be able to shape your tree with more choice. For now I would recommend pruning off all upward growing branches and any spiky juvenile foliage. You will see more of your tree's structure after doing this.

Good luck,

Brad75.