juniper

[adictv]

Hi guys, i picked up this little guy on the weekend. Iv given it a good trim and now going to wait a few weeks before i re-pot this. Does anyone have any advice or any comments they would like to add im all ears.
Sorry about the bad photo ill try get another tomorrow

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[jacob553]

very good looking tree, do you know how old it is?.. and also how much did you pay for it?

[adictv]

It's about 3 I think and picked it up for $30

[lackhand]

Looks like a nice, healthy plant for a good price. It seems a bit tall at the moment, but that's typical for nursery stock. I don't see much harmony in the trunks right now, but that could just be the photo angle. Do you have any thoughts for the tree? Keep both trunks, or turn one into dead wood? I think the trunks are the place to start. I don't know if now is the time to do heavy bending and trunk work right now in your area though.

I would probably look at bringing the larger trunk down lower and maybe turning the other into a shari. Another interesting idea would be to lean it to the right or left, creating a cascade branch and a low apex with the other trunk. Take some time to play with it and see what seems like it would work best. Post pics from all four main sides, or any possible front you see, and that will help people give better feedback too.

[Brian]

Thats excellent bonsai material and a good tree variety to work on. The downside is it has no taper to the trunk. This is a problem with turning nursery stock into bonsai.

[adictv]

Thanks guys, here are some more photos im still trying to think of what to do with it so the ideas are great.
I do have a few questions if i may, should i keep it in full sun or partly? And i was thinking of keeping it in a big pot for a few months to work on the trunk do you think this would be a good idea?

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[lackhand]

Junipers are typically happiest in full sun, but I would ask some locals first. For example, I don't follow that advice where I live as I can't imagine anything in a pot loving the sun beating down on it all day when the temps are already 45 C, especially since I can't water in the middle of the day.

Trees should be built from the ground up, so I'm glad your thinking of trunks right now. A large container will help with developing a nice trunk. If you have a spot, you can even put it in the ground to grow for a year or two. Big pot = more growth, ground = most growth.

[kcpoole]

In Sydney, junipers should be in full sun

I think you need to remove 1 of the trunks. They move in different directions and fight with each other

Ken

[adictv]

My first thoughts were to split it in two as I can see imagine two totally different bonsais. I think now I'm going to grow the trunk for a while then think of splitting it

[Boics]

Splitting may be difficult and dangerous.
It may also result on an undesirable wound at the base.
I'd think about layering off the thinner trunk closer to the foliage.
When this is complete you can neatly attack the remaining stub or Shari for effect.

[adictv]

How would I go about layering off the thinner trunk?

[Magzy]

I see a Literati style in there. Sorry no virt for you but here is a pic to help you with going off your very first photo.
Cheers Mark

[Stewart_Toowoomba]

Hi adictv

welcome to the forum

Looks like your up for some heavy bending. heee hee hee

I agree with Boics. If you had the patience and the time, you could air layer close to the smaller branch foliage, but if it is one of your first few trees, you'd like to get stuck into it I'd imagine. I would have .

For $30 you have some interesting stock to play with that won't break the bank.

I'd shari the smaller branch, try to get to a club and get some good eyes looking at the main trunk - that 90 degree bend will need some attention. I believe this tree will cope with heavy bending like most junipers. If you bring the whole tree down, the lack of taper will not be so noticable. Maybe you could bring it back on itself a bit ?

LOVE that literati Magsy!

[GavinG]

neatly attack

(Boics)

Now that's a phrase you won't see anywhere else but bonsai-world...
All your advice seems good to me, Boics.

Adictv, use the search function for "Air layering" - lots there.

Gavin

[adictv]

So after reading up on air layering do you think I should do this to both branches giving me a end result of two different plants with shorter trunks then work on getting the trunks nice and thick?