First post (please be nice :]) - help re Juniper

[masou2]

Hi all

This is my first post so apologies if I make any newbie faux pas.

I'm moving into an apartment soon so I decided to buy a sargent juniper bonsai. I've always been interested in bonsai but never owned one.

I've attached some photos below. I've had it for 2 days and would really appreciate some advice. I have a few questions to start off

1. The trunk bifurcates really early - should I cut one of the branches or is it too early?
2. Should I start pinching and pruning now or do I let it grow a bit more?
3. Is it too early to repot into a larger pot to allow for the trunk to thicken?

Any other advice for something this new (or any links to articles) would be great. I have done some reading of the forum myself and the wiki, but a lot of it appears to be case by case.

Many thanks, and look forward to your answers.

Matthew

[kcpoole]

Make sure those rocks are not stuck on and that water will penetrate into the soil..
You can slip pot at any time and yes I would do so so to allow it to develop first. It is only a young tree.

Having said that, you can always just statt to wire, trim and prune it now to learn how to develop foliage.
After you get experience and learn to keep it alive ( harder than you may think) , then you can purchase larger stock.

to that end, take the 3rd pic and wire the first branch on the right out horisontal or so, and cut back or pinch foliage build foliage pad density.
Pick a shoot at the apex to develop and pinch back to there.

Ie keep it small and learn to wire, trim, pinch and water to keep it healthy and enjoy your little tree

Ken

[shibui]

I'm moving into an apartment soon so I decided to buy a sargent juniper bonsai

Hi Masou. Welcome to bonsai. I hope you realise that most bonsai need to be outside in the fresh air and sun. These junipers hate being kept inside and most will die within a few weeks if kept indoors.

I agree with Ken. First learn to keep it alive. Many try and most experience failure(s) before they get good at it. Bonsai clubs are a great place to learn more - hands on and personal advice handed out freely

You can keep your bonsai as a mini if you want. Just keep trimming it as often as needed.
Or you can let it grow a bit to develop a real trunk and start to look like a real small tree but that will either take forever or you will need to put it into a larger pot and let it grow freely for a year or 2. It will look a bit untidy but that's the quickest way to produce a better bonsai.

[Brian]

its a good variety of tree to work on. Good luck with it.