Juniper chinensis forest of 5

[Andreas]

Here my Juniper Chinensis forest of 5, that I started 2 years ago. As mentioned before in another topic, Juniper in Indonesia are placed in rice husk, that makes it difficult when potted in bonsai medium, some of the trees just don't make it. here are the stages. Today I cut all old branches and only left the tips, wiring starts tomorrow, will update ASAP. My plan is to place them on a a slap after the wiring and a rest period of minimum 3 month. Advise or critics are welcome.

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[shibui]

Forest planting is not as easy as it seems.
Forest planting should have uneven or random spacing so we can believe it is a natural forest. If spacing is even it looks more like a park. It is actually hard to space trees unevenly. Something in our brain seems to like making the spaces regular. When making a forest planting you must really concentrate on placing some trees close and others further away, even if you need to trim roots off one side of some trees to get them closer together.

Apologies for being negative Andreas but one of the first things I notice with this forest is the even spacing of 2 rows of trees. it needs more difference in spacing.

[tgward]

agreed groups can be difficult--image 8309 (side view) would be a better look if you could achieve that as a front view

[Boics]

Good start.

Some constructive feedback above..
I like the stock and provided they stay healthy in pot you can continue to tweak your positions..
Ive got a few groups myself and im still not happy with any of them yet.

[Andreas]

Thank you, I would like to see them, guide me to your post or open a topic please.

[wattynine]

Andreas, if I may, as still learning myself, but a comment on the roots.
Not sure if the exposing of the roots suits this as forest setting, at the moment the flat surface area of the medium suggest no reason for the roots to be exposed that is, it is a flat forest floor so the trees would be hard rooted to the ground with a flat nebari. If it was replanted with lot of jagged rock (or even an "on rock" planting) to add to a weathered appearance then the exposed roots would seem to fit in better. Just an opinion of course.
I like the age transformation of all the side branches from not being wired to being wired and placed.
I too find forests a challenge and have one that I am happy with and again post-wise needs updated, maybe with spring growth after I have defoliated it again.
viewtopic.php?f=133&t=18485&hilit=+forest

[Andreas]

Hi, thank you for viewing and feedback, I exposed the roots because I got something in mind at a later stage, this pot is just for training until the trees are ready.

If I start exposing the roots later I don't get what I like to achieve. They will be step by step more exposed by taking of more of the medium.
I will post a bit later some new picture of one I wired today.

[Andreas]

Today I started wiring the smallest tree of 5, this was also my problem tree where the top rally was deformed and had previous crack. I manage to straighten it up without damage.It took me 7 hours today. The juniper are very brittle and easy to be damaged when small wires go on. I am happy with the result so. There are some branches that not yet line up, but this will be taking care of with new growth and clipping in the future.

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[Andreas]

I just spend two days searching for more Juniper around Jakarta, I found a couple that I will add to the forest, I just have repotted this trees in single pots. In Indonesia (specially Jakarta) re-potting reporting Juniper is the hardest part to do, I can't really tell why (the heat condition is one factor), but as soon you touch the root system they start acting up. Needle regrowth, brown tips, drying in the all over condition, or worse even die off. I have made some pictures of how they actually being sold.

Some of the trees just being bagged into rice husk, where they even did not bother removing the previous bag. The medium is sometimes so dry at the centre, that the roots just running down in the poly bag and start building up at the bottom and or simply rot. I made some pictures that explain the situation.

I have bought these couple of trees that I will add to the 5 trees in progress, all of these will be placed on a huge slate (picture to follow soon).
These trees are smaller and/or larger to get the desired triangle, so it does not look like a park. As to the 5 trees, they are still in the training pot and where not placed to stay in the current formation. However I take the advice given; and hope that the all over arrangement will give the desired result. One of the tree I bought has a very nice trunk, that are almost twice the diameter then the others, this tree will be placed in the centre. I will cut the trees in hight to get the desired triangle shape in the future, this will however take some time before I can work on them. Any tips are highly welcomed.

I potted them on their own, it will take some time before they are settled and I can work on them. They will for sure add some character to the all over look.
As to the five trees, wiring still is in progress.

I been told I work my trees to hard, that is true, but no matter what you do and how long or careful you are, they act up anytime you work on them as above explained.

The following pictures will explain the condition, how they been offered. First of all I got to see that they will survive.

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[Andreas]

Just run across these rock plates, the round slate or the long sandstone are my two choices to place the forest in the future. What you think?

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[tgward]

project coming along nicely----if possible have a good look at some finished groups and forests to see how many branches are actually left on each tree----you could be surprised how few---if removing branches try to use the stubs as jins for a more aged look

[Andreas]

Appreciate your input, but thinking out of the box myself, sorry, but no change!
I got something in my mind, that I like to go for, something that's not been done. I know it does shake the boundaries, but this is just it. Not main stream, not expected, just but and what I like to do. I guess in a few years in, it will be different, as it is different now.
You see, this may be a screw up or it may open new doors. I just love the idea of something not expected. Hope it gets the way I am trying to replicate something in my mind!
Hope this pictures not getting me in trouble, they are not mine! But this is a way of where I like to go.

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