My first bonsai from nursery stock

[greggles]

Hi all,

I'm about a year and a half into my bonsai addiction and thought I'd share my first bonsai I made from nursery stock in 2015. It's a juniper chinensis.

Photos don't really show it but it has progressed a lot since then. I know it's not perfect and not much but it's my first so holds a lot of centimental value.

I have attached the original plant, the original styling and a photo of it today.

Cheers

Greg

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[[ Kane ]]

Nice, congrats.

[Boics]

Thanks for sharing.
I'd consider getting some wire on at least all the branches and put some bends in each.
Hopefully compress/bring the foliage all a little closer to the trunk as well.

I'd also consider cutting each branch back to a viable branch closer to the trunk to help miniaturise your tree and introduce taper. The apex needs thinning and definition as well.

A more advanced move would be to raffia, wire up the trunk and compress/bend.

Room/options for improvement and well done so far.
Keep us posted!

[greggles]

Thanks for sharing.
I'd consider getting some wire on at least all the branches and put some bends in each.
Hopefully compress/bring the foliage all a little closer to the trunk as well.

I'd also consider cutting each branch back to a viable branch closer to the trunk to help miniaturise your tree and introduce taper. The apex needs thinning and definition as well.

A more advanced move would be to raffia, wire up the trunk and compress/bend.

Room/options for improvement and well done so far.
Keep us posted!

Thanks for the information.

Definitely going to wire the branches and put bends in them and will report back once complete.

In regards to cutting back the branches and trying to condense the folliage should this be done at a particular time of the year? Also I've be constantly pinching back for over a year trying to condense foliage but it just seems to always shoot back right on the tips. Maybe I'm not being aggressive enough with pinching? Worried about removing too much.

Lastly I forgot to mention I'm thinking of joining the sydney city bonsai club. I believe their meeting is tomorrow. Still trying to build up the courage to go.

Cheers

Greg

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[Boics]

Bunch of people round here seem to really like "The School of Bonsai".
There are plenty of clubs in Sydney - they will all be most helpful.

Regarding your pruning typically speaking this can be done at any time of year but I'd consider doing this at the first sign of new growth after winter.
Others might have some alternative views?

[shibui]

I prune junipers at any time of year. Spent most of today wiring and pruning some here.

I'm not too sure that this tree is J. chinensis. There are lots of different varieties of the species so it could be one I'm not familiar with but the J. chinensis I am familiar with have scale foliage and only occasionally revert to juvenile needle foliage. There are lots of mislabelled junipers in the nursery trade so it is understandable if it had a name tag on it.

It is up to you what shape to make but I agree with Boics that this tree looks just a bit stiff and awkward. Some bends might help but an upright juniper is still an acceptable style. I'm pretty sure that the first branch is far too close to the ground. To believe this is a large tree we need to see the first branch higher up the trunk.
Maybe depth is the problem I'm picking up? It looks like the main branches are all growing from the sides of the trunk and there is no back branching until near the top. Can you post a picture from the side please.

Don't be frightened of bonsai clubs. We welcome new people no matter how inexperienced. You don't have to commit to a club on your first night. You have plenty of options up there so why not go along to several as a visitor and see which one seems most welcoming and right for you.

[kcpoole]

Lastly I forgot to mention I'm thinking of joining the sydney city bonsai club. I believe their meeting is tomorrow. Still trying to build up the courage to go.

Cheers

Greg

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Jut get along and have a sticky beak first to break the ice

ken

[Boics]

Ken is a school of bonsai member and has developed some great little junipers.
Search some of his posts on the topic and include the terms bend and raffia.
He was a person i had in mind.

[greggles]

Thanks every one for ur input.

I can have more photos up mid week as it is at my parents house. Got married and moved out of home this year and my apartment faces east so gets about 4-6 hours of sun a day so have left them at my parents for now.

Thanks for the tip Boics.
I had a look at your posts Ken especially in regards to bending with raffia. I know it's just my inexperience but I just can fathom how you can bend a trunk so much. It's absolutely amazing.

I will try it on mine how ever I can already say I am not gain enough and will be too scared to get any drastic curves like you have in your posts.

And I have spoken to some one from sydney city bonsai and will be attending the next meeting. I live in botany so it's super close which is a positive.

Cheers

Greg


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[greggles]

Quick update. Using raffia fompression method I put a few bends in the trunk. Very minimal 1 because the trunk was very hard to twist n turn as it's not very long. 2 when I did put a stronger bend in it would spring back quite a bit and 3 not having the right tools.

I used a layer of raffia then two straight pieces of wire wrapped to trunk with raffia I would say those 2 pieces were approx 4 or 5 mm.

Still have to wire all branches, chop them shorter and thin out top. Will report back once complete. Will also get better photos. These were at night with flash.

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[kcpoole]

nice work, much nicer trunkline

ken

[[ Kane ]]

Great work. Wow Raffia on ones first tree more adventurous then me - well, I only recently got my first Juniper.

[greggles]

Finished wiring all the branches and sub branches today. Not sure if I've done it right? I've attached a few photos. 2 of the front 1 of the back and 1 of the top. I must admit it looks much better in person. Photos aren't very pleasing..

In regards to the top/apex I'm not sure what to do or how to shape it? Any advice?

Cheers

Gregory


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[Raging Bull]

Have you considered bending the apex so the trunk becomes a branch and using a branch as the apex? that way it would probably improve the taper as well. I have a Juniper chinesis which I bought as nursery stock last December. It was very similar to yours, but I've been more adventurous(brutal? )with mine and used a jack to bend the trunk. Tomorrow I'll take an up to date photo and post it here.
The three photos attached are from earlier in the year.
Cheers,
Frank.

[Boics]

Getting better!
Yep, id consider turning the tip into a branch and rerouting a lesser apex branch as your new leader/top.
This will introduce taper as said and will also add sone character.

Good on your effort so far.

P.s. You can often bend a little more once a tree has settled for a few weeks.