My Junipers

[Bretts]

I was never much into Junipers but after realising that my climate is probably pretty favourable to them I thought I better start working with a few. My knowledge with them has grown very little over the years. I read the information on repotting and pruning but I still understand newbs frustration how that does little when it comes to practical application when developing trees.

I have learnt the most during hands on instruction. Pup gave me some great advice on thinning/plucking branches at the Tops weekend and Tony Bebb was very informative when we had him down here for a Demo and workshop.

I have a couple of junipers that I think can be decent trees but am after some help as to specific advice for the stage I am at.

I bought this Juniper from Bunnings for $50 in case we needed it when Tony came over. It never got touched so I had to get stuck into it after he left.

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It sulked for a good 8 months with little growth but 1 year on it seems to have it's strength back.

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I have noticed a little yellowing in patches on the inside branches. Thought it could have been a watering issue or fertilising issue but after being more careful in that regard I guess it must just be not getting enough light in there although it is in full sun and I didn't think it was that dense

My main question here is when and how do I start pushing the growth back on the branches. Do I tip prune. Do I cut the branches back hard to the first bit of growth. Is it ok to wire at the same time. Considering this tree probably had little room in the pot a year ago(and the weeds are impossible to keep under control) do I need to consider my pruning with re potting next season. With a deciduous tree I would be looking at bare rooting next season. What do I do here

Thanks for any help

[Tony Bebb]

Hey Brett

Well you sure got stuck into it, but just what it needed. Good work.

I wouldn't worry about the yellow stuff. Pretty natural with all that growth. Not much light looks like it would make its way in there, plus all the end growth will steal strength from the inside so the tree can get bigger.

Good time now to give it another hair cut, but I wouldn't cut back to the first growth. Take a good third off by the looks and give it a wire as it looks like you're getting some nice secondary growth there. When it shoots back after that keep up the tip pruning to get it compact. Could still do with some more thickness in the trunk, so keep a couple of sacrificial branches up near the top if that's what you want to do, but make sure they are below the apex branching so the very top doesn't get too big and you can still have some taper. If you are happy to keep it as a small bonsai don't bother.

When you root prune next spring do not bare root it. Conifers not as fond of that treatment generally, and I would not consider it in my environment. Make sure you prune of all or most of the roots directly under the trunk first and only leave the more latteral roots. If that accounts for the quantity you can safely root prune, don't even touch what is left, otherwise just give them a light prune. This will put all the growth strength into the sides if the trunk and create a better buttress for you.

Happy Junipering.

Tony

[Psymo]

Great dialog

[Bretts]

Well you sure got stuck into it, but just what it needed. Good work.

Some one had too since you didn't want to get pricked by the needles
Thanks for the great advice Tony. This is now at the top of the list for work needed to be done and I think you have it covered for the next 10 months

Glad you stopped in I was going to ask some advice on the ROR Juniper we worked on next and I guess you would be interested to see how it is going It also sulked for a good 8 months after our work. Not sure if I did something wrong. It had a cage up top to keep soil around the top roots and I do wonder now that the cage is gone whether I was not watering it enough because sine I removed that it has taken off and loves 2 or even three waters a day and is going great. I have started giving it heaps of fert as new growth looks some what yellow but not really sure.

Will get some pics of it up soon

[Tony Bebb]

I wouldn't have got pricked by the needles cause I woulda made you prune it.

Look forward to the pics of the R-O-R. Always love to see follow ups of workshop and demo trees, especially if their alive.
Probably nothing too wrong as all the soil removal woud've made it sulk even though the timing was good. The extra cage may have kept it too wet around the base. Easy to forget conifers are arid zone plants. Half way to a cactus You must have a very free draining mix.

Tony

[Bretts]

You must have a very free draining mix.

You may remember I was keen on experimenting with an Akadama crushed terracotta mix. It did seem fruitless as it seemed to be loving the grit bark mix it was in but The tips look a little yellow, I have given it heaps of fert and covered the pot in DL. Not sure if the yellow tips are just normal with Junipert X media (horizontals)
I was surprised you stated that bare rooting the tree(although we removed no roots) and giving it a good prune was nothing to worry about. I can say that it did not go backwards only that it took longer than I expected to get going agian.
But going it is at the moment and now that I pick it up to take a picture I think it is more overdue for a trim than I thought.
I remember you told me that it needed to be tip pruned to keep the branches in check but since it sulked for a while I have let it go maybe a little to far.

I guess the same advice for the above tree holds with this one so it will now be second on the list of work needed to be done. I think I will leave it for one more year before I get serious about uncovering the roots from the rock agian but am looking forward to the day it gets into a bonsai pot.
Here is the tree tonight. I will chase up some older pics including our workshop with it

Edit: Opps forgot the pics

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Ps It is still very heavy Tony
Now I will go and find some older pics.

[Tony Bebb]

No Picture?????

[Tony Bebb]

Ahh there they are.

Looking very overgrown alright, but that is fine for this one as it will get the roots fatter. Junipers don't get as thick a root system as most and take longer to 'cling' to the rock, so the extra growth would have done it good. Giving it a good prune now and then letting it grow again will keep the foliage in check and still fatten the roots. Was that one already on the rock at workshop?

How are the Cowra Gardens trees?

Tony

[Bretts]

Cowra garden trees are great Tony. I spent a day putting them all into bonsai pots early this spring and they are now on display. The bonsai house had a great work over with new pool type fencing after a vandal attack. I will endeavour to take some pics before Winter sets in

Yes this juni was on the rock when I took it to the workshop. Big George helped me reposition it a couple of years before as I had plonked it on top of the rock as most beginers do. I will upload some pics and I am sure you will remember it

[Bretts]

I will have too link this tree to Bodi's first tree's thread as this first pic is from my first year of bonsai with a sheet of shade cloth from the top of the shed pined into the lawn.
The trouble is as most beginners doing ROR I plonked the tree on the very top of the rock.

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The idea was as I had read to gradually roll down the bag to encourage longer root growth. (not sure I agree with this advice now)

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I took it along to a late winter workshop at Ray Nesci's. After realising that I had traveled so far Big George spent a considerable amount of time with me repositioning the tree on the side of the rock. Only after inspecting the rock did he do this stating he knows the rocks from my Parkes area well and they are Typically boring. I think this rock just passed.
After a year or two in varying conditions and responses It was due for a repott and trim.

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[Bretts]

I believe at this stage I have removed an upward growing branch that I believed upset he image. A couple of years on it seemed like the perfect tree to take to a Tony Bebb workshop

You where a great help Tony. Giving me the confidence to work this tree. As I was warned (Kym J) the tree eventually let go of the rock from my harsh treatment. But after you warmed up your hands your guidance I was great and I wrapped the roots around the rock agian and set it for another couple of years growth.
I keep in mind as you say to allow lots of growth to enhance root growth so I reckon one good trim this year and maybe next year we can start the display/ branch development stage.

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Thanks for all the great advice Tony. I must make special mention of Jarryd. If you and Tony put your head together I would have the best Juni's in any hemisphere
I have had exceptional advice but I would still like to hear what you have to say

[Bretts]

I was having fun last night. Maybe a little to much fun Glad I logged off and went and annoyed the misses before I got too silly
Hopefully I will have some time over Xmas to do some work on these two.

[jarryd]

hey brett the junipers look like they have been coming along great.

seems tony has it covered his advice is great,

the only thing i can see is the rock that the juniper is on is rather boring, if there was a way to do some carving on it to give it some character i think it would greatly improve the image,

the key to junipers is wiring, wire everything!

keep up the good work mate.

[Tony Bebb]

I will upload some pics and I am sure you will remember it

I sure remember the tree, that's why I asked. Finer details sometimes escape me. I remember tying the roots.
Good to see the old pics. Had to warm up the hands alright. Bloody freezing that day.

Keep up the good work mate.

Good to hear the Cowra trees are going well. Love to come down and do some more work on them

Tony

[Bretts]

Good to hear the Cowra trees are going well. Love to come down and do some more work on them

Tony

Organisation has kinda stalled down here at the moment Tony. I am having enough trouble just organising a day to have a bonsai BBQ over the Xmas break at the moment
The Tea ceremony Guys didn't just keep stealing our tables this year they took the whole Conference room They wanted us to do a display and demo under a marque So we just did repotting at the bonsai house and talked with the public. The tea house they usually use is a much better venue for that I reckon.
Need to have a pow wow with the powers that be out there so everything is well organised next year. Will be great to get you down here agian I will do my best

Thanks for looking in Jarryd

Got stuck into the upright Juniper agian. Took of more than I expected but if it recovers I think it is for the best. I hope to get some budding below the new apex but have no idea how much chance I have
Over the last year I have been concerned that I made the right choice with branches so I was wondering how they would pan out. Especially the tight formation mid way up the tree. I reckon this will be fine now as long as I get enough back budding above it so it is not condensed branches followed by a space
Yet I do like the look of the base at the back Can't remember why I chose that front, may have been for the leader Have to have confidence in myself that I made the right decision now

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While revising my jin shari technique with Graham Potter vids I notice he said that you should never take of more than 20% of the foliage Well he did say especially in cool climates like his so But I think I will leave the jin and shari work for later.