AusBonsai

Raymond wrote:.... was wondering what is the best method to bend some of these branches. They are old, and very brittle. I have raffia on standby but was wondering if there are other methods I could consider.

I've used notching and guy wires (especially) successfully. Be careful when notching at the base of a conifer branch as it's easy to pull the whole branch off !

Guys wire bending is a multi-month activity - don't try to bend it all they way, all at once. Where I am, you'd have no trouble bending branches on a juniper this size - however I understand that in cold climates they get brittle more quickly.

The most successful (if slow) method is to find a greener shoot part way along the branch and train that to be the main branch. Then remove the old branch past this point. This also helps get taper in the branch itself.

Obviously you need to balance the loss of such large piece of growing material with reductions elsewhere on the plant so that the whole thing stays in balance.

You must be proud of it. I tend to agree with another poster/s, rather than the ground, why not a large plant pot, I mean large. Where you put in suitable bonsai soil and spread the roots out a bit but leave 20% of its present soil in tact. To my inexperience eye, it is quite well balanced as it stands, with maybe a bit of trimming or wiring to suit your eye. After it has adapted well to its new pot. That's what I would do. From what I have read junipers have a very slow metabolism.

I agree, gifts have a special place in one's heart. So, whomever gave it to you, would be pleased with its present development. Well done.

So me and my wife got down to business on Sunday, NO, NOT LIKE THAT... She helped me re-pot my Juniper from the tray into a drum pot I purchased from Bonsai Emporium. I think I like it, just not sure what should be the front.

Left

Back

Right

Nebari

Opinion and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

Raffia and lots of wire
You can split the branches too if they are very stiff

Ken

Raymond wrote:So me and my wife got down to business on Sunday, NO, NOT LIKE THAT... She helped me re-pot my Juniper from the tray into a drum pot I purchased

So your wife assisted with potting your Juni? Great job weldone

Yup with Ken. I think you'll have a completely different specimen to adore once it has been mumified and wired with branches reworked.

Should look good!

Inspired wrote:

Raymond wrote:So me and my wife got down to business on Sunday, NO, NOT LIKE THAT... She helped me re-pot my Juniper from the tray into a drum pot I purchased

So your wife assisted with potting your Juni? Great job weldone

Yup with Ken. I think you'll have a completely different specimen to adore once it has been mumified and wired with branches reworked.

Should look good!

Thanks guys. I will wait until it has settled into its new home, during which time I hope I can find the genitalia to get serious with the raffia and wire. Very nervous about that task...

I had a couple of hours to burn yesterday, so I went outside. I then proceeded to wrap, wire, and bend a coup[le of branches on my Juniper.
I have wanted to do this for some time, but I didn't have the intestinal fortitude to give it a go. I am very happy with how things turned out.

Wrapped once, top and bottom support wire added, then wrapped again.

Now that I know I can do it, without breaking branches, I plan on going over the whole tree next weekend. I will update it as I go.

I have merged the new thread with this one so Raymond can continue as a progression

Ken

With the winter weather have set in down here for the week, I have plans on continuing on with the raffia and wire this weekend. Anyone who has an eye and a skill set that can see and do virts, feel free to give me some ideas... I totally understand this is not going to be a quick job, and I really don't care how long it takes me to get this tree to where I want it. Some ideas or techniques I would like to incorporate are dead wood, I want to clean up the existing jins, I especially like the polished bark look. That redwood look gets me every time. I am watching Greame Potter videos and other demos on YouTube to get some ideas, but I am curious as to what other people think I could/should do to this... Bring On Saturday arvo (work gets in the way of life sometimes...)

Hers a look at my efforts over the past weekend.
I decide I would pin the tree down to a piece of mesh so as to try and keep the disturbance to a minimum. Over a few hours each day, raffia, wire and carful bending until we reached the end, for now...
I haven't decided on a front, but overall, I am quite pleased both with the improvement and also my willingness to have a go at this.





Possible front???

left

back???

right

Looking down

I still need to wire the secondary branches and refine it, but I run out of wire so Ill have to wait to do a run to Perth to get some more. No-one stocks bonsai wire in Bunbury...

Raymond wrote:...just not sure what should be the front.

Opinion and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

Opinions aplenty. I think #2 - best combination of root placement and movement out of the ground. And lines up with your current branches/Jinn.

Not sure how it will match with your latest raffia work

thoglette wrote:

Raymond wrote:...just not sure what should be the front.

Opinion and advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

Opinions aplenty. I think #2 - best combination of root placement and movement out of the ground. And lines up with your current branches/Jinn.

Not sure how it will match with your latest raffia work

raymonds_juniper.jpg

I'm with thoglette on #2. It also has the best taper and the foliage compliments the rest of the tree better than the other angles.

I'm assuming that due tot he age of this tree the crossover root is not an issue...?