AusBonsai

Hi i just had to rescue this poor little Juniper from a Dahlsen's store.

Its defiantly suffering badly from "Malsai" syndrome.

I would like to try and save it.

i pulled the wire off that was cutting into the trunk and pruned out all the dead needles and branches.

i don't really want a cascade Juniper and i was wondering if anybody could see something in the fella that i could train towards. So far I'm kinda at a loss and thinking that maybe i should just plant it out for a few years and look at it again in a few years.

That has great potential and is very similar to my one at home (well it will be once you do a few things to it). Get some thick wire and stick the end in the ground next to the trunk base and then wire up the whole tree to the tip. From here you can start to put some interesting bends and curves into it to get rid of that straight cascade. The bends should be in both the horizontal as well as the vertical so you don't get a one dimensional tree. Once you do this you will have already improved the look of the tree by about 50%. Then wire up the individual branches and move them into complimentary positions.... I don't have a pic of mine with me but here is a sample of what i am talking about. You also have some good upper branches to start forming a nice apex. I would also get a deeper cascade pot and then tilt the whole tree down further so your 1st or 2nd branch you have at present forms the upright apex part of the tree.

Maybe you should let it breath a lil bit before putting it on another wire stress

Did u check the root's state?

Personally I'd place it in a bigger pot or place it back in earth to let it thicken up a bit.
Its a great material and would do wonders if you plan it beforehand.

If you still want to keep it in the pot for now, and change the overall direction of the plant, you could place the pot in a slanted position.
Usually by placing a piece of wood beneath or repotting that pot angled in a bigger pot to direct the tree where you want.
Something like this : http://peterteabonsai.wordpress.com/201 ... nd-part-3/

Maybe combine the two ideas - once it's healthy, wire some shape into it, then when the shape is firm, plant it in the ground to get some thickness to it.

You can certainly make something of it, but maybe think about buying only those trees that excite you. Go to a good bonsai nursery and buy something with good bones. More joy, sooner. None of my business, of course.

Gavin

Thanks for the help guys, I think i will wire it up and start to get rid of that horrible straight bit in the cascade "Slowly" as i don't want to snap it. The i will place it on a leaning base to take the cascade out a bit as suggested. But i think i will leave the smaller branches un-wired for now and maybe plan to change them next year when it is stronger.

How does that sound as a plan?

Sounds like a good plan.
Not touching the smaller branches and letting them grow some should be a wise and tough decision I know I would get itchy hands
Keep us updated on the progress.

Hello friend,

Well done on the rescue!

I have a different idea if you like. Try and incorporate a big chunky piece of dead wood onto/into the juniper. Mr Lindsay Farr does theses spectacularly, check out this link and scroll down too 'Dead and living wood bonsai creation video ' the end result makes we wish I could marry bonsai lol just kidding. Here is the link:

http://bonsaifarm.tv/beginner-video/

Or better yet, if your from Melbourne go and check out Mr Lindsay Farr's bonsai nursery, the Bonsai farm in Hawthorn - see them in real life.

Your possibilities are endless...dead wood comes in all shapes and sizes!!!

Ok. so have had a go at improving the shape.

Any thoughts?

Bump.

Any advice from here?

If you need to misdirect the eye-with regard to lower trunk thickness use a rock instead of pretend deadwood