What To Do With 75 'Skyrocket' Junipers...

[FlyBri]

[Mod note: This thread has been split from Asus101's topic: Juniper creation thread. Where to buy cheap tube/rooted....]

A lot of people are keep to attempt Jow's posted technique with twisted junipers.
As it seems to be difficult to get the stock needed... if someone knows where we can grab such cuttings please post here.

Gday Ben!

Do you mean like THIS?

Skyrocket_Junipers.jpg

I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how much I paid for these 70+ little trees...

Fly.

[ketutg]

so fly r you going to tell us how much you paid for them?
i found some in local nurseries around my area but they were charging way to much.
$10 each!!

[FlyBri]

so fly r you going to tell us how much you paid for them?

OK then Ketut - you've twisted my arm.

Let's see... 75 trees in 75mm (~3") pots for $30AUD. I guess that's 40¢ each.

They were sold to me as Skyrocket Juniper, and as far as I can ascertain, they are probably a variety of J. scopulorum (Rocky Mountain Juniper). Even if the upright form proves to be totally useless for Bonsai (I doubt that it is, and I already have a few ideas bubbling away ) I still reckon I snagged one of the bargains of the year (not including the bargain you got with that Peppercorn tree ).

As we speak, I have already twisted the thinnest one beyond recognition... Pics to follow.

Thanks.

Fly.

[EDIT] Where's the 'gloat-icon'? [/EDIT]

[anttal63]

hey fly, yes we did miss you on the weekend the gums just sat idle; the concerns for me with these are 1) its hard to tell from photo but the rmj foliage is a little course; perhaps so for shohin / mame. 2) with no branches down low or middle can you get the trunk to thicken evenly and will you be limited with what deadwood / jin, you can create. only my 2 bob for what its worth but i would rather get 6 nice shimps from simon at oriental bonsai. if both my assumptions are correct; trunk fusing and ground growing into bigger stock could be better.

[jarryd]

fly i received about the same amount of sky rocket juniper from my boss for free when i worked at the nursery this was say 6 months ago. i found that they were close to imposible to bend without snapping. this may be due to the fact the tube stock was very old and sickly (the reason i got it free) i ended up throwing them all away. they may also have been older then the ones you show. they were definantly more then 4 yr old tube stock.

[jarryd]

it will be interesting to see what you make of them i may be kickig myself for throwing them away.

[FlyBri]

...its hard to tell from photo but the rmj foliage is a little course...

Skyrocket_Junipers_01.jpg

...trunk fusing and ground growing into bigger stock could be better.

it will be interesting to see what you make of them i may be kickig myself for throwing them away.

Skyrocket_Junipers_02.jpg

Skyrocket_Junipers_03.jpg

Sorry about the photos - it's a little dark for my camera at the moment...

Fly.

[jarryd]

nice work fly lets hope the foliage is ok for smaller style bonsai. im impressed you got these to bend to such extreme angles the ones i had wouldnt take a gradual bend without cracking it think they must have had thicker older trunks. goodluck with them.

[Bretts]

I would put some more bend down at the base of that Fly. Th bottom is where the story starts and this bottom does not match the top.

[ketutg]

that's a bargain price you got them for
will be good to see how they develop over the years.

[anttal63]

again i think it looks a little course for shohin. what i did to get bend lower was bareroot them, wrap the wire all the way down, bend and then repot. now this means you gotta you gotta liftm again to cut the wire off but should not be a prob if you are not cutting roots.

[FlyBri]

I would put some more bend down at the base of that Fly. Th bottom is where the story starts and this bottom does not match the top.

Gday Brettles!

Not too concerned about the base at the moment - I can always repot deeper when the time comes. In fact, I could allow the first 'loop' to be in contact with the ground and see if I couldn't coax it into growing some roots as well... I've still got 74 more to practice on.

again i think [the foliage] looks a little course for shohin.

Gday Ant!

I know bugger all about Junipers, and maybe I'm missing something here... The foliage presented is finer than either of the Sargeants or Sabina Junipers I have. How much finer would you want it?

By the way, I have considered doing exactly what you suggested in order to get bends further down the trunk, but now is not really the time for bare rooting, IMHO.

Thanks gents!

Fly.

[anttal63]

Gday Ant! I know bugger all about Junipers, and maybe I'm missing something here... The foliage presented is finer than either of the Sargeants or Sabina Junipers I have. How much finer would you want it? By the way, I have considered doing exactly what you suggested in order to get bends further down the trunk, but now is not really the time for bare rooting, IMHO. Thanks gents! Fly.

if that is so no prob, it dont look it from this side, bare rooting it will only be a prob if you open the wood up this time of the year. have fun fly.

[Asus101]

Fly aren't skyrockets another cultivar of Chinese juniper? I cant remember if its this one or another upright right common form.

[mudlarkpottery]

I have access to a quantity of Squamatas in 4" pots for $10.00 each. The one in the following photos is 30cm x 30cm x 15cm. if anyone is interested.
Penny.

PICT0002.JPG

PICT0003.JPG

PICT0004.JPG

PICT0005.JPG

PICT0001.JPG