AusBonsai

Hi all,

So im pretty new to Bonsai, been interested in them for years but never took the plunge and got any but in the past 3 weeks I've bought 4. I got 3 from Bunnings, a Serissa, Ficus and Azalea. I got the from Bunnings because I've searched online but haven't found any Bonsai specialists or nurseries that have a Bonsai section online, I'm on the Gold Coast. I also got a small juniper from a market on sunshine coast while on a small holiday, so that makes 4 little Bonsai's in my collection.

I was driving to work the other day and saw next to a corner store a massive garden bed of juniper, so I dropped in on my way home lat night and found a couple of largish branches I could cut off. Today I got stuck into the branches and ended up potting 5 cuttings and putting 1 into a Bonsai pot as it had roots along the branch.
Ive done heaps of reading about cuttings and used a cutting root hormone for each and used a mix of propagating sand and general potting mix (which is pretty course of soil, bark and small gravel like rocks for aeration and water drainage).

Who has experience in cuttings of this size? Do you know when I should expect to have a nice little root system?
I was planning on leaving them in the pots for a solid year, but what about fertiliser for cuttings? Do you do fert after a period of time?
Ive got some good ideas for the cuttings if they root and turn them in pre-bonsai plants.

Does anyone know what type of juniper it is?
Also whats everyones opinion on removing the leaf buddings systems after potting the branches? How much should i remove and when, to allow for proper root system to form?

Cheers, Kyle

The one with roots should do well. This is called a layer when a branch develops roots. you can ground layer like this one has done or air layer where the roots form above the ground after you wrap damp moss around the branch. Most transplants that even have just a few small roots will grow.
A bonsai where trunks originate from a shared trunk on the ground is called raft style. You will be able to grow the upright trunks as a sort of group of trunks all coming off the same base.

I don't hold out much hope for the other cuttings. Junipers are usually quite slow to form roots. Cuttings need to be kept humid so they don't dry out. Amateurs put plastic bags over their cutting pots or keep the pots in a clear plastic tub to maintain moisture and high humidity. More advanced growers invest in automatic misting systems to keep the cuttings hydrated. I would also remove much more foliage from my cuttings. The leaves transpire moisture but there are no roots to take up any water so cuttings with lots of leaves tend to dehydrate and die.
I have some Shimpaku juniper cuttings that are still alive but no roots after 2 years but a few of them had roots after just 3 months.

Good luck with your cuttings
I'm not sure which species or variety that one is. There are many hundreds of types and many look very similar so it can be very difficult to name them.

Hi Kyle,
Here on the Coast the squamata is a very common ground cover. It looks very much like layered cuttings I've collected for myself. I won't try to improve on shibui's font of wisdom. If you take a drive up Currumbin Creek Road past all the shops and light industrial area you will find Red Dragon Bonsai nursery. He has quite a good choice of varieties and also sells pots and tools etc.
Cheers, Frank.

The species you have there is Juniperus Conferta. Commonly called Shore Juniper.
Follow Shibuis advice. I have some Shimpaku cuttings going atm and just have them in a little mini plastic glass house bought from Bunnings. $10. Keep it in a bright spot that gets no, or little, direct sun and mist them a couple of times a day.
Ive grown chinese elms, buxus, cryptomeria, azaleas this way. its not as hard as you would think if you do it right.
Best of luck.