Juniperus squamata 'Prostrata

[Albo]

I was out at Ray Nesci’s the other day.
Ray has been pulling out some of his older stock that he hasn’t got time to work on.
Down near the back fence he has some junipers, cedar of Lebanon and a fat port Jackson fig that looks like a half squashed football. Worth having a look if you’re around the area.

I couldn’t go past this Juniper. Nice movement, nice old bark and Jin’s.

I’ve thrown some wire on and spaced out the branches for now.
I plan to fertilise and let it grow through the winter, my other junipers have slowed but are still growing.
I’ll have a look at it end of Aug to see if it’s able to go into a bonsai pot.
Lots of styling options. I only know at the moment that I want the branch spread compacted.
I’d wait until the tree regains some vigour before removing anything.
Any styling suggestions let me know.
Also any pot suggestions. I’d like to get something nice for it.

[Promethius]

I think I like the planting angle and front in the second pic better (black pot). I can see the first branch on the right as a drop branch, and maybe eventually a jin for the first branch on the left. Otherwise it’s a bit leggy and some work to bring foliage closer to the trunk might help to emphasise the trunk. That’s just me, though - I’ll be interested to see which way you take it!

[Albo]

I’m undecided atm. I’ll wait till end of winter to decide. Even then I could just leave it and do a repot at the start of autumn.
The dead wood is better from the side in the second photo.
Has a Shari running up the middle of that side as well.

I will work on rebuilding the health over winter and assess end of August.

I can put into a drum pot and then the front doesn’t matter. Can keep looking at it over the next year and decide.

It’s now in the sunniest spot in my yard and on nutricote and a bit of powerfeed.

[Albo]

This juniper had put on a a fair bit of growth. I had repotted it end of winter and wired it and just let it go with plenty of fertiliser. Yesterday I removed wiring as it was starting to bite. Decided on a front, pruned, stripped some weak or unwanted branches for Jin. Re-wired.
Now I’ll just let it run again.

[Promethius]

I really like the direction you’re taking. And what a pot!

[Albo]

Thanks mate,

I feel like I’m getting better but still a long way to go on a never ending journey.
Main things I heave learned that has helped a lot is patience to wait until trees are really healthy before working on them.And how to get them healthy in the first place.

The pot was made by Denise Edgerton.
0407 191 244

She’s in Sydney.
Ray Nesci has a selection of her pots on display as well.

[Albo]

This one has filled in a bit over the last couple of months. I have trimmed it once.
The right hand side branches are a bit weaker at the moment so I’ve left them alone. I could end up jining this and just have the tree flowing back on itself to the left.
I have the more open side(leaning right) as the intended front but that could change.

[Albo]

Potential angle change as well.