Juniper styling advice please

[Samegyed]

Hi all, I'm a new member and need some advice for my juniper.

I bought it from a local nursery as bonsai stock last summer. Since then I have potted it, in what I realise now, is an oversized pot.
The trunk is very thin with reverse taper I'm not sure how to style it. I've considered major trunk "bendage" to create semi-cascade or cascade.
I'm going to return it to a large training pot to develop the foliage pads. Other then that I'm not quite sure.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated (go nuts, you won't offend me).

It is 360mm high, the trunk is only 15mm at base widening to 17mm at top

P2040163.JPG

[bodhidharma]

There would be a good Literati in there

[Samegyed]

Literati was my first thought when I bought it. I just couldn't work out what to keep or what to cut.

[ozzy]

Just about breaks every rule in the bonsai book doesn't it? ... branches on the inside of bends, reverse taper, no taper, no scalene triangle, top heavy ... for Gods sake in the name of decent bonsai feed it through a mulcher ... keep the pot but

[Psymo]

Harsh but ture ozzy, although you can always find something if you look hard enough Samegyed.

[kcpoole]

the only way to cure the reverse taper is to try and grow out the bottom section of the trunk faster than the top

I would pot up into the box ( or ground and let the tree grow unhindered for at least 2 - 3 years. Do not trim it but you can apply wire if you wish.

Maybe you can get some movement in it like my Juni I did several months ago, viewtopic.php?f=131&t=6410&p=73619&hili ... per#p73619

Ken

[rowan]

It has potential. Just keep it overpotted (or put it into a bigger growing pot) to grow that trunk a bit and when the trunk is a bit thicker it will need a good choppin'. Don't worry too much, this is a great tree for a beginner to learn on.

[Mitchell]

Just about breaks every rule in the bonsai book doesn't it? ...

Depends how far you have read into the book.



Samegyed- Do you enjoy viewing the plant? What do you want it to look like?

[Samegyed]

Mitchell, I do enjoy viewing the plant. Although it doesn't give me the impression of a tree, rather more like an "ornamental plant". Which is kinda nice
but i wont BONSAI !!

I think I'll pot it in a large box for a few years to thicken the base up. Will the base thicken if I just let it grow wild, or is there specific areas I should trim to direct growth to the base of the trunk ?

kcpoole, I'm amazed and impressed how much you could bend your juniper. This opens a lot of options for me. Does having raffia and wire on for 9 months prevent the trunk from thickening ?

[Damian Bee]

There is no need to put it through the mulcher.
The view from the left is kind of nice if you can avoid focusing on the branch placement and taper.
Now its time for of styling.

The branch that sweeps over and past the rock is ok. Why not stick it into a box and cut it back the this first branch or to the branch above and redevelop the trunk. I always think that a tree is not lost until it is dead. Also the trunk looks like it could take some heavy wire to re-shape it.

Anyway, good on you Sam for putting it up for everyone to have a sticky beak.

[Andrew F]

Any closer pics of the moss growing around it???

[rowan]

Samegyed - keeping the wire on for a long period till it is tight actually thickens the trunk but it can also lead to some unsightly scarring. Some professional growers actually leave the wire on the trunk permenantly and allow the wood to grow around it to thicken the trunks. It can be impressive but may be only for the experienced. I have been meaning to experiment with it myself one day.

[Samegyed]

Damian, would this be with intention to style as a cascade/semi ? thx for ya feed back

Rowan, I've seen this affect on some old bonsai. Now I know how it's achieved thx.

[Samegyed]

VelvetSicklid, I'll take some photos of the moss tomorrow cheers

[kcpoole]

\
kcpoole, I'm amazed and impressed how much you could bend your juniper. This opens a lot of options for me. Does having raffia and wire on for 9 months prevent the trunk from thickening ?

Thanks I enjoyed doing it.
The raffia will swell with the trunk and allow growth and will tend to stop the wire from cutting in so much
It will be fine in the year it is on

We leave wire on trees up to several years with no ill effect sometimes
Ken