bdmatt's itoigawa juniper progression #1

[bdmatt]

Purcahsed a large itoigawa juniper from Mr. Barry Altshule a month ago. As far as I know, the tree has been growing freely for the last couple years and is healthy. It's multi-trunk but a lot of the trunks I intended to be deadwood. Here's a few pictures of the tree when I first got it (4/16/2023):


I initially considered a semi-cascade because of the direction of growth, but the foliage was too far from the main trunk to make it reasonable. After a month of thinking, I decided to make the middle trunk the main trunk line. I thought of making a few air layers, but I ultimately decided on getting hundreds of cuttings for future grafting/ shohin endeavors.

Lopped off quite a bit.


At this point, I wired the tree and played around the with positions of the pads. I left it like this or a couple of hours because I didn't know what to do next.
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Later in the day, I finally decided on a plan. The right branches (referencing the photo above) were bent like crazy to form pads on the back of the tree to give volume. I also made an apex out of a branch I had initially placed towards the back. The lower left branch was also bent to give direction. The tree now has 3D shape, giving a nice rounded conical top. Finally, I stripped bark and did some light wiring on tertiary branches. Here's the tree now (5/11/2023):



I like how the tree turned out. The only thing that irks me is the placement of the apex. I wanted it to be slightly more to the right, but I can't bend it anymore as it may break. I also want to make more deadwood on the main trunk but that will be for later. For now, I'll let it develop and in the future wire some growth to the right. Eventually, the tree will fill out and I'll have more decisions to make, but as of now I'll let it recover.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Beautiful design, but after cutting 95% of the foliage, I'll be shocked if it survives. Good luck

 

[bdmatt]

After cutting 95% of the foliage, I'll be shocked if it survives. Good luck

I've cut a lot more foliage from trees of similar size and health. Granted, I'm going to have a lot of juvenile foliage, but I'd be surprised if it dies. Now if I touched the roots, I wouldn't be so confident.

Done the same work to california junipers, couple of kishus, some itoigawas, and a lot of prostratas. In your experience, trees were killed from this type of work?

 

[Hartinez]

100% agree the tree will be just fine. It was incredibly healthy to start, at least it looked to be, and after leaving the rootball intact I don’t see a problem. You called it though, good odds juvenile foliage will be on its way.

From a design perspective, I like it. My only critique would be to try and bring some foliage back to the right side of the tree. The Jin, on that side seems off balance with the design at the moment.

 

[bdmatt]

My only critique would be to try and bring some foliage back to the right side of the tree. The Jin, on that side seems off balance with the design at the moment.

I agree, the jin is off balance. I set some branches to grow to the right so I'm expecting to fill out that area in the next year or so. Thank you for the critique, it's very helpful

 

[WinstonWolfe]

I've cut a lot more foliage from trees of similar size and health. Granted, I'm going to have a lot of juvenile foliage, but I'd be surprised if it dies. Now if I touched the roots, I wouldn't be so confident.

Done the same work to california junipers, couple of kishus, some itoigawas, and a lot of prostratas. In your experience, trees were killed from this type of work?

I've killed a few after that level of pruning, but was probably a little to eager after repotting a few months earlier. Keep the thread active, I'd love to see it at the end of the season

 

[bdmatt]

2 month update: I'm surprised it put out a lot of growth. I was expecting a more die back and slower growth since I bent the hell out of the branches and pruned like 90% of the folliage. Only 2 small branches died, but those areas back budded well. Also decided a slight change in viewing angle.

 

[Dogestoevsky]

Nice mate, this will be a keeper for sure. Love that trunkline with the deep, low twist. Good luck!

 

[Bonsai Forest]

I’m glad I found this thread at the 2 month update timeline. The tree looks healthy and is pushing out growth (excellent!). I was worried at the top of this thread, seeing the major chops and foliage removal, but it worked out. Cheers!

The trunk movement is very nice.

 

[pandacular]

how is this tree doing? my junipers have had a ton of growth in the last half of summer, and wondering if this one had seen the same.

 

[Bonsai Forest]

I have been away recently since changing employment. My apologies! I now work at a local nursery (family owned and run) delivering and planting trees and shrubs. The lead man speaks mostly Spanish and is like my personal Mr. Kimura for learning and planting. It’s the hardest work I’ve done thus far.

Junipers and Crypto Bd are doing great!


Will likely work on it again in the Spring and reduce some size/length (and apex)


Juniper 1 flushing again


First branches are elongating and growing nicely (I would ground plant but do not have the means and temporarily watching/staying at my mother’s house while they’re living a few hours away in a new house)


Juniper 2 thriving as well (still planning to raft forest in due time)

Filling in nicely from above


Flushes are hardening off/scales laying down and maturing the primaries and secondaries doing well. In Spring Juniper 3 will graduate to a grow container for development into an informal upright/literati.

Soon they will receive a lighter dose of N only. How have you been and how are your trees?

 

[PerryB]

I have been away recently since changing employment. My apologies! I now work at a local nursery (family owned and run) delivering and planting trees and shrubs. The lead man speaks mostly Spanish and is like my personal Mr. Kimura for learning and planting. It’s the hardest work I’ve done thus far.

Junipers and Crypto Bd are doing great!

View attachment 507653
Will likely work on it again in the Spring and reduce some size/length (and apex)

View attachment 507655
Juniper 1 flushing again

View attachment 507656
First branches are elongating and growing nicely (I would ground plant but do not have the means and temporarily watching/staying at my mother’s house while they’re living a few hours away in a new house)

View attachment 507658
Juniper 2 thriving as well (still planning to raft forest in due time)
View attachment 507659
Filling in nicely from above

View attachment 507660
Flushes are hardening off/scales laying down and maturing the primaries and secondaries doing well. In Spring Juniper 3 will graduate to a grow container for development into an informal upright/literati.

Soon they will receive a lighter dose of N only. How have you been and how are your trees?

You do realize that you just hijacked @bdmatt 's progression thread for HIS Juniper?

Very bad manners!

 

[bdmatt]

how is this tree doing? my junipers have had a ton of growth in the last half of summer, and wondering if this one had seen the same.

The tree WAS doing well. Until spider mites got to it! Went on an 11 week vacation to the philippines and during the later 2 weeks of my trip, the tree got spider mites. I can't fault the caretakers because they though it just needed more water. It's currently at my teacher's for recovery, but before the spider mites it had doubled in foliage compared to the most recent photo.

I have been away recently since changing employment. My apologies! I now work at a local nursery (family owned and run) delivering and planting trees and shrubs. The lead man speaks mostly Spanish and is like my personal Mr. Kimura for learning and planting. It’s the hardest work I’ve done thus far.

Your trees are looking really good. I'm glad to hear that you're working at a nursery. Getting a strong foundation in horticulture is just as important as learning aesthetics.

You do realize that you just hijacked @bdmatt 's progression thread for HIS Juniper?

Very bad manners!

Haha, I don't mind. It just means I'll need to re-hijack it with another one of my trees

 

[bdmatt]

Here is another itoigawa juniper slightly larger than the one featured in this thread. Exact same work was done to both junipers, cutting about 80 percent of the foliage. This one has a ton of growth compared to when it was initially styled. Reason why this one doesn't have it's own thread is because I planned on selling it, which was recently just bought from a close friend of mine. Still in my garden though.