Finally!!

[MattE]

Well i have been on this site for a while and have been doing alot of research as i wanted to know stuff before i bought a bonsai. WELL i finally did. i have been to 4 nursery's around here and something caught my eyes...something i didnt think id EVER see in a Canadian nursery a Shimpaku Juniper there were 4 of them and i picked this one. After all that research and now that i have one i have so many Questions! , i know i will most likely have to let it grow for a long while before even thinking of bending ect.. but should i prune it back a bit? why are some needles spikey and some are smooth ? do you think this could be turned into a nice bonsai in the future? and should i leave it in this small pot or should i plant it into an actual plant pot and let it grow a bit ?

Any help would be great, it was only 20 bucks and they are getting more in so i may go look and see if any catch my eye.

 

[Adair M]

Shimpaku has a "scale" foliage when it's happy. That's the smooth thinner foliage. The spiky foliage is referred to as "juvenile". If the tree is stressed or gets too much fertilizer, it will grow the juvenile foliage. It grows faster.

They're also known for having fantastically contorted and twisted trunks. The last thing you want is a straight trunk! So, get some wire and put some bends in. Sooner rather than later.

You're going to want a thicker trunk. You get that from a growing tree! I would take it out of the small pot, up pot it to a larger one, and just let it grow after you wire and bend it. Don't prune anything just yet.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Great! Only indoors for pictures, right?

 

[MattE]

http://www.fukubonsai.com/2b2a2a.html

yes indoors for the momments its still dropping to 0'C at night
What do you think of that article

 

[MattE]

Shimpaku has a "scale" foliage when it's happy. That's the smooth thinner foliage. The spiky foliage is referred to as "juvenile". If the tree is stressed or gets too much fertilizer, it will grow the juvenile foliage. It grows faster.

They're also known for having fantastically contorted and twisted trunks. The last thing you want is a straight trunk! So, get some wire and put some bends in. Sooner rather than later.

You're going to want a thicker trunk. You get that from a growing tree! I would take it out of the small pot, up pot it to a larger one, and just let it grow after you wire and bend it. Don't prune anything just yet.

Thank you for the information, do you recommend any articles on shimpaku junipers and care ect?

 

[Adair M]

MattE:

On this site, there's a tab for Junipers. Hundreds of threads on them.

 

[MattE]

MattE:

On this site, there's a tab for Junipers. Hundreds of threads on them.

lol i know i have been sifting through this site for ever, i just find when i go through junipers its usually people sharing pictures or asking for shaping advise,
i will check again tho for some more shimpaku info

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Keep in mind, Jack knows what he's doing. You're a beginner, this is your first tree. I would not try to grow it indoors. Indoor growing is difficult, especially for non-tropical trees. This tree should really be outdoors 24/7/365.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Here are some good articles about shimpaku:

HTTPS://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/the-shimpaku-juniper-its-secret-history-from-kindai-shuppan-2003/

https://crataegus.com/2012/08/26/how-to-pinch-junipers/

https://crataegus.com/2015/07/01/juvenile-growth-on-junipers-cut-leave-alone/

https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/...s-among-itoigawa-kishu-and-shimpaku-junipers/

https://crataegus.com/2015/11/11/juniper-live-veins-and-how-they-move/

http://www.phutu.com/designing-yamadori-style-junipers/

http://www.phutu.com/yamadori-style-juniper-projects-details-and-examples/

 

[MattE]

Keep in mind, Jack knows what he's doing. You're a beginner, this is your first tree. I would not try to grow it indoors. Indoor growing is difficult, especially for non-tropical trees. This tree should really be outdoors 24/7/365.

i know it should be outside but its only 4 inches tall and its still freezing temperatures and its literally in 1 inch of soil , im afraid that would kill it and shock it considering it came from a greenhouse

 

[MattE]

Here are some good articles about shimpaku:

HTTPS://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/the-shimpaku-juniper-its-secret-history-from-kindai-shuppan-2003/

https://crataegus.com/2012/08/26/how-to-pinch-junipers/

https://crataegus.com/2015/07/01/juvenile-growth-on-junipers-cut-leave-alone/

https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/...s-among-itoigawa-kishu-and-shimpaku-junipers/

https://crataegus.com/2015/11/11/juniper-live-veins-and-how-they-move/

http://www.phutu.com/designing-yamadori-style-junipers/

http://www.phutu.com/yamadori-style-juniper-projects-details-and-examples/

thank you very much for that

 

[Redwood Ryan]

i know it should be outside but its only 4 inches tall and its still freezing temperatures and its literally in 1 inch of soil , im afraid that would kill it and shock it considering it came from a greenhouse

Just making sure you don't plan on keeping it indoors year round.

 

[Aukai]

I would say that if you have a garage to slowly adapt it to outside, your shimpaku has more mass on foliage that man and I kept it out side all winter..in cold frame...Looks great

 

[GrimLore]

considering it came from a greenhouse

You are in a rough climate. I would call the place and ask what low temperature they let it get to with the Juniper. Reason I mention it is it could be unheated and just kept in to prevent wind damage and drying from the wind. Also even unheated it would slow down very quick drops in temperature.
I said all that to say if they do keep them unheated put that out in a shed or garage until the weather is a little more plant friendly there...
Also, do not work or transplant that Juniper at the same time as it will not survive both. I would advise slip potting it into a larger container late Spring/early Summer this season and just keep it alive, fertilized, watered(damp not wet), in full sun. It should then be healthy enough to stay outside with minimal wind protection for the following Winter.
After all of that acclimation you will then be able to plan you healthy plant and what work you may want to do. It seems like a long time but it will be either very weak or die otherwise. For now enjoy learning about it and growing it - you will both be happier for certain!

Welcome -

Grimmy

 

[Vance Wood]

I know Jack but if you are thinking you can grow a Shimpaku indoors this is highly unlikely. Most of Jack's success has been with Procumbens Juniper. This Juniper of yours is a young tree probably two years old from a cutting. I would over pot the tree, let it grow and gain some girth. As of now you don't even have anything significant in branching. Let the tree grow until you can stat taking cuttings off of it. That's when the tree will be mature enough to start working on it and you will be as well. In the mean time, go to a nursery and pick up some other Juniper with some size to it and hack away.

 

[MattE]

Yeah they only have these small guys, i have been looking for anything to play bonsai with its kinda hard out here, i will transplant this guy into a bigger with a good drainage soil mixture..probably a cactus mix type soil im guessing i dont need bonsai soil yet if i am just throwing it in a pot.
another silly question..those bigger roots that are exposed right now should those be covered with dirt when i get it in to another pot ?

Thank you for the information guys

 

[GrimLore]

those bigger roots that are exposed right now should those be covered with dirt when i get it in to another pot ?

Yes, and I already mentioned slip - pot it into a bigger container NOT disturbing the roots...

I know Jack but if you are thinking you can grow a Shimpaku indoors this is highly unlikely.

I am pretty certain he knows that but good point. The reason I told Matt to contact the place is I am pretty certain they came from a Southern grower and is the reason they have them sheltered. The USDA in Alberta ranges from 1-4 so transition at this time of year will be a bit tricky. The Plant appears to be very awake for those parts at this time of year... I am guessing they are not heated but he really should find out and slowly acclimate...

Grimmy

 

[KennedyMarx]

Yeah they only have these small guys, i have been looking for anything to play bonsai with its kinda hard out here, i will transplant this guy into a bigger with a good drainage soil mixture..probably a cactus mix type soil im guessing i dont need bonsai soil yet if i am just throwing it in a pot.
another silly question..those bigger roots that are exposed right now should those be covered with dirt when i get it in to another pot ?

Thank you for the information guys

Cactus soil can work. If you go that route mix it with more perlite so the soil doesn't stay soggy. Over potting is a good idea, but you don't want to go overboard like slipping a plant from a six inch to a three gallon container. The space unoccupied by the roots will stay wet and the roots will be hesitant to spread into the empty wet soil. So go up one container size at a time.

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/overpot.htm

 

[MattE]

Yes, and I already mentioned slip - pot it into a bigger container NOT disturbing the roots...



I am pretty certain he knows that but good point. The reason I told Matt to contact the place is I am pretty certain they came from a Southern grower and is the reason they have them sheltered. The USDA in Alberta ranges from 1-4 so transition at this time of year will be a bit tricky. The Plant appears to be very awake for those parts at this time of year... I am guessing they are not heated but he really should find out and slowly acclimate...

Grimmy

Thanks again, the place i got it from is actually a heated indoor nursery, they are a year round nursery and my climate zone is zone 3, i do have alot of plants ect , this is just a new kind to me, and after reading the back story on the shimpaku i have nothing but respect for it. im very diligent checking all my plants daily rotating them for sunlight ect. i will probably plant it into a little pot like aukai has in his photo..

Again thank you all for taking the time to help me. im very excited to watch this grow and start my bonsai adventure im heading out to another nursery today to see what i can find hopefully a maple as those are pretty darn hardy !!

 

[MattE]

all right got it all newly planted , now as for all the tiny undergrowth that most people prune out after i give it some time to adjust to the new pot should i clean up all the little growth to let it breath and get light a bit better for the bigger growth ?