My First Shimpaku

[ColinFraser]

I finally decided to give it a whirl, and at the recent GSBF convention I picked up a Kishu specimen from a vendor. There were nicer junipers for sale, but I wasn't ready to drop $400-500 on my first one.

Time to acknowledge the downsides:
it is likely grafted onto a prostrata trunk; it "looks like a bonsai" more than it looks like a tree (a little s-curvy and formulaic); not really much in the way of nebari.

As purchased:


All I'm doing for the moment is removing some old wire, some of which was cutting in a bit.


There it is.

 

[DougB]

Nice tree. And of course you are going to live with it for a bit before deciding on what to do. But I was imagining a smaller tree, minus the branch on the right (jinned) and minus some of the top. Your thoughts?

 

[barely]

Colin,
Very nice tree. It was great to see you at the show last week. This tree has so much potential. Just wondering about the base. If it as good as the rest of the tree, you really scored.
Barry A.

 

[GrimLore]

Time to acknowledge the downsides:

Think sideways and any downside will diminish quickly. Late Spring get an oversized nursery pot. Slot the side and repot it sideways. Give it an entire year of growth and have a great time with it - those are good bones and I am happy for you.

Grimmy

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Now you're talking! Nice pickup.

 

[ColinFraser]

Thanks guys! I'm looking forward to getting to know it.

 

[ColinFraser]

Nice tree. And of course you are going to live with it for a bit before deciding on what to do. But I was imagining a smaller tree, minus the branch on the right (jinned) and minus some of the top. Your thoughts?

I haven't thought much about styling this yet. I was thinking my first moves would be in the root/pot department. Thanks for your input.

 

[ColinFraser]

Colin,
Very nice tree. It was great to see you at the show last week. This tree has so much potential. Just wondering about the base. If it as good as the rest of the tree, you really scored.
Barry A.

Good to see you too Barry; thanks.
The base doesn't really flare out (that I can see yet), but it does exit the soil at a nice angle. In the photo with my hand for scale, you can see a high root coming off the trunk in front of my thumb. I haven't dug around to see what's below the soil level yet . . .

 

[ColinFraser]

Think sideways and any downside will diminish quickly. Late Spring get an oversized nursery pot. Slot the side and repot it sideways. Give it an entire year of growth and have a great time with it - those are good bones and I am happy for you.

Grimmy

Much appreciated.
Interesting suggestion - Is that laying it over on its side completely, or just a more extreme angle? What's the end game there: semi-cascade?

My initial impulse is to repot in spring and reduce the depth of the root ball (it's a long way from a bonsai pot). I can then also get a better handle on the root arrangement.

 

[sorce]

What tree bro!?

Nice Avatar! Lol. Hahaha.

So he moves to Juniper. ............

I like it and I'd love to see it sideways....
Just don't go olive crazy on it and such!

I feel like we are in for something interesting with this one.

Can't wait to see your style slapped on it!

MAny thanks for the show pics too!

Sorce

 

[GrimLore]

My initial impulse is to repot in spring and reduce the depth of the root ball (it's a long way from a bonsai pot).

Excellent place to start although I thought in your area that could be done in November - don't take my word for it though, perhaps check with Bob Pressler at Kimura. Pretty certain he is doing Shimpaku workshops this time of year.

As to the angle... If it were mine I would take it out of the pot and fill the pot with enough of anything to bring the soil level to the top of the pot. Then I would find a larger container that would allow me to tip the pot and change the angle until I found a start of a tree. That would allow for a 360 degree turn of the plant at any angle as well before repotting. It is a bit hard to explain but I feel you understand what I mean

Grimmy

 

[Bonsai Nut]

That looks like a San Gabriel Nursery tree They all have a similar feel.

I don't know for sure, but if this tree is from San Gabriel, you are probably going to have root problems. They roughly style their trees every year, but they NEVER repot. That tree may not have been repotted for 20 years. Do NOT go overboard and try to fix the roots in one shot - it will probably take two years if it is as rootbound as I think it might be.

I agree with Grim's comment about revealing the surface of the soil. In my case, I just take a utility knife and cut a line around the pot at the soil line, and then remove the upper half of the plastic pot, leaving a squat pot. The tree will look very different once you reveal another 3" of trunk.

 

[ColinFraser]

That looks like a San Gabriel Nursery tree They all have a similar feel.

I don't know for sure, but if this tree is from San Gabriel, you are probably going to have root problems. They roughly style their trees every year, but they NEVER repot. That tree may not have been repotted for 20 years. Do NOT go overboard and try to fix the roots in one shot - it will probably take two years if it is as rootbound as I think it might be.

I agree with Grim's comment about revealing the surface of the soil. In my case, I just take a utility knife and cut a line around the pot at the soil line, and then remove the upper half of the plastic pot, leaving a squat pot. The tree will look very different once you reveal another 3" of trunk.

Good eye; yes, San Gabriel. Thanks for the heads up on repotting issues. I'm not surprised to hear that since the cork bark elm I bought from them is a complete brick!

 

[ColinFraser]

Excellent place to start although I thought in your area that could be done in November - don't take my word for it though, perhaps check with Bob Pressler at Kimura. Pretty certain he is doing Shimpaku workshops this time of year.

As to the angle... If it were mine I would take it out of the pot and fill the pot with enough of anything to bring the soil level to the top of the pot. Then I would find a larger container that would allow me to tip the pot and change the angle until I found a start of a tree. That would allow for a 360 degree turn of the plant at any angle as well before repotting. It is a bit hard to explain but I feel you understand what I mean

Grimmy

Cool, I'll look into the timing situation. Sounds like I'll be taking it slow though, and maybe even going into a bigger, rather than smaller pot.

 

[ColinFraser]

Nice Avatar! Lol.

Haha, thanks. That's me at the British Museum with a life-size Chinese sculpture sporting a great 'stache. I couldn't resist a selfie with him

 

[GrimLore]

Sounds like I'll be taking it slow though, and maybe even going into a bigger, rather than smaller pot.

Yes that part I understand! What I meant was to see various angles it could be planted in toss the present pot in any large container so you can view it hundreds of ways before actually repotting Like put that pot in a salad bowl and tip/turn to view...

Grimmy

 

[ColinFraser]

Yes that part I understand! What I meant was to see various angles it could be planted in toss the present pot in any large container so you can view it hundreds of ways before actually repotting Like put that pot in a salad bowl and tip/turn to view...

Grimmy

Oh, I definitely got that part, and it's my plan for this afternoon

 

[ColinFraser]

Update time:

 

[YukiShiro]

that looks awesome, it's going to be a looker, I like the bendy trunk

 

[MattE]

that is very nice i hope to get my hands on these one day, so far i cant see anyone who ships them to canada