My very own bonsai :)

[Mr GeaRbOx]

Greetings,

This thread is to document the progression of my first attempt at training a bonsai. I got my tree which was labeled "Japanese Garden Juniper" in December 2014 on clearance for $2.98. I took it straight home to start chopping!!! (*First mistake, probably should have waited a month at least)

At this point I had only watched a bunch of Youtube videos on creating bonsai from nursery stock.

So I chopped and chopped. In retrospect, I should have kept the big branch at the top of Pic #4. (mistake 2) Oh well. I then bare rooted the juniper with the hose (mistake 3) and pruned about 2/3 of the roots (mistake 4)

Grinning from ear to ear i placed the tree back in its 1 gallon pot and outside to grow...

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

Of course I became impatient!!! (mistake 5) After all, it didn't look much like a bonsai. So after about 6 days i repotted it again in a cut down 1 gallon (mistake 6). I actually left it alone for a few months as I was waiting to see some growth. Here you can see some nice buds all over....

oh but that wasn't good enough, lol.

So then I started (what I thought was) pinching to "develop foliage pads" (mistake 7). But I pinched waaayyy too much (like as in all the new growth). I don't have a pic of when the tree was at its worst but I can tell you it yellowed and showed no new growth for about 3 weeks. I also wired it at the same time (mistake 8) and partially broke/separated about half of the first branch from the trunk (mistake 9). I finally left it alone. Finally, LOL.

In the next pic you can see it with the wire on and starting to recover. But you can also see the lowest most pad died off. The next week a pad on the other lower died off of that one too.

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

Here it is today. After a RIDICULOUS 90% foliage removal and countless mistakes. It's greened up very nicely and is filled with new buds again. I started some shari as well (at this point, hey, why not?)

I hope all the fellow newcomers to this hobby/art take some valuable lessons from my experience. First and foremost don't rush it. I nearly killed the tree several times, I also cut off all of what i had to work with leaving me much more limited in the direction i can take it. It is also a testament to the hardiness of procumbens nana!!!

As for the future, I have been thinking about swinging the now apex around (again) and trying to graft it back on to the trunk. Any suggestions would be appreciated. (although I realize this will probably never be a world class tree it's already got sentimental value)

Thanks for looking!
~Gear

 

[sorce]

Gearbox.

I kind a like it.

If it lives.....I'll like it more.

Sorce

 

[Eric Group]

I wouldn't touch this tree again the rest of the year. Kind of shocked it made it through his far. I needs GROWTH!! Removing that much foliage from a Juniper is frequently a death sentence.

Nice job getting some movement in the branches...

 

[Alain]

Gearbox.

I kind a like it.

Sorce

Me too!

And it seems that none of your mistake was lethal as it already survived from Dec. 2014 to present day.
Not too bad

 

[JudyB]

I think this tree was brought back to it's essence, (a little fast maybe) but the results are pretty nice.

 

[jk_lewis]

Most beginners should do as well. Nice job. Now, just water and fertilize for a year.

 

[MidMichBonsai]

Good eye for design. Now just let it rest for a year or 2. Let it almost become a bush again so that it's healthy. Don't worry, the bones (read branch structure) will still be there. Once it's healthy, you can work it again. If this is difficult, get some more so that you always have something to work on. Biggest mistake for beginners is touching it too much and then they have a nicely styled, dead tree.

Bonsai is kinda like an accordion, tides, or any number of other cheesy metaphors. Push...release, push...release.

Nice start!

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

Gearbox.

I kind a like it.

If it lives.....I'll like it more.

Sorce

Thanks man! Tried as I might, the thing lives on!!!

I wouldn't touch this tree again the rest of the year. Kind of shocked it made it through his far. I needs GROWTH!! Removing that much foliage from a Juniper is frequently a death sentence.

Nice job getting some movement in the branches...

Knowing what I know now, I am shocked as well. Thank you for the kind words.

I think this tree was brought back to it's essence, (a little fast maybe) but the results are pretty nice.

I think the term "break neck speed" comes to mind!!! hehe Thank you so much.

Most beginners should do as well. Nice job. Now, just water and fertilize for a year.

Thank you so much. I've definitely learned my lessons and am doing only water/feeding. Scouts honor!

Good eye for design. Now just let it rest for a year or 2. Let it almost become a bush again so that it's healthy. Don't worry, the bones (read branch structure) will still be there. Once it's healthy, you can work it again. If this is difficult, get some more so that you always have something to work on. Biggest mistake for beginners is touching it too much and then they have a nicely styled, dead tree.

Bonsai is kinda like an accordion, tides, or any number of other cheesy metaphors. Push...release, push...release.

Nice start!

Wow, I'm humbled by the nice comments. And thank you for the tips, I plan on doing just that. Hmmm.... metaphors.... ah yes, like the yin and yang? (cheesy enough)

 

[DougB]

You, like all of us, have a lot to learn about horticulture and bonsai. BUT you sure tell a good story!

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

You, like all of us, have a lot to learn about horticulture and bonsai. BUT you sure tell a good story!

Gotta make up the slack somewhere! lol

 

[Potawatomi13]

You did an amazing job of designing and getting your tree to survive so far. Remember your mistakes as they all WERE mistakes. Patience is a virtue and a must. As several said, now let it grow and gain some strength for a year or so. You really did great styling for a beginner so hope you keep at it.

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

Wow, thank you (and everyone) so much for the kind words. It means more to me than you may realize.

it's funny that one of the hardest things for some of us to learn in the beginning is not touching the tree. I'm sure that just sounds bizzare to a non enthusiast.

 

[jedge76]

I think the harsh life that this tree has now had is well represented in the design you gave the tree. I really like this progression and hope to see more updates WAY down the road! Like a year or so.

 

[GrimLore]

the hardest things for some of us to learn in the beginning is not touching the tree

My Wife usually only works with Tropicals and does real well. She has "tried" to do what you did several times to Junipers and every single one was dead in a week or less As much as she wants to work with them she has requested I never get her another I on the other hand requested that she never even looks at mine for extended periods Looks good though and hope all goes well!

Grimmy

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

I think the harsh life that this tree has now had is well represented in the design you gave the tree. I really like this progression and hope to see more updates WAY down the road! Like a year or so.

Updates coming..... no time soon! lol

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

Thanks Grimmy! Occasionally, it is better to be lucky than good. ha!

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

So we had our first day over 100°.....

I believe the term is baconized or perhaps baconization? Lost the foliage on both lower branches despite being well watered and misted 3 times. The lowest branch was already mostly separated from my ogre styling so I took it off and incorporated it with the existing shari. Jinned the 2nd branch. Anyways, here's what I'm left with.

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

One can always dream.