Small juniper, did I do this right?

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,913
Reaction score
45,601
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
This is the main reason I like Sorce . Brother I take you with a Grain of Bonsai Soil. Enjoy your comments agreed or disagreed.

By the way Planta Great Work! SALUTE

Don't know how I missed that one....
Sorry bro!

Much as I hate contradictions......

I hate half truths.......

Gotta figure everything!

This game is way too long to not make time for contemplation!

Sorce
 

Planta

Mame
Messages
108
Reaction score
38
Location
Eastern Massachusetts
USDA Zone
6b
I'm still wondering did I removed the right part of growth? (See closeup pic) that's was my main concern.
 

Vance Wood

Lord Mugo
Messages
14,002
Reaction score
16,916
Location
Michigan
USDA Zone
5-6
Thanks guys that's exactally the type of feedback I was looking for. The green wire is that cheap steel painted wire that florists use. I only used that cheap floral wire just to see how it would look(only have small rolls of nice wire right now) I didn't want to use it all up on somthing that looks bad then have to throw it out. So that's the right way to trim it though? I was afraid I went to far. It seems like some peoples foliage pads are not fine trimmed or fine wired. Should I try leaving fuller bushier foliage? I love the mock up drawing. I have some ideas on him I want to plant it. Just came in that pot...
You probably removed a little too much in the way of folieage. What are your thoughts about the trunk? I am aware of the fact that you have a good working idea of how a bonsai is formed and how you wanted your tree to be. I am just curious as to your thought process. Much of what you find in bonsai is derived from your first thoughts on a tree and as much as possible, how much of the final design can be designed without having to actually look into a crystal ball.
 

Planta

Mame
Messages
108
Reaction score
38
Location
Eastern Massachusetts
USDA Zone
6b
I wish I had a plan... I do s lot of reading and watch videos but I'm not sure what to expect as they grow since I have never observed back budding or anything yet.
Am I limited with such a small trunk? I wouldn't mind twisting it.
I thought maybe eventfully using it for a rock planting. Or maybe build a larger penjing it could be a part of.

I'm open to suggestions what do U think I could do with it?

(Btw: that pot does have a drain hole for the people who posted earlier)
 

Adair M

Pinus Envy
Messages
14,402
Reaction score
34,906
Location
NEGeorgia
USDA Zone
7a
Planta, that's very impressive if that's your first attempt at wiring. Send me a PM with a email address, and I will send you some diagrams that might help you. The Craftsy video that was mentioned is good, too.

As others have stated, please update your profile so that we have a rough idea where you are. Much of bonsai is dependent on WHEN you do something. That depends on the season of the year.

If you work with junipers and other conifers, you will find that annealed copper wire works the best. You don't have to apply as much of it, so the tree doesn't look like it's all bound up.

The trimming for wiring looks good, although since we don't have an image of the tree before you started, it's difficult to determine if you removed too much. It does look rather sparce. Junipers prefer not to have too much taken away at one time. One thing: the picture with the close up... The way you pruned the tree, there are three branches at about the same place. A better arrangement is to have a side branch, a space, then another side branch on the other side of the trunk. Alternating. But, all in all, that's an excellent effort for a first attempt!

For copper wire, and for a newbie, I'd recommend getting one of Julian's "Starter Sets". Go to www.julianadams.com.

The pot... That tall design has proven to be not optimal. Sorce drew a sketch of the modern way to grow cascades. The reason is the deep pots are difficult to repot if the roots grow down to the bottom, the roots can stay too wet down at the bottom, but too dry up top, or sometimes just the opposite occurs, where the bottom is dry, but top soil is wet!

At this point, don't mess with it. It needs full sun.

Looking forward to your next tree(s)!
 

GrimLore

Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Messages
8,502
Reaction score
7,453
Location
South East PA
USDA Zone
6b

Planta

Mame
Messages
108
Reaction score
38
Location
Eastern Massachusetts
USDA Zone
6b
I responded "k" when u said don't repost unless I replant it. But I got more responses... I wasn't being a dick. Sorry
I put in my location. Home Depot had it inside and I have it in s window I was hoping it would live indoors for anouther month and then it can go out?... I have some others j started fall hat have been outside all winter but I didn't want to shock it after playing without so much.
 

Adair M

Pinus Envy
Messages
14,402
Reaction score
34,906
Location
NEGeorgia
USDA Zone
7a
Grimmy is right, I posted the wrong web address for Julian Adams.
 

Planta

Mame
Messages
108
Reaction score
38
Location
Eastern Massachusetts
USDA Zone
6b
image.jpeg I have this plus another set of copper Wire that I bought too. But it seems like the small gauge copper is to big for that tiny fine wiring without snapping the foliage.and they are all small rolls like that. That link has 25' rolls.. Maybe I'll get some.
I have trees that I want to work on from last year but I wanted a tree to practice on in the mean time so I didn't wreck my other ones when the growing season comes around.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpeg
    image.jpeg
    69.2 KB · Views: 1

Adair M

Pinus Envy
Messages
14,402
Reaction score
34,906
Location
NEGeorgia
USDA Zone
7a
View attachment 91614 I have this plus another set of copper Wire that I bought too. But it seems like the small gauge copper is to big for that tiny fine wiring without snapping the foliage.and they are all small rolls like that. That link has 25' rolls.. Maybe I'll get some.
I have trees that I want to work on from last year but I wanted a tree to practice on in the mean time so I didn't wreck my other ones when the growing season comes around.
Dude, 25 feet gets used up pretty quickly! But, if you use copper, you'll only have to apply about 1/2 as much as you did aluminum. It's basically $50 for a good starter set. That's a deal!

The spools will be larger than those that came in your set. Those are pretty much useless. In fact, I prefer spools larger than Julian does. By "large", I'm referring to diameter of the coils. Copper gets stiffer as you bend it. If the wire is tightly coiled you're going to bend it as you uncoil it to use. A larger coil means you will bend it less before you even start wiring.

Your small green wire appears to be about 20 gauge. Copper comes in that size. I have some, but I rarely use it. If I do, it's usually as a guy wire.
 

Planta

Mame
Messages
108
Reaction score
38
Location
Eastern Massachusetts
USDA Zone
6b
Dude, 25 feet gets used up pretty quickly.
The spools will be larger than those that came in your set. Those are pretty much useless. In fact, I prefer spools larger than Julian does.
Yeh, That's what I was getting at. I just looked at that link again pretty good prices. Thanks
 

icapture

Seedling
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
My $0.02 is you will want to keep an eye on those wires and make sure they do not cut into the branches as the branches grow thicker. With such little foliage the plant will start to grow new needles quickly (junipers grow like crazy!) If the tree grows too much around the wire, you will damage the tree when you remove it.

But other than that great job!
 

Planta

Mame
Messages
108
Reaction score
38
Location
Eastern Massachusetts
USDA Zone
6b
Well I slip potted it and put it in a window hoping it will live till spring...
But it didn't. Not without its benefits though I got some good feedback from this thread and some practice pruning. I have been practicing wiring on branches of my overgrown shrubs also.so I've gotten a lot better at that.
 

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
Messages
12,499
Reaction score
28,173
Location
Charlotte area, North Carolina
USDA Zone
8a
benafter1.jpg

I would recommend you do a quick search on Google for "juniper cascade" and see what catches your eye. Then print out a picture, and use it is a guide for future styling of your tree.

Two comments about your current design:
(1) You have a big loopy bend as your tree goes up and then bends down to become a cascade. Normally you don't want that in a cascade design - you want the trunk to start sideways and bend abruptly downwards, as if the tree were on the side of a cliff. The roots should look like they are grasping the soil firmly to keep the tree from falling sideways off the cliff.
(2) You don't have a clearly defined apex. Based on the design you are going for, you want to define where the apex of your tree will be, and style a branch to be your apex. The apex is as important as the descending branch in terms of defining your design. All of your detail wiring and branch works needs to take into consideration your final plan for the apex and the descending branch.
 
Top Bottom