Newbie needs help with chinenses

Hi guys. I could use a little help in styling my chinensis. This is my first year in bonsai. I got it about a week ago from Home Depot. It was labeled "Juniperus chinensis", but I don't know what cultivar it is. I have done some work thinning it down and getting a basic shape, and have also done some basic wiring. Now I'm stuck, and I don't know where to go with it. The apex branch was curving to the right, and another branch on the right was curving to the left. I wired the apex branch up a bit. the twin trunk to the left has been wired down all I dare for now. There are two branches in the back that I am thinking of getting rid of altogether. I haven't root pruned it, just took down a couple of inches off the top to expose the trunk and roots better. I know I'll have to chase the foliage in a ways, but that's long term.

Photo one shows what I think is the front. The top arrow is the apex branch that wants to curve to the right. Photo two is closer in. Photo three is the back side. Photo four is closer in the back side and shows the two branches that I think may be removed. Please give some advice. Thanks.

At this point unless the tree is one of those golden cultivars you need to give the tree a couple of weeks to recover from cutting it up and give it time to put on some new growth. Once that happens you need to fertilize the crap out of it if it is not a golden cultivar.

Fertilize with Miracid and Superthrive? I have these two.

Lazylightningny said:

Fertilize with Miracid and Superthrive? I have these two.

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Those work.

Any suggestions out there on styling?

That really looks more like a Thuja/Arborvitae than a juniper to me. Either way as Mr. Wood has mentioned, unless thats a golden sport, one thats supposed to look yellow, its very weak and needs to get some vigor before messing with it.

ed

edprocoat said:

That really looks more like a Thuja/Arborvitae than a juniper to me. Either way as Mr. Wood has mentioned, unless thats a golden sport, one thats supposed to look yellow, its very weak and needs to get some vigor before messing with it.

ed

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don't arborvitae tend to grow taller? this one was more bushy. And, it was labeled juniperus chinensis.

Either case, I'll let it rest and come back to it next year.

Lazylightningny said:

don't arborvitae tend to grow taller? this one was more bushy. And, it was labeled juniperus chinensis.

Either case, I'll let it rest and come back to it next year.

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It depends on the type, somew are actually ball shaped. I know of one called something like " bowling ball thuja". I was just referring to the foliage, it looks more fan-like in the pictures the way a thuja grows.

Her's a link to some thuja foliage for comparison, http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=hufu7ZwGISvUJM&tbnid=AbB7cVVWLJQCAM:&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbadgerbonsai.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F04%2F20%2Fthuja-occidentalis%2F&ei=gZwDUsDYI6nXygG234C4Cg&psig=AFQjCNHHKL5bZtwfHP_1LiOm9GFLklLfqw&ust=1376054785688562

You can see it up close, I am going by your pictures although either way its a nice looking little plant. Good luck with her.

ed