Repotting a big juniper

Tim.E said:

Thanks for the info Grimmy! My only concern is still the original soil which the juniper is growing in. It's VERY hard to get good water penetration but once it is wet, it stays super wet for a long period. It makes me concerned about the possibility of root rot. Would you still only bare root half and back fill with almost all inorganic to improve the drainage some?

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Yes. Bare root half. The worst half first. A year or two later, do the other half. The process is described in several posts around here, and on www.bonsaitonight.com

So I cleaned the trunk up a bit more to expose some of the lines but I'm at a point where I've hit the bonsai form of writers block. I'm debating about whether to do a single trunk with deadwood on the right or whether to stick with the twin trunk design. Any thoughts?

Tim.E said:

Any thoughts?

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First thought - It might make you anxious but cut no more this year. Clean the bark real well and Winter it.

The 3rd picture is where I would start at Spring repot - as is tip it far left in the pot. The foliage can be trimmed/wired later but I see a decent Semi Cascade about to happen.

Now there should be a lot more input from a lot of others and we could all be right or wrong... Just the way I see it as pictured - real life is often quite different.

Edit: I forgot to mention that cultivar is tolerant to Zone 3 but may require wind protection and mulching the first year. The reason I say that is many come from Southern growers and there is usually a origin sticker on the pot. If not ask the Nursery - if so just 1 Winter with moderate protection will acclimate it.

Grimmy

With twin trunks I always try to utilize both if they will mesh in the design I want, that way if something happens to one you still have the other, viseversa. Maybe draw up what you design you want to achieve in the end using both Options and post. I can invision something with either option.

Tim.E said:

Any thoughts

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Nice Snowblower!
Maybe we should have pics of our garages instead of zones in our profile!
Sho ain't Florida!

Of the tree.....
I wouldn't worry about much quite yet.

Looks like there is some heavy upward branching that needs to come off over time.
When that is gone, it may become more obvious.

Till then, I would move some of the limber branches, that will be able to be utilized in the final design, gently into more appropriate exit angles.

Smoke em if you got em.....
It a waiting game now!

Sorce

Update on this bad boy. Got way too much water in spring and started looking super ill, so I made an executive decision and repotted the rootball by gently teasing out the soil but I hardly removed any roots. This was growing in pure clay and sand and appeared to be literally dug out of the ground and plopped in a pot.

Needless to say, now that it's been in bonsai soil for a month and a half, the tree has greened up a TON and is starting to throw out some nice runners. I think it will be ready to work come next spring. What do you guys think?

Pictures are being buggy

Tim.E said:

What do you guys think?

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Looks like a healthy bush. Time to turn it into a tree.
CW

CWTurner said:

Looks like a healthy bush. Time to turn it into a tree.
CW

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Do you think I should work it this year or give it a full year after the mild repot to let it get super strong? My understanding was that I should leave any styling until next year?

Well made an executive decision and decided to make the lower trunk a jin. The tree has been growing VERY strongly and I am optimistic that it will recover just fine from this. I will do nothing more but water and fertilize this year.

Had to take off a small root and saw this much growth on it alone. This tree seems to be loving the new substrate

Tim, it sounds and looks like you did little root damage. The tree's very vigorous and I tend to pot up first from field soil and style the following yr. But since your this far, you can style, but you have to wait till the spring cambium hardens up. And think about tilting the tree towards the viewer/front by about 40-50 degrees and go from there. Just a thought. Good luck!