Big Twisted California Juniper

[thomas22]

I been meaning to start a thread on this tree for a while now. I inherited this tree from my dad who collected it about 30 years ago. He passed 9 years ago and I've been caring for it since then. It's really healthy now and I think its ready for a pot. I did a half bare root two years ago so I think it is a good time (around early March) to get it into a proper container.

I did some wiring on it in the spring just to open it up a little and there is a ton of back budding and new growth all over.

I will take more pics and post in the next few days. The other side is interesting also but I don't have a current pic.

 

[ihaveaspaceship]

That is amazing.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Beautiful. Wonderful.

 

[queenofsheba52]

What a great legacy from your Dad!

 

[mustt65]

beautiful tree with wonderful movement.

 

[Cajunrider]

Beautiful tree

 

[rockm]

Beautiful tree. Don't know how much experience you have with bonsai, collected trees and cali. juniper in particular, but you might want to get an experienced hand to help you out with this if you haven't done a repot on an older tree before. It's not that difficult, but collected trees often have roots that can be wonky and require some thinking through...

 

[thomas22]

Beautiful tree. Don't know how much experience you have with bonsai, collected trees and cali. juniper in particular, but you might want to get an experienced hand to help you out with this if you haven't done a repot on an older tree before. It's not that difficult, but collected trees often have roots that can be wonky and require some thinking through...

Good advice. I have changed the soil a few times on this one but my concern is fitting it into a shallower container. My plan is to have a deeper container ready for a backup plan. I'm not a club member so I don't really know any bonsai experts to help but I will have added muscle for the job. The health of the tree is absolutely the priority so I will proceed with that in mind.

 

[LanceMac10]

Tree is balls out nice, no doubt!!

Me on a repot? Have an large, semi-deep container on hand. And some wood blocks and such if this bad boy isn't quite stabile enough on it's own roots to maintain it's new planting angles.

This baby ain't no joke, you'll need the extra muscle, no doubt.

Only you will be able to tell once you get it all exposed. You did mention "changed soil", so you should have a good idea what the root pad will be like.

You've shared a lot of your other work before, I have faith!!!

Once again, this tree on my bench in a heartbeat. Swell!!!!

 

[thomas22]

Tree is balls out nice, no doubt!!

Me on a repot? Have an large, semi-deep container on hand. And some wood blocks and such if this bad boy isn't quite stabile enough on it's own roots to maintain it's new planting angles.

This baby ain't no joke, you'll need the extra muscle, no doubt.

Only you will be able to tell once you get it all exposed. You did mention "changed soil", so you should have a good idea what the root pad will be like.

You've shared a lot of your other work before, I have faith!!!

Once again, this tree on my bench in a heartbeat. Swell!!!!

Great post, thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Adair M]

Good advice. I have changed the soil a few times on this one but my concern is fitting it into a shallower container. My plan is to have a deeper container ready for a backup plan. I'm not a club member so I don't really know any bonsai experts to help but I will have added muscle for the job. The health of the tree is absolutely the priority so I will proceed with that in mind.

It’s times like these when it’s worth paying for “knowledge”, rather than just “muscle”.

In Southern California, there are lots of guys experienced with collected Cali Junipers. It would be foolish to attempt a proper repot of something like this if you don’t have a lot of experience.

Would you take your Ferrari to the local Jiffy Lube for a tune up?

Have several pots on hand. Some deep, some more shallow, wide, long, oval, rectangle. And if necessary, it’s not a bad idea to have a biz wooden box available, just in case. Also, various pieces of wood to prop it up in the pot.

The shape of the previous pot couldnt have been worse! You don’t want narrow and deep, you want shallow and wide. Far more stable! Which is why you need to be prepared!

In fact, it might not be a bad idea to be prepared to graft on more roots! Again, having an expert handy who can help with that is worth it! (That means having some rooted cuttings of juniper handy!)

And timing is important.

Good luck!

 

[thomas22]

It’s times like these when it’s worth paying for “knowledge”, rather than just “muscle”.

I agree

Have several pots on hand. Some deep, some more shallow, wide, long, oval, rectangle. And if necessary, it’s not a bad idea to have a biz wooden box available, just in case. Also, various pieces of wood to prop it up in the pot.

I cant afford or at least do not have wife permission to buy 5 giants pots. I will buy one pot that will probably be plenty big and in the event in doesn't fit I will have a deep wood box ready for it. I already did state that.

The shape of the previous pot couldnt have been worse! You don’t want narrow and deep, you want shallow and wide. Far more stable! Which is why you need to be prepared!

I agree and is the reason for putting into a pot.

In fact, it might not be a bad idea to be prepared to graft on more roots! Again, having an expert handy who can help with that is worth it! (That means having some rooted cuttings of juniper handy!)

Never heard of root grafting during a repot. Not saying its not done but I don't see this happening on my tree.
I do appreciate you comments but sometimes you go a bit overboard. But its all good.

 

[thomas22]

I found this pic from way back. Hard to see real good with the cluttered background but not much foliage on it back then.

 

[Adair M]

I didn’t say you had to buy 5 pots. Just have them on hand. You just buy the one you end up using!

It ain’t that hard: you go to the pot seller, show him the photo of the tree. Tell him you want to repot it, need a pot, but until you get in there, you have no idea what shape would best fit. Can you take several home “on approval”, and you will keep one and buy it, and return the others. He can have your credit card number in case you don’t return. I’m sure that if you tell him you’re working with <insert reputable bonsai master’s name here>, they’ll work with you.

Hmmm... if you don’t do a root graft during a repot, when would you do it? I mean, it’s essential to have access to the nebari to place the approach graft.

So, I’m going a bit overboard? Dude, you have a $10,000 tree. I’m trying to keep you from messin’ it up!

 

[Silentrunning]

I do appreciate you comments but sometimes you go a bit overboard. But its all good.

This tree is worth “going overboard”. @Adair M is kind of famous for giving good advice not mediocre advice. If I had a tree that fantastic I would do everything possible to move it forward health wise. Especially if my father gave it to me.

 

[thomas22]

I didn’t say you had to buy 5 pots. Just have them on hand. You just buy the one you end up using!

It ain’t that hard: you go to the pot seller, show him the photo of the tree. Tell him you want to repot it, need a pot, but until you get in there, you have no idea what shape would best fit. Can you take several home “on approval”, and you will keep one and buy it, and return the others. He can have your credit card number in case you don’t return. I’m sure that if you tell him you’re working with <insert reputable bonsai master’s name here>, they’ll work with you.

Hmmm... if you don’t do a root graft during a repot, when would you do it? I mean, it’s essential to have access to the nebari to place the approach graft.

So, I’m going a bit overboard? Dude, you have a $10,000 tree. I’m trying to keep you from messin’ it up!

That makes more sense with the pots now. Thanks.

 

[Cattwooduk]

Incredible tree!

 

[discusmike]

Sweeeeeet!!!

 

[thomas22]

I did a first styling on this tree. A couple of years ago I wired some branches and gave the trunk some movement but this was the first full styling. It was getting too bushy and much of the foliage was getting shaded out so I figured the best thing to do at this point was to do branch selection and wiring. I'm happy with it and it looks better in person than the pic but most trees do. You may notice a little photo shopping on the right which is just some foliage I left on the tree to thicken the jins but didn't look good in the pics.

 

[MHBonsai]

World class material right there.