saucyintruder
Sapling
I just styled my five-year-old spruce, which grew in my garden, and an older blue rug juniper that I purchased as nursery stock. What do you think? Also, any idea how old my juniper might be?
Critique my young bonsai!
- Thread starter saucyintruder
- Start date
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Less branches, more movement...
Keep it up! You'll only improve!
Keep it up! You'll only improve!
saucyintruder
Sapling
Thank you! Do you think my juniper will be ok even though I bare-rooted about 80% before re-potting? I just learned that you’re not supposed to bare-root junipers:/
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
I think the spruce can lose a few branches. For example: Just at the center, I see 3 branches coming from one node. That will eventually form a knuckle. Less than in pines, but still. More open space would most likely cause more backbuds to pop, which will help you get the foliage closer to the trunk. Design wise, it's a work far from done of course. Maybe this is the best time to create a more vivid bend in the trunk. In a few years, that'll be impossible.
The juniper is looking good, but the apex looks like it just came out of bed. The bottom looks pretty refined. I can't say anything about it's age. But judging from my 1 year old seedlings, I'd say this is 7 years old or so. But most likely, it was a cutting.
The juniper is looking good, but the apex looks like it just came out of bed. The bottom looks pretty refined. I can't say anything about it's age. But judging from my 1 year old seedlings, I'd say this is 7 years old or so. But most likely, it was a cutting.
Rid
Shohin
The spruce looks too flat / 2 dimensional in the pic.
Saddler
Chumono
Did you both repot and wire the juniper this year? I have not had the best luck with repotting and wiring in the same year. At best I lost all the branches I wires, at worst, the whole tree.
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Wouldn't touch it again this year, needs rest.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Keep it out of direct sun until it starts showing new growth. Don't do anything else to it this year - and particularly don't prune it right now (though it needs pruning).
Also, when thinking about your tree design, it is not a bad idea to look at pictures of old trees in nature. For example, here is a picture of an old spruce - what would you do with your tree to make it look more like this?
saucyintruder
Sapling
Damn I hope it doesn’t die. I pruned the roots and branches and wired some branches. Do you think I should take the wires off now, or wait two/three weeks and then re-do them, or just cut them off in two weeks?
saucyintruder
Sapling
Should I take the wires off or just leave them for now?
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Just leave them. With the recent repotting, it is likely the juniper will pause before pushing any major new growth. You won't need to replace or remove the wire until the tree branches start to thicken and the wire starts to bite in - which likely won't be until next year. But keep an eye on it. Your juniper may respond differently and may skip through your repot without missing a beat. Each tree is slightly different in how they respond to work.
saucyintruder
Sapling
Thank you so much for the advice!
saucyintruder
Sapling
Ok guys thanks for all your help, I couldn’t help myself I actually took the wires off just to be safe
Clicio
Masterpiece
You were advised not to touch it again, which is a very good suggestion, but...Ok guys thanks for all your help, I couldn’t help myself I actually took the wires off just to be safe
You didn't.
Now wouldn't it be safer if you paid attention to other trees, leaving this guy alone doing its own thing for a while?
saucyintruder
Sapling
Ok I left out the fact that I didn’t use adequate wire? It was leaving marks on the bark. Edit: it had to come off.
saucyintruder
Sapling
I’ll never do it again I promise! Don’t shun me?
my nellie
Masterpiece
If you have used the wire cutter and cut the wire in pieces in order to remove, it's good. But if you just unwound the wire off the branches, then... more stress added to the tree...... ... I actually took the wires off just to be safe
AlainK
Imperial Masterpiece
There's something in both of them, they could improve with proper care. I hope the juniper recovers, it's a good lmearning material.
What did you use for potting medium?
What did you use for potting medium?
TN_Jim
Omono
TN_Jim
Omono
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