Does this JBP mallsai have potential?

[drip]

New to bonsai, bought this in case my juniper died (repotted out of season about 3 weeks ago oops, rotten roots at the bottom cut off due to no drainage holes, new growth so I assume he’s safe). Didn’t realize that this trunk shape is not suitable for long term, can I still make it into something down the line or should I just give it to a friend? Getting a lot of mixed information about if I should decandle it or leave it so i don’t even know anymore. JBP seems like an advanced tree, not sure why ppl mention it for beginners…

 

[roberthu]

Yes but you are looking at 5 years before you can do much with it. If you are committed, put it in a colander next spring and fertilize heavily. You should see exciting development every year if you handle it correctly. Young JBP is exciting to grow for sure.

 

[rockm]

The first order of business is to learn how to care for it. Watering is a very hard thing to learn as your juniper is finding out. Simply keep this tree and the juniper alive for at least a year. Don’t do anything else. Forget designs wiring candling pinching etc. all those are future skills to learn. You can’t do any of the. In a dead or weakened tree.

 

[drip]

The first order of business is to learn how to care for it. Watering is a very hard thing to learn as your juniper is finding out. Simply keep this tree and the juniper alive for at least a year. Don’t do anything else. Forget designs wiring candling pinching etc. all those are future skills to learn. You can’t do any of the. In a dead or weakened tree.

Good idea, thank u master

 

[rockm]

Good idea, thank u master

From experience I know it is VERY hard not to “do something” with your tree when you’re first starting out. It is hard to learn that bonsai is mostly a practice of “benign neglect” allowing the tree to grow by meeting its needs but also understanding when you need to actually do stuff.

Most first bonsai are killed by their owners over caring for them (they also die because of neglect as well but the temptation to water mist prune etc is very strong

People just start doing stuff and not thinking or learning about the tree they have. It can take a while to “get it”

 

[BrightsideB]

Still looks small enough you can add some more random movement to that trunk so it’s not so fluid and symmetrical. Not during summer though if you can help it.

 

[Wulfskaar]

From experience I know it is VERY hard not to “do something” with your tree when you’re first starting out. It is hard to learn that bonsai is mostly a practice of “benign neglect” allowing the tree to grow by meeting its needs but also understanding when you need to actually do stuff.

Most first bonsai are killed by their owners over caring for them (they also die because of neglect as well but the temptation to water mist prune etc is very strong

People just start doing stuff and not thinking or learning about the tree they have. It can take a while to “get it”

The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know.