First Juniper (Itoigawa)

[Japonicus]

Absolutely beautiful equal distribution of growth.
However

I noticed a good amount of the new growth since I last worked on it is juvenile

I've read Itoigawa is prone to such fits more so than Kishu when thinning and pruning here on BN.
I only have Kishu and have had no such fits thrown with same reductions as you've done.
Perhaps Kishu should be developed slower?

Be loyal, to remove all moss and lichen from the trunk and branches as it travels up or it will rot the wood starting with the bark 1st.
I would remove what's about the surface too personally. It will be back. But in doing so will give good breath to the crown.
Just refresh the top with something inorganic if you do.
Nice shinpaku, I like it a lot!

 

[Japonicus]

Whoops, correction
I meant perhaps Itoigawa should be developed slower not Kishu as I had said erroneously.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nice tree. I for one encourage letting the tree run, grow out, with only one or two pruning sessions per year. But my growing seasons are shorter than yours, you probably can get away with 3 pruning sessions per year. But especially younger trees, need to be allowed to grow as you are developing them. This is the only way to thicken the trunk. I disagree with the post about pruning more frequently. Trees in development need to grow, or the trunk does not grow.

Second. The "bonsai convention" is the trunk should lean toward the viewer. The photos may be deceiving my eye, but it looks like your trunk initially move back, then upwards and only higher up the tree moves forward. I would seriously look at the back of your tree and consider making it the front. Take a photo from the back. Do a test "tilt" prop the tree up to check different planting angles. I think you will find the back is as good or better than your current front. But I am going from 2 d photos. I could be wrong. Take a serious look though.

Consider turning it from 180 degrees from here.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I mean this view should be the back view

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

My depth perception is off, but I think you need to rotate your tree around, there is a better front in there, and the first length of trunk should either come toward the viewer, or to one side or the other, but not backward. At least that's my idea. It is up to you. But I do think a better front is in there.

 

[Bricker918]

My depth perception is off, but I think you need to rotate your tree around, there is a better front in there, and the first length of trunk should either come toward the viewer, or to one side or the other, but not backward. At least that's my idea. It is up to you. But I do think a better front is in there.

You’re right. It starts off moving towards you but quickly moves to the right and slightly to the back. I currently have it turned around on my bench, and I agree do like the look of it! I’ve only pruned it once in the year I’ve had it, but I do plan on letting it grow out before cutting back. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Bricker918]

You’re right. It starts off moving towards you but quickly moves to the right and slightly to the back. I currently have it turned around on my bench, and I agree do like the look of it! I’ve only pruned it once in the year I’ve had it, but I do plan on letting it grow out before cutting back. Thanks for the recommendation!

Correction: I have pruned it twice.
You’re right. It starts off moving towards you but quickly moves to the right and slightly to the back. I currently have it turned around on my bench, and I agree do like the look of it! I’ve only pruned it once in the year I’ve had it, but I do plan on letting it grow out before cutting back. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[leatherback]

Nice to see it come through its first summer on your benches so well!

 

[Bricker918]

Update! Been busy with a new job so haven't had time for much.
I took the wire off and pruned some of the few longer shoots this summer that weren’t juvenile. But am now thinking I should have left them. I seem to be dealing with more juvenile foliage where I trimmed, but not every spot. It is pushing more mature foliage on the tips that didn’t push long shoots/didn’t trim. Other than that I’ve just watered it and put 1 pellet of bio gold on it last spring. The foliage is getting leggy with not many signs of new growth on the interior due to my light/lack of pruning.

I know itoiwaga is sensitive to just about everything, so I’m a little unsure of what my next steps/course of action should beThis spring, should I keep letting it grow? I’m hesitant to thin the foliage since I’ve had so much juvenile, but I know I need to let more light into the interior.

 

[chicago1980]

Update! Been busy with a new job so haven't had time for much.
View attachment 411608I took the wire off and pruned some of the few longer shoots this summer that weren’t juvenile. But am now thinking I should have left them. I seem to be dealing with more juvenile foliage where I trimmed, but not every spot. It is pushing more mature foliage on the tips that didn’t push long shoots/didn’t trim. Other than that I’ve just watered it and put 1 pellet of bio gold on it last spring. The foliage is getting leggy with not many signs of new growth on the interior due to my light/lack of pruning.

I know itoiwaga is sensitive to just about everything, so I’m a little unsure of what my next steps/course of action should beThis spring, should I keep letting it grow? I’m hesitant to thin the foliage since I’ve had so much juvenile, but I know I need to let more light into the interior.

More fertilizer and no more trimming.
That is a lot of juvenile foliage. Tree seems to need to recover or more sun.

 

[Yamabudoudanshi]

I know there is a lot of theory on the whole juvinile foliage thing... but...
according to most growers here, it's not a response to light, or fertilizing and does not mean it's weak, but simply a response to hard pruning.

It is supposedly a genetic defence to the tree's main predators - vicious deer. Deer munch yummy scale foliage - juniper responds by suiting up with spikey ouchy foliage - deer returns for another snack - deer gets ouchy mouth - doesn't eat juniper any more. - At least that's the story that all the old men tell.

I've seen itoigawa that are entirely spiky and still growing super vigerously, so maybe there's some truth to this.

So, I guess, don't take it personally? Haha.

Nice tree by the way. Nice dense growth for itoigawa. Some tend to be a little more lanky than yours.

 

[leatherback]

Update! Been busy with a new job so haven't had time for much.
View attachment 411608I took the wire off and pruned some of the few longer shoots this summer that weren’t juvenile. But am now thinking I should have left them. I seem to be dealing with more juvenile foliage where I trimmed, but not every spot. It is pushing more mature foliage on the tips that didn’t push long shoots/didn’t trim. Other than that I’ve just watered it and put 1 pellet of bio gold on it last spring. The foliage is getting leggy with not many signs of new growth on the interior due to my light/lack of pruning.

I know itoiwaga is sensitive to just about everything, so I’m a little unsure of what my next steps/course of action should beThis spring, should I keep letting it grow? I’m hesitant to thin the foliage since I’ve had so much juvenile, but I know I need to let more light into the interior.

Remove weak foliage hanging down. Then just let the runners shoot out for maybe 3-4 inches and clip back the runner up to the brown of the branch. that should give you loads of sprouts inside the canopy, giving you room to slowly bring back foliage.

For some insights, as I had similar challenges: take a read through this thread of mine: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ittoigawa-juniper.45784/

It is supposedly a genetic defence to the tree's main predators - vicious deer. Deer munch yummy scale foliage - juniper responds by suiting up with spikey ouchy foliage - deer returns for another snack - deer gets ouchy mouth - doesn't eat juniper any more. - At least that's the story that all the old men tell.

I prefer to think about it as increasing photosynthetic suface area..
But yeah, response to bruning, agreed.

 

[Jerry]

A friend decided not to take up bonsai, so he gave me this potted juniper. I'm kind of weak on pruning and sculpting. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do with this tree? I tried some wiring, but it just doesn't look right.

 

[Bricker918]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I’ll going to try and move it into a spot with more sunlight, it gets about 4-5 hours where it currently is. Because of how the building shades my patio and benches, I might be able to get an extra hour but not much more unfortunately.

This spring/summer I’ll fertilize and not touch it and see how it does like what @chicago1980 suggests. If it seems to be bouncing back and growing all scale foliage I’ll do what @leatherback said and trim the runners back to the brown of the branch.

@Jerry you’re going to want to start your own thread for your juniper. You’ll get more responses than if you post your stuff on someone else’s thread. But I’d recommend letting it grow for a few years before you worry too much about wiring and designing. But definitely keep the smaller growth near the trunk on the branches grow out, those are what you’re going to want to use as branching in the future.

 

[Jerry]

Thanks for the advice. Kinda new to forums. But I get it. I'll do better next time.