Foliage removal on first styling

[Jrmcmich]

Probably should have asked before starting as I have read newbies don’t do that but just wondering how much foliage is safe to remove from a shimpaku junioer? This had tons of shoots to start with. Just wondering as seems lots needs removed to even style. Pot diameter is about 12-14” for reference

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Id air layer whatever you dont want off that. You can probably get a good 4 or 5 trees from it.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I try to stick to a maximum of 40% of all the foliage. You can safely remove up to 80% but the recovery will take a decade, so it kind of depends on what you'd call safe.
40% max is my aim for a speedy bounce back.
If you can, try to wire it before removing anything. You might make different choices on what to keep after you put some wire on it. I found it makes branch selection a systematic approach instead of a 'yeah this could be right' kind of thing.

 

[leatherback]

I am with @Wires_Guy_wires , trying to stick to about half of the foliage
BUT!

Foliage Is Not Foliage!

It is important to realize that the growing tips are important. Pruning typically removes the strongest parts ot the plant leaving the weaker parts. It can be beneficial to leave some of the well growing secondaries in place and prune them at a later stage. In other words: You can to a primary staing now where you wire the main structural branches and remove those that you do not need. In spring, you prune back further and do wiring on secundary and possibly tertiary branches.

Or you just do a full styling and wait for it to pick up steam again

 

[Shibui]

I often take a bit more than half the foliage off junipers in a single session. Up to 75% seems to be OK and I have not experienced any taking a decade to recover.
There is a good chance of triggering juvenile foliage regrowth after heavy pruning but that does not really matter as it will be quite a few years from any heavy pruning and display.
Also endorse leaving growing tips where possible as they seem to help with recovery. Where possible, remove entire unwanted branches/trunks and leave desirable branches with more foliage rather than shortening everything.
It is not necessary to wait an entire year before a second reduction. A second session is possible when new shoots have started growing again.

 

[leatherback]

taking a decade to recover

I took that as tongue in cheek. 5 years recovery however I have experienced (but.. Your sun intensity is different from what we get here ). And I clearly mismanaged the tree afterwards.

Thread 'Ittoigawa juniper'

Sep 5, 2020

This juniper has been with me a reasonable amount of time, and is sort of my ittoigawa teacher.

I bought it from someone in the UK, who had it from a batch of trees imported from Japan. As he himself was moving abroad, he was selling his stock. I was planning attending a big weekend-long workshop in the UK, so a perfect match.

As advertised in 2011 (!) this must have been the second tree I ever bought for bonsai

• leatherback
• Replies: 20
• Forum: Junipers

• 

Which reminds me to do some work on that tree again.

to wait an entire year before a second reduction

Spring here is half a growing season away

 

[Jrmcmich]

I took that as tongue in cheek. 5 years recovery however I have experienced (but.. Your sun intensity is different from what we get here ). And I clearly mismanaged the tree afterwards.

Thread 'Ittoigawa juniper'

Sep 5, 2020

This juniper has been with me a reasonable amount of time, and is sort of my ittoigawa teacher.

I bought it from someone in the UK, who had it from a batch of trees imported from Japan. As he himself was moving abroad, he was selling his stock. I was planning attending a big weekend-long workshop in the UK, so a perfect match.

As advertised in 2011 (!) this must have been the second tree I ever bought for bonsai

• leatherback
• Replies: 20
• Forum: Junipers

• 

Which reminds me to do some work on that tree again.


Spring here is half a growing season away

Cool tree jelle I saw this thread earlier. Like the movement.

 

[Jrmcmich]

Thanks for replies. I actually started with deadwood side first and then did wiring secondly after attempting my best at cleaning it out first. I still have to wire some things today but did do mostly an initial style. Afterwards saw a video of keeping live vein viewable from both sides of deadwood from front so would have adjusted that some in hindsight but didn’t know that at time. I have not trimmed any tips on what I kept as I wanted to keep as much as possible knowing needed for recovery. I also Plan to wire up another section that could become deadwood but not decided yet. I can Post pictures and get grilled tonight . Honestly do appreciate feedback and learning

 

[Jrmcmich]

So did promise an update after completed. Not sure greatest but did learn a bending technique with rafia and a wire as backer that I saw on Maria you tube video. I will eventually cut more back but tried to leave foliage on bends long as I did remove probably 50-60% including deadwood side. So hard to take good pictures to get perspective.

 

[Jrmcmich]

Eventually after recovering as long as I didnt Kill it will reduce by blue lines

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Well at least you didn’t repot it and prune the roots!

 

[Jrmcmich]

Well at least you didn’t repot it and prune the roots!

Haha no definitely not right time of year for that!