Grey Owl Juniper - Gabes progress

WavyGaby

Chumono
Messages
502
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Location
Charlotte, North Carolina
USDA Zone
7b
Hello,

I got this Grey Owl pre bonsai from Bella Bonsai in November 2019. I wanted to work/learn and Larry, the owner, was kind enough to teach me his methods and pay me with trees. My first task the summer of 2019 was to trim and wire a batch of large grey owls like this. My hands were all beat up from working these guys but i enjoyed the process! After several days of work, I decided on this one. 20191130_131340_compress29.jpg
I trimmed it severely to try and find some direction. They tend to like severe cut backs. However, not much direction was found except this cool trunk line, haha
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In spring 2020, I downsized the pot. In August or Sept 2020, I cut back hard again and made some jin. I still wasn't satisfied with the shape but it kept going
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December 2021, I finally made some severe bends by literally breaking the upper main trunk sideways (on purpose) to get it near where I wanted. This is not a good angle of the bend as it's actually the straight part shown and rhe bend moves back. However, you can start to see some direction and the excess growth areas are gone.
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In April, I wired and trimmed again. I applied lime sulfer to the shari and jin over winter. I'm really liking the progress. They are tough as nails and the rule of no more than 1 assault per year doesn't seem to apply
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Here is is today after growing back from the trimming in April
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I have a guy wire rig to bring the upper part left. I'm excited to repot in a bonsai container in early spring 2023.

Let me know your thoughts and experiences with grey owl. I know the color is not traditional but it's really grown on me and I am proud of its progress. The sea foam like color pops out compared to other junipers which inthink makes it cool. The foliage is course but I think it can me managed.
 

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I like your work. Not many of these have been taken to being "finished" bonsai so I am looking forward to seeing yours progress.
I have several of these and like the way they work, so far.
Grey Guardian is a similar cultivar with a little tighter foliage.
 
I love the foliage color. Your tree looks great! I have some as well. I want to graft some of them with shimpaku.
 
I like your work. Not many of these have been taken to being "finished" bonsai so I am looking forward to seeing yours progress.
I have several of these and like the way they work, so far.
Grey Guardian is a similar cultivar with a little tighter foliage.
Thank you! I havent seen any refined ones either. I'll have to check that variety out bc I want more like it.
 
I love the foliage color. Your tree looks great! I have some as well. I want to graft some of them with shimpaku.
Thank you. The bark is quite nice too so that sounds like a good plan. The growth is way more vigorous than shimpaku so you should be able to develop the trunks faster.
 
I decided to trim and wire again. I brought the first branch down lower with a mkre refined fan. The apex Ive been growing out was big enough to pull forward and curl.
After the photo I realize that I need a branch in the apex to stick out left more to match the bottom.
I'm excited to repot in spring. I have a round handmade light colored pot a friend made that I am considering. Let me know what you think!
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My friend who is not into bonsai made this pot and gave it to me. I like the earthy tones, size and texture. I think it pairs well.
I lost some growth on the tip of the left upper part from breaking the branch when I wired. I should be able to fold over the apex and get it to fill in though.
I've probably taken this tree as far as I can solo. I might take it to a pro this year to get it to the next step.

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The top branch (apex) in the last photo was allowed to grow out towards the front using a guy wire. I used this branch to build the new lower and more rounded head of the tree. Two small back branches were wired up for the apex. The entire head was pulled down with guys in two locations. The slingshot shaped branch on the left was turned into a jin.
I think it will look a lot better once it fills out and hides the upper thick portion of the trunk.
Some of the grey bark flaked off and that's why some of the trunk is red and some is grey. I suppose I should choose the grey flakey look or the reddish color and stick with it.
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The top branch (apex) in the last photo was allowed to grow out towards the front using a guy wire. I used this branch to build the new lower and more rounded head of the tree. Two small back branches were wired up for the apex. The entire head was pulled down with guys in two locations. The slingshot shaped branch on the left was turned into a jin.
I think it will look a lot better once it fills out and hides the upper thick portion of the trunk.
Some of the grey bark flaked off and that's why some of the trunk is red and some is grey. I suppose I should choose the grey flakey look or the reddish color and stick with it.
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Shaping up nicely!
 
Very nice progression Gabe! This tree is already looking great and it’s just going to keep getting better and better.
 
It's always cool to see a tree go from raw to a "bonsai" status! Love it
 
This is really cool. The initial direction you took from raw(ish) material to bending/breaking that branch seemed to add a lot to the tree in a short time.
I always enjoy seeing these sort of progressions.
Thanks
 
Thank you! When I look back at how much I cut in August, I was pretty surprised myself. I hate losing a tree. It was one of those things that I just kept thinking, nope, don't need that, don't need this, etc until I had very little little left. Deciduous are built with big chops, too and it's something I try to keep remembering for the development of my stock.
 
I forgot to update this one. It was knocked off the bench during Helene and the pot broke. I did a fall repot into a glazed oval by C.Mora. I know, no glazed with conifers, but this was what I had that fit and I think the color and shape pairs nicely with the greyish foliage.

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