Help with new specimens: Parsoni Juniper, Japanese Boxwood, White Indian Hawthorn

[colinrsmith]

Hey everyone, I have just picked up three new specimens to work with:

1. Parsoni Juniper - 2 gallon container
-this tree caught my eye, and was also the only 2 gallon Juniper they have available.
-Upon closer inspection, this seems to be two tree specimens planted in one container.




2. Japanese Boxwood - 2 gallon container
-this tree seems really healthy, with lots of small, well formed leaves






3. White Indian Hawthorn - 2 gallon container
-This one seemed to have a good looking trunk.


For each of the trees, I am wondering if anyone has any general ideas on
1. When should I repot? Within how long must I repot them? Where is a good place to buy
bonsai pots?
2. What is an appropriate time to begin some light pruning?
3. How long should I wait before doing any sort of shaping?
4. Any soil advice or formulas?

Thanks for everything! FWIW, I live in Orlando, FL, and plan to keep them on a screened patio for the time being.

kind Regards,
Colin

 

[colinrsmith]

Parsoni Juniper:




Boxwood:

 

[JudyB]

Colinrsmith, you are asking a books worth of questions in one small thread!!!
While it's not wrong to buy material as you go along, it's another thing to buy material without knowing what to do with it once you have it. Please take a deep breath, and start to study the horticulture of bonsai. The trees will still be there when you are ready.

First off, most trees have a best potting time, for most it's just before bud break in early spring. I guess most of these are beyond that point. You could kill them if you just start chopping away at them at the wrong time of year. If you want to get more growth on them, and more girth on the trunk, you could for sure put them in the ground. I don't know that I'd do a lot of root work, but you could do some.

As far as styling, you will have to find the tree within the tree, and let that guide the style. Or learn how to make the tree into your chosen vision, which is harder, and will take no small skill. But for now, I would learn more about timing and what doing things at certain times (like pruning, or chopping) does to the tree. And each tree may respond differently. Some backbud like crazy, some not at all, so you really need to know each tree. Do look for a good book to read about these things. You'll have plenty of time to style....

For soil, that is based on where you live, your watering habits, what tree it is, and what is available locally. I would suggest you search for soil threads here, there are plenty, and plenty of opinions on what to use.

I would suggest Deborah Koreshoff's book "Bonsai" to start. Lots of good info in there.

Happy reading!

 

[colinrsmith]

Colinrsmith, you are asking a books worth of questions in one small thread!!!
While it's not wrong to buy material as you go along, it's another thing to buy material without knowing what to do with it once you have it. Please take a deep breath, and start to study the horticulture of bonsai. The trees will still be there when you are ready.

First off, most trees have a best potting time, for most it's just before bud break in early spring. I guess most of these are beyond that point. You could kill them if you just start chopping away at them at the wrong time of year. If you want to get more growth on them, and more girth on the trunk, you could for sure put them in the ground. I don't know that I'd do a lot of root work, but you could do some.

As far as styling, you will have to find the tree within the tree, and let that guide the style. Or learn how to make the tree into your chosen vision, which is harder, and will take no small skill. But for now, I would learn more about timing and what doing things at certain times (like pruning, or chopping) does to the tree. And each tree may respond differently. Some backbud like crazy, some not at all, so you really need to know each tree. Do look for a good book to read about these things. You'll have plenty of time to style....

For soil, that is based on where you live, your watering habits, what tree it is, and what is available locally. I would suggest you search for soil threads here, there are plenty, and plenty of opinions on what to use.

I would suggest Deborah Koreshoff's book "Bonsai" to start. Lots of good info in there.

Happy reading!

Thanks for your concern and suggestions. FWIW, each tree was only $10, and some of us can only read so much before it is beneficial to move on to trial and error.

After some more thought, I think I will keep them in their current containers for the time being, and study them for a bit to decide what I want to do. Thanks again.

 

[jk_lewis]

Boy, of all the forums I belong to this one is by far the slowest and tonight!!!!!!!


Anyway of the trees you bought:

1. The Parsons juniper is, generally speaking, one of the more difficult junipers to turn into bonsai. That is because of the foliage which tends to be long and stringy and always on the cusp of being either juvenile or adult. For experts only.

2. The box wood is a very good species for bonsai. You seem to have B. mycrophylla, which is the most common form. Generally, people work on wide, spreading trees that are reminiscent of old oaks.

3. I've never worked with Indian Hawthorn and can't recall seeing any good bonsai of it, either, so I can't advise.

 

[colinrsmith]

Photo update

Juniper Parsoni:


Boxwood:



White Indian Hawthorn:


I've done some moderate pruning with the intent to promote stronger trunk growth. For the Juniper and Boxwood I made sure to leave a sacrifice branch low on each trunk; this was not really possible for the Indian Hawthorn. I included little statute in the picture for size reference; the statue is 2 inches tall.

 

[Eric Group]

Boy, of all the forums I belong to this one is by far the slowest and tonight!!!!!!!


Anyway of the trees you bought:

1. The Parsons juniper is, generally speaking, one of the more difficult junipers to turn into bonsai. That is because of the foliage which tends to be long and stringy and always on the cusp of being either juvenile or adult. For experts only.

2. The box wood is a very good species for bonsai. You seem to have B. mycrophylla, which is the most common form. Generally, people work on wide, spreading trees that are reminiscent of old oaks.

3. I've never worked with Indian Hawthorn and can't recall seeing any good bonsai of it, either, so I can't advise.

I ha e never seen much except shrubs from the Hawthorn either... I kind of disagree about the Parsons Juniper though. I have owned a couple, and just recently found a nice one at a local nursery that I think could turn into something. They are some of the best upright growing Junipers you will find easily at most nurseries and they tend to have very mature, thick trunks for the price you can get them for! From that angle they are great! The foliage is a little more difficult to work with, that is true. You get immature and mature grow on the same tree frequently.. Sometimes on the same branch! Usually the immature growth is really spiked and sharp, but it seems to originate around area where there was recently a big cut back on hard wood. The scaly foliage develops pretty quick normally, and looks good if you keep it under control. They are perhaps a bit more challenge to get a perfect look than say a Shimpaku, but they at e much less expensive and more readily available it seems which makes them great stock for newbies!

As for the OP- nothing at all wrong with buying some plants from Lowes/ Home Depot and experimenting on your own to learn techniques! Rule one though is learn how not to kill the trees! Training like you did should be fine, just not remove TOO much foliage, and I wouldn't recommend a repot for any of those trees right away unless you are just going to a larger pot or In The ground for growth.

Good luck!

A few tips on the Juniper- get some wire! Remove pretty much all branches pointing straight down to "clean it up" a bit (when working an informal upright style, obviously a cascade or Literati this may not apply) Try to develop a goal in your kind of what you want the tree to look like in the future before styling it... I am sure you will enjoy this "hobby", but don't get carried away too early, and don't wind up with too many trees to care for like I did about 10 years ago!