Juniper Deadwood

[nurvbonsai]

greetings,

I’m set to take my first deadwood workshop tomorrow and this was the tree that i planned on bringing. Obviously the wire will have to come off, right? Is there any particular section you see benefiting from Shari / Jin / deadwood? Or anything concerning? Thanks

 

[Ruddigger]

I’d try to find a different tree for your workshop. Something a bit more substantial.

 

[nurvbonsai]

I’d try to find a different tree for your workshop. Something a bit more substantial.

I’m not sure I have one unfortunately. I’ve already signed up. What other trees other than juniper?

 

[nurvbonsai]

I’m not sure I have one unfortunately. I’ve already signed up. What other trees other than juniper?

 

[nurvbonsai]

Any of these?

 

[Dav4]

I assume you can bring more than one tree to a workshop, so why not bring your biggest 2-3 junipers.

 

[rockm]

Frankly I’d leave the tree at home. They are mostly too small and insubstantial to do much with. Not trying to be a jerk but putting a Jin on such small stock trees is not a great idea.

Just going and watching the class might be more instructive.

 

[Ruddigger]

Sometimes there will be trees at the workshop that you can practice on

 

[nurvbonsai]

Sometimes there will be trees at the workshop that you can practice on

They asked for us to bring our trees. I did a mentorship last year with some of these stocks so I hope it works out.

 

[Shibui]

I was surprised at how thick the bark is on most trees. Branches that appear a reasonable size end up as match sticks after bark is gone.

It is still possible to start shari on smaller trunks. Start with a thinner strip and continue to widen it every year or 2. Extra layers of wood each year give the final shari texture and interest.
I don't think you'll be able to create extensive dead wood on any of those trees, you will probably be able to practice some techniques while starting some dead wood that can develop as the trunks do.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I was surprised at how thick the bark is on most trees.

Me too. Sometimes a pencil thick branch gives me a pencil thickness minus one matchstick. Sometimes it's just the matchstick that's left.

However, I do have some jins on a spruce that are matchstick thick and they.. kind of work pretty well. Young branch grew, young branch died, new branch overgrew it.
Brittle and lost half of 'em already, but it is what I'm seeing resembled in the woodlands here.

 

[Shibui]

Brittle and lost half of 'em already, but it is what I'm seeing resembled in the woodlands here.

Thin jins often last such a short time it's hardly worth the effort to create them and the scars can't start healing until they are gone so need to consider what's important.

We have also debated whether smaller, thinner jins are appropriate. I believe the Japanese idea is that all aspects of the tree should look permanent, old or long lasting, but our native trees here also have many seasonal dead wood features that come and go with more new ones constantly created by the harsh conditions. It's what I'm used to seeing as a natural feature of trees so also something I tend to make on those species.
I'm more than happy to let people make their own minds up and do what they feel looks right.

 

[nurvbonsai]

What do
You think?

 

[Dav4]

Looks good, and that's how shari is created. The edges will callus over this coming year and the wound will almost close, but you'll rewound the edges again and over time, the shari will develop character.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

What do
You think?

It looks fine - very natural. However be aware that because of the youth of your material, that wound will likely heal over, versus remaining a shari.

If you haven't already taken the workshop (or for the future), there would be nothing wrong with bringing a big dead branch that you find in your backyard or in forest preserve (that is green and still has bark on it). That way you could practice your skills without feeling constrained by young trees - particularly if you aren't really interested in carving them at this point in their development. And when you are done you have a nice piece of driftwood or an artistic element for your garden

 

[nurvbonsai]

It looks fine - very natural. However be aware that because of the youth of your material, that wound will likely heal over, versus remaining a shari.

If you haven't already taken the workshop (or for the future), there would be nothing wrong with bringing a big dead branch that you find in your backyard or in forest preserve (that is green and still has bark on it). That way you could practice your skills without feeling constrained by young trees - particularly if you aren't really interested in carving them at this point in their development. And when you are done you have a nice piece of driftwood or an artistic element for your garden

I hope to one day have at least one older piece of material—whether that comes from developing it over time or investing in a more mature trunk. Much of my practice so far has been about getting over the idea that bonsai is a “finished object”, rather than a continuing, living process. Trees are passed along at different stages, and it’s unrealistic to think a tree raised by one person arrives fully formed without sustained work over time.

Through mentorship and guidance, I’ve also come to understand that much of the younger material I’ve worked with can be inherently limiting. Early-stage trees often confine design choices, requiring patience and long-term vision before real options open up.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I hope to one day have at least one older piece of material—whether that comes from developing it over time or investing in a more mature trunk.

It will come. Don't worry too much about it. You can have a great tree that is small... or a not so great tree that is large. And the reality is... it is harder to fix problems with big trees than small trees. It will take a while to develop your "eye" for bonsai - and your ability to discern what trees are (to you) worth your time, versus what trees are not.

Let me emphasize that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We had a small bonsai study group in Southern California and we used to get together and work on trees together. We would regularly trade trees back and forth - because we got tired of a tree, or didn't want to continue to work on it, or decided for one reason or other we just didn't like it any more. I came away with a number of trees I really liked - while my friends got rid of some trees they didn't