New Juniper

YaBoyMyth

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Just got this juniper for my birthday! I’m pretty sure it’s a procumben. Any suggestions for future styling. Looks set up for cascade or semi cascade but as I’m a newb I heard those styles are a little harder to work with so maybe something else? Also does this need a repot? Soil seems alright and not too compacted, but there is almost no room for the roots. The right side of pot is for like a decorative pond.
 

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Alcaviator

Sapling
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Yes that is a procumbens nana. I would for now just let it grow and wait for the plant to get bigger it is still going to be flexible for a while. If you think it's root bound I would just slip pot it to something bigger. I wouldnt do much work to it until late in the winter next season. I would recommend a 1:1:1:1 mix of Kiryu, Akadama, pumice & lava.
 

Arnold

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The thing with those pots is that they have a very small space for soil, so not the best for growing specially if you are beginer
 

Shibui

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Agree it is likely to be J.procumbens 'Nana'. Very common for mass produced mallsai like this.
It is unlikely the tree NEEDS a repot at this stage. We grow trees in very small pots and this is a very small tree so should be OK for a few years.... however I also agree with @Arnold that smaller pots are difficult for beginners. Takes time to learn all about watering to keep such small amount of soil just right. Must be millions of these pots empty after the tree has died.
A larger pot will give you insurance against death from dehydration. It will also give the tree a chance to grow - see below.
There is no correct answer just several possibilities so the choice will be yours.

The little tree is just a very young cutting grown juniper. Probably only a year old now so it has a lot ahead of it.
I would not bother to try to style something this young as there will be big changes as it grows.
Yes, it has semi-cascade shape now but that can be changed to almost anything with a single wire.

You have the choice to leave as is and enjoy your little mallsai and try to keep it alive and work slowly as it develops slowly in the small pot or you can use the tree to work toward a more tree like bonsai some time in the future by transferring into a larger grow pot so the trunk will thicken quicker and develop branches you can then style a tree shape with.
 

YaBoyMyth

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Agree it is likely to be J.procumbens 'Nana'. Very common for mass produced mallsai like this.
It is unlikely the tree NEEDS a repot at this stage. We grow trees in very small pots and this is a very small tree so should be OK for a few years.... however I also agree with @Arnold that smaller pots are difficult for beginners. Takes time to learn all about watering to keep such small amount of soil just right. Must be millions of these pots empty after the tree has died.
A larger pot will give you insurance against death from dehydration. It will also give the tree a chance to grow - see below.
There is no correct answer just several possibilities so the choice will be yours.

The little tree is just a very young cutting grown juniper. Probably only a year old now so it has a lot ahead of it.
I would not bother to try to style something this young as there will be big changes as it grows.
Yes, it has semi-cascade shape now but that can be changed to almost anything with a single wire.

You have the choice to leave as is and enjoy your little mallsai and try to keep it alive and work slowly as it develops slowly in the small pot or you can use the tree to work toward a more tree like bonsai some time in the future by transferring into a larger grow pot so the trunk will thicken quicker and develop branches you can then style a tree shape with.
Thank you! Yes I definitely want to grow it bigger. When is the best time for a repot with a juniper?
 

Shibui

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I repot junipers right through spring. Should still be OK in CA.
Even less critical as you won't be reducing the roots much when potting up into a larger container.
 

YaBoyMyth

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I repot junipers right through spring. Should still be OK in CA.
Even less critical as you won't be reducing the roots much when potting up into a larger container.
Sounds good. What’s the best type of pot for growth with juniper? I’ve heard colanders for JBP but not sure with juniper
 

Shibui

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I'm sure that junipers will grow will in many different containers and different growers will probably offer different opinions.
Junipers don't seem to do really well in very open containers at my place. They do appreciate good drainage but don't seem to do well when dry so I don't use colanders down here for any species because they dry out far too quick. Plastic nursery pots work well for me and I prefer the shallower 'squat' pots for convenience and stability on the bench.
 

YaBoyMyth

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I'm sure that junipers will grow will in many different containers and different growers will probably offer different opinions.
Junipers don't seem to do really well in very open containers at my place. They do appreciate good drainage but don't seem to do well when dry so I don't use colanders down here for any species because they dry out far too quick. Plastic nursery pots work well for me and I prefer the shallower 'squat' pots for convenience and stability on the bench.
Ok sounds good I’ll go order some right now and repot when it gets here. Lava stone pumice and akadama works good?
 
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