New little juniper ROR

[James W.]

I picked up some 2qt junipers off the 1/2 price rack at Lowes. Blue Rug and Old Gold.
I intend to make root over rock with them.
The question is: what work should I do to them right now in October?
Remove unwanted branches?
Plant over the rocks?
Repot?
Slip pot up?
Just fertilize and water until March?

 

[hemmy]

That depends on your aftercare and how you are wintering them.

If outside, protected from wind and mulched around containers. Then I wouldn’t root prune, branch prune or wire. You might be able to slip pot them to a larger container if necessary since you have 4 weeks before a freeze according to weather.com

If I had a cold frame, I would prune and wire but save heavy root work for spring.

But full disclosure, I only went through one KS winter with pre-Bonsai and am deathly afraid to return to Midwest winters!

 

[hemmy]

@Stickroot should have similar weather, maybe he can weigh in on his fall juniper and conifer work and overwintering. I think there is also a bonsai club in Wichita that meets monthly.

 

[James W.]

Winter care is just out of the wind and occasional watering. Winters aren't too bad here, we'll see maybe a week with temps down below zero (F) at nights. Our summers are much harder on bonsai.