Selecting prebonsai

[alexander.jm]

Honestly. You’re in a good area, close to some places to get some quality material. Drive a little farther then homedepot and get some better stuff. You may spend a bit more $$, but personally I’ve stopped wasting time on small procumbens and blue rug junipers after getting some shimpaku. Fairfax is about an hour from Meehans.
Just my 2 cents take it for what it’s worth.
Oh, and no, don’t trunk chop a juniper.

Got it. I'll get to Meehans eventually - maybe around Thanksgiving when there's time. Meanwhile I can consider a quality shimpaku nearby for about $20-25 now that I've stocked up with a few cheaper junipers. Thank you for your advice. I won't chop.

 

[TN_Jim]

Hello. I was at the hardware store again tonight. I am thinking about trying to shape a mame/shohin sized tree. Two questions came up, at least.

The blue rug junipers seem a good choice. Their trunks are thick and lots of them have a cool cascade. Lots, however, have enough brown to be a little concerning.

The other question was that the junipers I bought are about 1-2 feet tall. Their main foliage begins much taller than a "small" bonsai/tree would. Some trees I understand you can cut at the trunk and they will bud again. But this is not true with junipers? Thank you.

My phone was at <5% otherwise I would have taken a photo.

Edit: (I think I've found part of my answer here. Sorry about that.)

Your drawing and dissipating phone battery brings joy... The big box $8 rugs are fun and doable. Here’s one from a couple of months ago (rugg’n) that looked like your depiction on the left. I tried to wire it super fast P. Chan influenced -went hardish bend, wound up dreaded S.. I’m ok with it, some merit. Did some root work before in terracotta bark chip. Will try to clean it up.

Overhead, sometimes blast watered fearing spider mites, bent it from original wired form along with natural growth

 

[alexander.jm]

Your drawing and dissipating phone battery brings joy... The big box $8 rugs are fun and doable. Here’s one from a couple of months ago (rugg’n) that looked like your depiction on the left. I tried to wire it super fast P. Chan influenced -went hardish bend, wound up dreaded S.. I’m ok with it, some merit. Did some root work before in terracotta bark chip. Will try to clean it up.

Overhead, sometimes blast watered fearing spider mites, bent it from original wired form along with natural growth
View attachment 263898

After a few seconds of posting that image I began to worry if I had just made a meme. But hopefully not. Your juniper is very reassuring. I do not have your know-how but it's an easy thing to have a few hopeful experiments running in that direction. Thank you.

 

[TN_Jim]

After a few seconds of posting that image I began to worry if I had just made a meme. But hopefully not. Your juniper is very reassuring. I do not have your know-how but it's an easy thing to have a few hopeful experiments running in that direction. Thank you.

you got your point across clear and easy, that’s merit not meme to me. mangle em’, rather than bigger material, those 1gallon junipers are great. I don’t know much here.
Bend it (or better twist) till one eventually breaks maybe, bend break back and seal it, do it again. They’re cloning and overwatering these in droves is my understanding

 

[alexander.jm]

you got your point across clear and easy, that’s merit not meme to me. mangle em’, rather than bigger material, those 1gallon junipers are great. I don’t know much here.
Bend it (or better twist) till one eventually breaks maybe, bend break back and seal it, do it again. They’re cloning and overwatering these in droves is my understanding

You mean to say slightly snap the trunk? Regardless I think I'll give at least one a try. If it ends up I can't shape it, at least I might learn about what makes them happy.

 

[TN_Jim]

You mean to say slightly snap the trunk? Regardless I think I'll give at least one a try. If it ends up I can't shape it, at least I might learn about what makes them happy.

sometimes it snaps or cracks and peels away from itself, not at all unsalvagable but certainly not ideal.....but feeling, hearing and generally sensitive to before that point, and thinking you did well then to see a branch die...trying to grasp the healthy realm before all that...
break, seal and bend (or such) may be something, but beyond my execution know how with true intent.

 

[alexander.jm]

sometimes it snaps or cracks and peels away from itself, not at all unsalvagable but certainly not ideal.....but feeling, hearing and generally sensitive to before that point, and thinking you did well then to see a branch die...trying to grasp the healthy realm before all that...
break, seal and bend (or such) may be something, but beyond my execution know how with true intent.

I think I can manage that threshold. Just need to pick the one with the most natural angle to start with. Appreciate everyone's guidance tonight. I'll round off the small collection and settle in to do my best this winter.

 

[TN_Jim]

rugg’n