Shohin Juniper Semi Cascade

[Anonymous User]

Here's a small juniper, 4 inches wide, that I have been playing with. It had a rough winter but is starting to recover thankfully. I most likely will eventually remove the top foliage and leave just the Bottom. I am attampting to carry the motion of the unusal roots out through the tree.



Will

 

[Tachigi]

Will if and when you get the chance could you do a closer pic of the nebari. It looks very interesting in the first picture but can't quite make out the detail.

 

[Chris Johnston]

In my opinion, if you remove the upper branch and/or foliage, you will turn what could be a very nice two-line shohin into a less-than average cascade. All this tree needs is a little wire and pruning to induce back budding when it's stronger.

 

[AlainK]

My advice?

Try and keep the tree alive, do nothing else for now, let it recover, it needs massive growth, let it grow, don't trim it, don't wire it, just let it grow. After a year or so, if it lives, then start practicing pinching, pruning, wiring, slowly, watch how the species reacts, learn.



Just kidding .

For a beginner, I would have found encouraging words, but since you are not, I'd say OK, the roots are twisted, but it looks as if it had two trunks and that each has a life of its own. I would select one, and cut the other one, you don't need two trunks in a cascade, do you?

After all, maybe letting it grow for a couple of years wouldn't be a bad options, the selection of the best trunk line would be easier I think.

 

[irene_b]

My advice?

Try and keep the tree alive, do nothing else for now, let it recover, it needs massive growth, let it grow, don't trim it, don't wire it, just let it grow. After a year or so, if it lives, then start practicing pinching, pruning, wiring, slowly, watch how the species reacts, learn.



Just kidding .

For a beginner, I would have found encouraging words, but since you are not, I'd say OK, the roots are twisted, but it looks as if it had two trunks and that each has a life of its own. I would select one, and cut the other one, you don't need two trunks in a cascade, do you?

After all, maybe letting it grow for a couple of years wouldn't be a bad options, the selection of the best trunk line would be easier I think.

Alain,
be nice.
MOM

 

[BONSAI_OUTLAW]

I thought it was decent advice Irene. Will Heath is a big boy and can take it.

 

[Anonymous User]

Errrrrrrr, trust me, I am quite capable of defending myself if need be, there is no need here. My actual mother certainly didn't fight for me when I was young, I have no intention of allowing anyone else to do so now.

This very small Juniper was cut back massively when it received its first styling, yes it needs time to regrow and at that time I may consider removing one or two of the trunks as I said in the first post, but I might not and instead play with a twin or triple trunk cascade idea, unusual yes, difficult yes, impossible to pull off visually, maybe, but it doesn't take up much room on the benches and I personally really like the Nebari, the twin or triple trunks playing off of it may well make for an interesting visual.

Who knows?

AlainK, thanks for your input, such is always welcomed.



Will

 

[AlainK]

Hi Will,

The twisted roots seemed to be an interesting faeture, but don't you think that if you try to make them more visible they will give a "corkscrew" effect?

It looks a bit as if it was kept too long in the same pot and the roots went round the pot

Yet, this doesn't mean you can't trake advantage of this particularity: I have a mugho pine in training that had the same fault, after a few years, it's beginning to become an attractive part of the design.

Picture #2 is just after removing a lot of the needles this year
Picture #1 shows the details of the nebari

 

[Chris Johnston]

Errrrrrrr, trust me, I am quite capable of defending myself if need be, there is no need here. My actual mother certainly didn't fight for me when I was young, I have no intention of allowing anyone else to do so now.

There is no need for defense if there is no attack. I don't know how many shimpakus you own, but youseem well aware that this one needs growth. What do you feed with? Feed it as heavily as it will take until the growth is sending runners inches outside the foreseen outline. Then cut back. It will reward you with enough growth to make any design decisions you decide to make.

This very small Juniper was cut back massively when it received its first styling, yes it needs time to regrow and at that time I may consider removing one or two of the trunks as I said in the first post, but I might not and instead play with a twin or triple trunk cascade idea, unusual yes, difficult yes, impossible to pull off visually, maybe, but it doesn't take up much room on the benches and I personally really like the Nebari, the twin or triple trunks playing off of it may well make for an interesting visual.

Who knows?

AlainK, thanks for your input, such is always welcomed.

Will

A two line cascade or semi-cascade is nothing unusual, and not really that difficult, either. It all depends on what you learn from the tree. The upper trunk line here fits really well with the lower and will make this a more artistically pleasing shohin. Good luck with it.

 

[ovation22]

I agree, Chris. This one certainly has some interest. My preference would be for a more shallow pot, perhaps half as deep. The current one is much too heavy. I've never been a fan of the deep cascade pots, but that's just me.



Take care.

 

[Chris Johnston]

Good point, John. The deep cascade pots have fallen out of favor in recent years because of the domination of the tree itself. Better a pot that is as high as wide, and put the whole thing on a stand of the proper size.

 

[Anonymous User]

I agree, Chris. This one certainly has some interest. My preference would be for a more shallow pot, perhaps half as deep. The current one is much too heavy. I've never been a fan of the deep cascade pots, but that's just me.

Although I have no idea what-so-ever as to what Chris said and therefore can't comment on it or your agreement, I do agree about the pot, this naturally is in an oversized pot for various reasons including rapid growth and root reduction.

Any pot in particular you think would be suitable when the time is right?



Will

 

[Chris Johnston]

AlainK, thanks for your input, such is always welcomed.
Will

Apparently, such is not always welcomed.

 

[ovation22]

Did I miss something?

I like Chris' suggestion. Not sure if I would go round or square, straight sided, convex or concave for this one. I think each would give it a different look. This might be a personal preference choice. You might also get to try different pots at each repotting. That way you get to enjoy it as a "new bonsai" each time.


Take care.

 

[irene_b]

Apparently, such is not always welcomed.

Chris be nice!
I think he has you on ignore list.
And until he can handle reading each post by you no matter the topic it just may be best for him.
Mom

 

[Vance Wood]

Apparently, such is not always welcomed.

You forget Chris, Will has put you and several others on his ignore list which, as I understand it, means he cannot see what you have written. It's not that he is ignoring you ----- he's-----ignoring you, at least electronically.

 

[Chris Johnston]

You wrong me Vance. Of course I did not forget. I just think it's silly and childish.

 

[irene_b]

You forget Chris, Will has put you and several others on his ignore list which, as I understand it, means he cannot see what you have written. It's not that he is ignoring you ----- he's-----ignoring you, at least electronically.



Hmmmmm.......I thought I just said that Vance.
Mom

 

[Chris Johnston]

Irene, that's okay, they were probably passing each other in the ether.

 

[Chris Johnston]

John, we usually have several pots that might work available to test fit the tree. If that works on a large tree, it would certainly work on a small one, too.