The Dancers: Juniperus chinensis “Old Gold”
- Thread starter Punky
- Start date
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Nice! I would say it is worth getting someone to graft a good foliage on there.
Housguy
Chumono
Quick question, does old gold junipers take grafts well?
Japonicus
Masterpiece
I don't think there's been enough water under the bridge yet to have learned this.
Is this a statement from another source or your own experience?
I like it! Would definitely keep those roots exposed as is, but trunks will merge
I'm not seeing the potential foliage colour displayed though. Full Sun!
I bought 2 similar foliage junipers this Spring. One I repotted leaving most all the foliage
one Sea of Gold I kept in its 3g nursery can and began reducing.
The foliage is a bit wimpy but still a lot for me to learn its particulars.
I'm thinking, hard cut backs of the foliage with subsequential maintenance pruning will help strengthen
the branches and thicken the foliage. Still a few years to gain that experience though for me.
queenofsheba52
Chumono
I love your name for this tree!
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Looking at your pictures.. I would recommand filling the pot with more substrate. You seem to have the main roots hanging in the air. I would keep them covered while you build your canopy.
Thank you for the kind words. I will get it more sun and slip pot to get the main roots some substrate coverage.
The foliage reputation is just the online reputation. I will attempt to refine it but always knowing that it may require grafting someday.
The foliage reputation is just the online reputation. I will attempt to refine it but always knowing that it may require grafting someday.
Hartinez
Masterpiece
I think what you’ve got started is great. I’d def leave the foliage you’ve got and let it fill in significantly. In regards to grafting, your right, old gold is not one of the preferred juniper types for Bonsai. But that shouldn’t discourage you from having a go at it. And I don’t think the trunk and lack of other quality features are present enough to warrant a grafting. IMHO.
I had an old gold for a few years that died this last year from an exceptionally difficult winter. I was able to establish some decent pads In the time I had it. With more time it could have been reasonably tight. With that said, I think you’ll find that with any juniper type, that the wiring and pad placement is key. In order for a juniper to really take shape long term you have to wire almost 100% of the tree. And I’m not exaggerating. Once that’s done once maybe twice in the life of the tree, it gets a little easier to maintain shape. But an initial EXTENSIVE wiring is key. I’m relatively new to the art, but I’ve had several junipers under my care that I wasn’t wiring fully, and they always looked just ok. In the last few years I’ve started wiring all the way out to the tips and the trees really start to take shape at that point.
You’ve got wire on a few branches, but the placement is a bit random and you’re wires only go up to the foliage then stop. Get some super thin wire and wrap it all! I’d also recommend trying to search for bonsai you like online that have a similar structure. Take a look at the pad placement and layering that gives it the canopy yours could have. Most importantly, Have fun!!!
I had an old gold for a few years that died this last year from an exceptionally difficult winter. I was able to establish some decent pads In the time I had it. With more time it could have been reasonably tight. With that said, I think you’ll find that with any juniper type, that the wiring and pad placement is key. In order for a juniper to really take shape long term you have to wire almost 100% of the tree. And I’m not exaggerating. Once that’s done once maybe twice in the life of the tree, it gets a little easier to maintain shape. But an initial EXTENSIVE wiring is key. I’m relatively new to the art, but I’ve had several junipers under my care that I wasn’t wiring fully, and they always looked just ok. In the last few years I’ve started wiring all the way out to the tips and the trees really start to take shape at that point.
You’ve got wire on a few branches, but the placement is a bit random and you’re wires only go up to the foliage then stop. Get some super thin wire and wrap it all! I’d also recommend trying to search for bonsai you like online that have a similar structure. Take a look at the pad placement and layering that gives it the canopy yours could have. Most importantly, Have fun!!!
Last edited:
Thanks, but I don’t think this is ready for styling. I only wired a couple branches so they would get more sun exposure. The branches that I see as the final design are last year’s back buds (and hopefully a few future back buds). This is going to be a very long-term project.
Japonicus
Masterpiece
I would not remove it from the can now, as you've obviously pruned and wired, not the best time to wire at that.
Further insult to the project could lead to its demise, certainly would weaken it. Just feed it. Do NOT remove wire.
Sure the roots can be re-exposed later, they can also be left as is.
I guess the question is, how exposed were these roots prior to this current state?
If they were covered well, nice to know they're there, and recover.
The more these junipers are allowed to grow out, the faster they will marry.
Make that 3 that I bought this year. Forgot about this Gold Lace, so let me explain what I was saying in my last post.
The branches left to grow, thicken and become rigid. Seconday branches become less wimpy, but the new growth beyond
still, is fine and wimpy. I'm doubting the new foliage will ever be anything but wimpy, but getting the new foliage to be
more close in is what I'm trying to accomplish here. Older darker green inner foliage and thicker branches now more close to the new foliage
should help support the new, more golden growth, I think.
So next from here I feed normal the rest of this year. Very little if any maintenance pruning and pinching.
Next Spring, I will remove at least 50% of the nursery soil probably more, and repot.
When it recovers from that, and gets leggy with bushy growth, I will cut back again, probably still no wire, maybe some that Fall,
depends on vigour.
Further insult to the project could lead to its demise, certainly would weaken it. Just feed it. Do NOT remove wire.
Sure the roots can be re-exposed later, they can also be left as is.
I guess the question is, how exposed were these roots prior to this current state?
If they were covered well, nice to know they're there, and recover.
The more these junipers are allowed to grow out, the faster they will marry.
Make that 3 that I bought this year. Forgot about this Gold Lace, so let me explain what I was saying in my last post.
The branches left to grow, thicken and become rigid. Seconday branches become less wimpy, but the new growth beyond
still, is fine and wimpy. I'm doubting the new foliage will ever be anything but wimpy, but getting the new foliage to be
more close in is what I'm trying to accomplish here. Older darker green inner foliage and thicker branches now more close to the new foliage
should help support the new, more golden growth, I think.
So next from here I feed normal the rest of this year. Very little if any maintenance pruning and pinching.
Next Spring, I will remove at least 50% of the nursery soil probably more, and repot.
When it recovers from that, and gets leggy with bushy growth, I will cut back again, probably still no wire, maybe some that Fall,
depends on vigour.
Similar threads
