New To Bonsai. Read All The Faqs AFTER Juniper Purchase. Still Ok?

Wes Southern

Hello everyone!

First off I'd like to point out that I'm not new to growing things in general. I'm very good with several types of plants and enviroments including keeping up micro-climates and upkeep of potted tropical plants over years. These techniques all have to do with rate of growth, keeping FROM getting rootbound etc.

I went to a Bonsai convention last year and just was blown away by what I saw so here I am half a year later with a inexpensive, according to the seller -easy to grow, "no worries" Juniper (probably a Juniper Procumbens "nana") off Ebay for $21 shipped in a ceramic pot. I figured it would be a good starting point and at $21 I wouldn't feel to bad if I killed the poor thing.

Now I just spent the last three days reading ever beginner FAQ I could so I didn't just start asking things like, "Should I water everyday?" or, "when should I use a 20-20-20."

I'm not to fond of the look. It's almost like this one from his auction but not as high off the soil. same windswept WalMart special though. A picture from the auction is included. It's the kind of Bonsai you see at a friends house all brown and ready for the trash.

Now I do have some conserns I wanted to bring up that I have NO control over.

First some info on where I am: USDA hardiness zone 8A in East Texas which is 50-90% humidity sub-tropical. The last three winter seasons it got to a balmy 25f for a day then back to 38-45f for a few weeks. The summers can be killer 100f for 2 weeks with 85% humidity.

I'm living in an apartment on the top floor. It's on the shady North side. The Juniper is in full to partial sun for 3 hours in the morning and then it is just ambient nature light. I was told that this wouldn't be a problem but, "growth would be effected." This is a consern of mine for sure.
If this is not enough light to keep the tree alive I'll give it to my mom who has a nice sunny porch.

Most importantly I don't care for the design. not really a Bonsai, windswept.. landscaping rock.. type of person.

I'm sure there are plenty of you out there that go a bonsai like this and it went on to greater things.. I'm a fan of every form but windswept and cascade. Any tips or what not on shaping would be wonderful!

Honestly I like Junipers but I got this more to see if I could keep a restricted tree alive for a few years before moving forward on a grouping type.. something less "Karate Kid."

Attached Images

juniper01.jpg (58.9 KB, 205 views)

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Juniper Newbius Bonsius

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Wes Southern

45 views and no info in 25 hours

I know I'm new to Bonsai and this site is the masters but try to remember when you were like me ya know

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Juniper Newbius Bonsius

TreeBay

It was me. I read your post 45 times over the last day looking for the question.

Maybe you can give me the Reader's Digest version?

Regards,

Matt

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Wes Southern

Heh.. k.. the condensed, no introduction, non-friendly version:


Juniper Procumbens "nana" in Sub-tropical zone.

1) outdoor-3 hours direct morning light and day shade enough?

2) Ideas for training that are not wind swept/cascade.

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Juniper Newbius Bonsius

TreeBay

1) It probably depends on how deep the shade is. Really all you can do is try it out. If the tree is using water and growing, you are ok. If it is not using water very rapidly and is not growing, there are problems. I would expect it to need water within three days of being watered or sooner, but you want to check it every day. If it goes a week between waterings, it may not be receiving enough light.

2) This is really just a rooted cutting, so the world is your oyster. You can begin by thinning it out a little so that you can see the existing branch structure. Junipers can be styled succesfully in most any of the classical forms (except perhaps the broom style).

That's done through thinning, pinching and wiring.

You'd want to clean out the interior so that there are a maximum of 2 branches coming out of any one point. Some of the Junipers in the Gallery might give you some ideas for where to go with it. Don't cut directly through any green branches or they are likely to turn brown and die back.

There is a little article over on the TreeBay Bonsai Tools & Supplies
site called Beware the Mallsai. I think it is linked at the very bottom of the What Is Bonsai page, which may be useful reading for you.

Regards,

Matt

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Wes Southern

It needs water in 4 days and it has been 80% humidity outside. At 4 days only the very bottom of the soil is still moist.

I've got several Japanese maples in my area so as soon as they are well into spring I'll get some cuttings and start several projects. I'm just taken by the deep red of the leaves when dorment.

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Juniper Newbius Bonsius