Juniper Update

Rene_Voortwist

Hi,

Maybe you remember this juniper if found a year ago. It looked like this after a first styling :

Attached Images

jbes1.jpg (58.0 KB, 247 views)

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Rene_Voortwist

It lost some foliage over the winter due to root-rot. I repotted in spring of this year and it recovered very well. Lots of new foliage. I re-wired it completely and now it looks like this :

Attached Images

jbes.jpg (57.0 KB, 243 views)

Rene_Voortwist

Top view. Opinions ?

regards, René

Attached Images

jbes-topview.jpg (46.9 KB, 240 views)

DavidN

Rene
From what I can tell it looks on track but those photos with the sun beating down on your trees makes it difficult to see what is happening clearly. Keep the top of the tree under control and give it a slightly more triangular top.

Rene_Voortwist

Hi David,

Thanks for the reply. My camera appearantly isn't suited for this kind of pictures and my scanner makes it even worse. I guess it's time for a digital camera after all.. I think the top and the other two foliage layers are to far apart. I think that if they grow closer it will look better. This could be a nice cookie-cutter :-)

regards, René

K.A. Rutledge

Rene,

Your juniper seems to be growing nicely, but it has a major flaw that you should address - if you care to. The long, straight section is simply artificial looking. As this is a juniper, you should raffia and wire the trunk so that you can put some interesting and natural movement into it. As it is, the tree looks like you just capitualted at what the tree gave you (not much). But bonsai is a partnership. You have to impose what is necessary (to the point that you can) upon the tree to improve it.

Bonsai is the art of artistic improvement, not just styling what the tree gives you.

Take it or leave it. ;-)

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
www.bonsai365.com/
zone 8, Texas

Rene_Voortwist

Andy,

Of course I have wondered what to do with the straight section. The problem for me was that the thinnest part of that piece of trunk is 3 cm thick. I can only bend it a few milimeters by hand.If I want to put "some interesting and natural movement into it" I will have to go and hollow out or split the trunk. Since I'm a beginner I/m not confident enough to try my hand on that sort of techniques. That's why I "capitulated" and decided to use it like it is. My plan is to let the foliage grow some more and hide parts of the trunk to disguise the straightness.

René

K.A. Rutledge

René,

It sounds like you have exactly the right idea about how to put movement into the trunk. Creating a hollow is very simple. You need only make sure you put it on the right line so that you disrupt the least amount of usable livewood (to keep the tree healthy). Being a beginner should have nothing to do with it.

Hollow out a channel, place some wires in the chanel (if you like), wrap the trunk with plenty of raffia, apply a couple of hefty wires (copper) and just go for it. It will be much easier than you may think.

Your beginner's excuse does not work here. ;-) If you are advanced enough to see what can be done, you can do it - and it is clear that you should do it. You have but to actually make it happen. Good luck.

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
www.bonsai365.com/
zone 8, Texas