Progress On My Juniper

Daniel

This is the progress/lifecycle of my first bonsai, my first tree, my first plant. Please be nice with your comments, and most importantly please be generous in giving many! I'm still in the process of falling in love with the art, your comments - good or bad - get me closer everytime..

Here is the first picture. Still in the nursery pot, before any styling, before any cuts.

The man working with me is my fiance's father, he started dabbling in the art 5 years ago. He's my teacher now, and he's talking about opening a bonsai shop, I pray that he does..

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Daniel

Here's the second picture after the first set of cuts.

My baby's till in the nursery pot here. I took off a lot of weight in this step. I thought it would die but it survived. I haven't decided on a trunk here. I have no vision, just 3 branches. No apex, no crown. I'm working towards a triangle shape, and it's starting to come around.

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Daniel

I was really happy with this step.

I found some good reading material on transplanting - changing the pot. I ran to the store just 50 feet from my house (hand-made pot stores are everywhere in Korea) and picked one up. I didn't know what I was looking for, I might have chosen a different one had I known where my tree was going.. Maybe I'll change later.

On top of doing my first repotting, I also made an attempt at wiring. The branch you see wired is to become my first branch, the lowest branch, going out to the left. The one on the right will also need to go straight out, perpendicular to the trunk, but I'm not brave enough to try that yet.

The second branch going out to the right is heading straight up, it's going to take a lot of work, and a nice strong wire to flatten it out so it's 90 degrees to the trunk.

The branch in middle goes backwards at a good angle that you can't quite see in the picture. It will be my third branch and here's the problem.

I've got 3 branches and none left to grow from. No new leader. I want 3 layers, I need more branches, more height, but I dont really have a trunk/leader going anywhere...

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Daniel

Here's where I'm at today (2 weeks after adopting my baby)

You can really see a triangle here, so I am happy. And I have a definate direction on where I am taking this tree, although I'm not sure it will work. PLEASE read on..


I've got all 3 branches wired separately to flatten them out. I want them to be almost perpendicular to the trunk. The second branch going out to the right is going to take some time, but I've done a fair bit already.

I've cut off a lot of weight and totally changed the planting angle from how it was when I bought it.

NOW - If you look at the middle branch - going backwards - and you follow it upwards, you see the highest point of the tree. The highest point is that skinny branch going straight to the sky with a bit of green on top. I want this to become my main trunk/leader. Right now it is very skinny, and nothing special. But, I need height, I want some more layers. This is the only branch I have left that isn't already chosen to go 90 degrees from the trunk. (my first second and third branches). I've got a wire on it, and I cut many branches that were lower than it, to hopefully get it to grow.

Am I dreaming? Can that top branch, the highest point in the middle - can it become my trunk/leader? I want more branches stemming off it for my middle, and top layer.


You can really see the triangle here and I'm loving this tree. I hope that top skinny branch can become my trunk - real thick.

Daniel

The picture..

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Daniel

From the back..

If you look in the middle you can see 2 skinny branches going upwards. the tallest one on the left is what I hope to make really thick, my new trunk/leader and to have other branches like my first and second coming off of it.

I have no idea if this is possible with trees. What a dream.. My fiancee's father seems to think it's possible but we have a language barrier that makes me doubt if he understands my seemingly impossible dream.

The middle 2 branches - the tallest one on the left - to be a thick trunk like leader. the middle and top layers coming off of it.

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Daniel

Finally.. My VERY ugly wiring job.

Each branch is wired separately, and the copper wire is being used to flatter my bottom 2 branches.

You can also see a wire going straight upwards to the sky. That wire is wiring my want-to-be trunk/leader.

All the other branches are the first (left), second (right), and third (back) branches. The one in the middle with the wire I want to make THICK like the trunk beneath it and to have other branches coming off of it later.

This is my dream, can someone tell me if it is just that - a dream. Or is it possible?

Also please share any thoughts/ideas/praise/and especially criticsm you might have.

Daniel

Here is an organized list of my questions/concerns

1) The main concern is my choice for the new leader. You can see the highest point of the tree, that tallest, skinniest branch. I need to have a LOT of thickness and to become trunk-like. Is it possible?

2) What do you think of the pot size/shape? Is it appropriate? Should I have a rectangle pot? Is the size good to get the kind of growth I want?

3) What about the wiring job? It's my first try and I don't really know what I'm doing..


4) The second branch, the one going out to the right, is it possible to have it going 90 degrees perpendicular to the trunk? I think so, thats what I will work towards. I want a standard looking bonsai. I think its called formal-upright?

5) I kept this tree outside for 3 days. The summers here are very humid. Theres lots of rain, but the sun is blistering hot. After 3 days outside the top of the branches started to turn brown. Not the green turning brown. But the branch itself, turning from a normal dark brown like the trunk, to a very light golden brown, like copper.. Is this a problem? I thought it was sunburn and I took it back inside tonight.

6)Outside the tree also got a couple bugs. Small black bugs, long like tiny worms. They crawl along the branch in a crawling motion. Moving up, and down, up and down. If you put your hand flat on your desk and lift one of your finger knuckes. That is - lift your finger but keep the finger tip flat on the desk, you'll see what i mean. They make a letter 'n' shape when they move. What are they? I got scared and moved it inside.. One of them was floating in the air on some sort of web.

Okay, please share your knowledge or just comment. I really just want some interaction, to know someone is looking at my first tree. It will go a long way towards me falling in love with this art. Especially in a country surrounded by people who speak my language only as a second language..

Spill your guts.. Thanks guys, hope to get to know you all soon..

Daniel

Here's the wiring picture I forgot to post:

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