California Juniper Transformation

Vonsgardens

Al,
Great root development. Careful collection and after care. How is the tree doing now? Lot's of new growth? John

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bonsaial1

With the removal of the large branch (almost as large as the trunk on some trees ) And the repotting in the same session, the tree was severly shocked. I was not surprised that the tree did nothing for the entire remainder of the spring and most of the summer. We broke some very old records with heat waves in Fresno this year, and all of my collection has been in a summer domacy for the entire summer.

All of a sudden in the beginning of July, during the hottest part of the summer, I started to see buds break. What happened next has been short of amazing. The push of foliage has been amazing for the last 60 days , and shows no sign of tapering off. We have at least 90 days of summer left here in the central valley, and the tree will undergo some more styling changes in the spring of 2006.

I can hardly wait to continue my carving on the large branch on the right. Some reduction there as well as making use of the longer whips to build form will help make this piece better with each year.

I have three more very large California junipers that will undergo similar styling in the spring 2006, and plan to post the journey here when the spring breaks..

Thanks for asking, Regards, Bonsai-al

Attached Images

DSCF0292.JPG (60.1 KB, 231 views)

__________________
Experience is fundamental

Vonsgardens

Thanks, love to keep up with this. I think this sequence speaks volumes as to the need to allow collected plants to develop excellent or as close as possible root systems before the transformation. I would be willing to bet that this tree would not have been nearly as forgiving if you had been impetuous and rushed it. Great essay. John

Vonsgardens

Hey Al, It is one year later, any update on this beauty? John

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"Wiring is simple; However, it is not easy to do it right" Boon

bonsaial1

Coming soon. I have a branch on this tree that Ripsgreentree and I are debating weather to layer off or not. It may make a dandy Shohin Cal. Juniper.

stay tuned..ak

__________________
Experience is fundamental

Vonsgardens

Al you tease, where be the pictures? John

__________________
"Wiring is simple; However, it is not easy to do it right" Boon

bonsaial1

Well... I did cut off the offensive branch, and now the task of carving and trying to make something cool out of not so cool.

mistake.... comments

ak

Attached Images

DSCF0603.JPG (68.7 KB, 186 views)

__________________
Experience is fundamental

Vonsgardens

No, you did the right thing. The next round of carving should reveal alot. I eally love the flow of the tree, it continues to get sweeter. John

__________________
"Wiring is simple; However, it is not easy to do it right" Boon

grampz

Mr. Al,

To quote one of my grandbabies..."that's what I'm talkin' about"...This one is coming along great...You have made some excellent decisions here with not only the health of the tree, but also in 'seeing' the tree within the stock...Thanks for keeping us updated on this magnificent piece of material...

Regards
Behr

__________________
As the Master departed the workshop,
he could have sworn he heard some
one saying rather loudly...
"I thought he would never leave"
San Antonio Bonsai Society, Inc.