32 year old Juniper Procumbens "Nana"

[chrisbon]

Hello everyone!

This is my first account with an online Bonsai forum and excited to be a part of this new group. Through some fortunate but odd circumstances, I've found myself in possession of this beautiful tree and definitely wanted to show you guys what it looks like and hopefully document its history here. I have never owned any bonsai before and this would be the first but I love nature and can appreciate the patience, work, and care that is needed to create and transform them into Amazing works. Based on what you guys can see, I'd appreciate your thoughts on what you think about how I should be going about this process given that it's already an older tree that's been tended for some time. I've already been trying to learn and absorb as much information as possible from a lot of sources but the Asian lady at the nursery seemed very nonchalant about how the care was going to be moving forward haha. I know the steps are probably different than a tree that is in the nurturing and growing stage but would love feedback! I've attached some photos below. The moss was added before me but was very recent ( within a few days ).

I live in an apartment and I was told that I can give it half day of sun each day and the rest could be inside( some hours might be shady and others are full sun in my area).

 

[19Mateo83]

Welcome and that’s a pretty sweet nanner!

 

[Bonsaidoorguy]

Welcome to the forum. I'm assuming that you are in north America, update your information for appropriate advice.My juniper stay outside all year, the more sun the better. Just got done with an 18 degree cold spell, they love it and need a dormant period to be healthy. I wouldn't bring it in during the winter, and even when it's warmer only for short periods. You can always get an indoor appropriate bonsai.

 

[Japonicus]

and the rest could be inside

Nope.

Don't do it. You will experience your first loss.

Please provide location, as Bonsaidoorguy suggested.

Please provide the area where you can keep this outdoors, in description and photos herein.
Unfortunately for you and this outdoor plant, apartment life is challenging at best.
What USDA grow zone do you live in? More to follow...

 

[Japonicus]

I like your twin trunk and congratulations on a nice workable juniper bonsai.
Because it is nice you have multiplied your apartment challenge.
Your wording might suggest that some history may be available such as when it was last repotted.
Where was this bonsai kept and when was it repotted??
Any other history you can get is good to document.

1st provide as much sunlight as possible, and allow the bonsai to experience the eb and flow of all the available weather
until extremes dictate intervention.

2nd but more important is your watering practices
which is the number one killer or determining factor of survival.
Over and under watering is main issue.

3rd provide a good environment for the species you plan to keep, and keep it alive this year
observing how it needs water, and when it grows foliage. No major work this year I mean
and learn how it responds to weather.

Please provide---How is the water passing through the soil when you water?
Tight soil broken down, or roots crowding implies a Spring repot.
You need good Sunlight building the trees energy up prior to an "insult" like repotting.
You need good Sunlight to strengthen and grow new roots afterwards as well.
So, keeping this indoors part time is foul. Expect no good aftercare from the individual
at the nursery where you got this.

 

[chrisbon]

Thank you all for the feedback. I am in southern California by the beach. It's pretty sunny most days and my balcony gets a great amount of sunlight through the whole day until about 5:30. Since I got it 2 days ago and it has been pretty overcast, soil is still pretty damp so I plan on watering it tomorrow. From there Ill be able to see how the water runs from underneath the pot.

I just looked up my zone to be 10b (35 to 40 °F/1.7 to 4.4 °C)

 

[Michael P]

Thanks for the info! What compass direction does your balcony face? I don't know how hot it gets in your area, but if the balcony faces south or west, it might need some shade on summer afternoons. In my hot summer climate some junipers do need a little. Otherwise, outdoors and full sum all the time.

 

[Japonicus]

From there Ill be able to see how the water runs from underneath the pot.

It's how water moves through the soil or ponds on the top or slow to penetrate.
When soil is fresh water passes through as fast as you can provide it.
As the roots grow, and soil breaks down the O2 level decreases, and water slows (not breathing well).

In an apartment in SoCal I expect scorching concrete and or brick surroundings holding a lot of heat,
but no idea as to the surroundings the bonsai will be placed in yet. Summer heat I expect will be your crux.

 

[Japonicus]

Through some fortunate but odd circumstances, I've found myself in possession of this beautiful tree

I'm all ears Care to elaborate?
I have a very similar trunk on a shimpaku juniper, but much younger. Makes for a nice nebari.
This is no doubt where when a grower was planting this as cuttings or layers, 2 were placed
together in the same small pot or nursery can. Often done on purpose for sales/density doubling.

 

[chrisbon]

Thanks for the info! What compass direction does your balcony face? I don't know how hot it gets in your area, but if the balcony faces south or west, it might need some shade on summer afternoons. In my hot summer climate some junipers do need a little. Otherwise, outdoors and full sum all the time.

It faces south East. As the sun rises in the morning, it starts to get some direct sun if there are no clouds around 10 am, then its shady around 3:30 to 5 pm.

 

[chrisbon]

It's how water moves through the soil or ponds on the top or slow to penetrate.
When soil is fresh water passes through as fast as you can provide it.
As the roots grow, and soil breaks down the O2 level decreases, and water slows (not breathing well).

In an apartment in SoCal I expect scorching concrete and or brick surroundings holding a lot of heat,
but no idea as to the surroundings the bonsai will be placed in yet. Summer heat I expect will be your crux.

It's a small glass balcony facing South West. The summers get hot here but my balcony does get shady for a good portion of the hotter part of the day. I am also always home, so I can always step out real quick and move it to a better spot if needed.

 

[chrisbon]

I'm all ears Care to elaborate?
I have a very similar trunk on a shimpaku juniper, but much younger. Makes for a nice nebari.
This is no doubt where when a grower was planting this as cuttings or layers, 2 were placed
together in the same small pot or nursery can. Often done on purpose for sales/density doubling.

A very good friend of mine bought this tree and was scheduled to pick it up at the nursery but he ended up having to leave the country for family emergencies and he had no one else to pick it up and care for it. So he gave it to me. He paid somewhere around 3500 for it and so I am very grateful that he decided to pass it to me but still a little nervous because I'm so new at this. I fee like i just adopted a pet haha

 

[Japonicus]

but the Asian lady at the nursery seemed very nonchalant about how the care was going to be moving forward haha.

He paid somewhere around 3500 for it

These 2 posts don't add up. Not doubting you, but if I pay $45 for a nursery plant
at a bonsai nursery, I get good feedback and care techniques. I get conversation and I get to know my "dealer".
You paid nothing to join here, and I think you've already received exponentially better aftercare advice.
Advice and a place you can come back to as much as you like and research and get good feedback.
Post pictures and learn.

This bonsai needs some pruning and thinning and wiring but not by you this year.
This year, even now, you should get some 1 and 3 gallon nursery procumbens and learn on them
how to pot, prune, thin and wire. Already in a shallow pot, the watering needs will be different
from nursery cans and organic soil. You may need to water 2-3x/day mid to late Summer.

 

[chrisbon]

These 2 posts don't add up. Not doubting you, but if I pay $45 for a nursery plant
at a bonsai nursery, I get good feedback and care techniques. I get conversation and I get to know my "dealer".
You paid nothing to join here, and I think you've already received exponentially better aftercare advice.
Advice and a place you can come back to as much as you like and research and get good feedback.
Post pictures and learn.

This bonsai needs some pruning and thinning and wiring but not by you this year.
This year, even now, you should get some 1 and 3 gallon nursery procumbens and learn on them
how to pot, prune, thin and wire. Already in a shallow pot, the watering needs will be different
from nursery cans and organic soil. You may need to water 2-3x/day mid to late Summer.

Well, the lady barely spoke much English and she was very hard to understand when I was asking her questions. She did have some beautiful-looking trees in her nursery. I have been texting her and she told me that it was on a ceramic bonsai pot for 3 years and said it was recently changed into a new ceramic pot.

 

[Japonicus]

Well, the lady barely spoke much English and she was very hard to understand when I was asking her questions. She did have some beautiful-looking trees in her nursery. I have been texting her and she told me that it was on a ceramic bonsai pot for 3 years and said it was recently changed into a new ceramic pot.

That's good to know. Awesome. So it was recently repotted it sounds.
Aftercare you inquired about is all the more crucial.
Typically repotting is done after Winter as the foliage is opening and pushing new growth, or after the Summer solstice.
Main thing with aftercare from potting is to not allow to dry completely (ever) keeping some moisture around the new roots
and not so damp that new roots rot.

Is there wire passing through the drainage holes (not individual screen cover securements) that ties the root ball to the pot?
The wire would probably be one length passing through or over the root ball in one or more applications like left and right
or front and back.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Have you thought about reaching out to any local clubs or shops for help?
If I was any where near here I would look him up.

Bio: Robert Pressler | kimurabonsai

www.kimurabonsainursery.com

Or

Contact Us – California Bonsai Studio

www.californiabonsai.com

 

[just.wing.it]

Woah....How Much $$$$?!?!
.....I mean, I'm aware of Bidenflation....but whaaaaat!!!

 

[chrisbon]

That's good to know. Awesome. So it was recently repotted it sounds.
Aftercare you inquired about is all the more crucial.
Typically repotting is done after Winter as the foliage is opening and pushing new growth, or after the Summer solstice.
Main thing with aftercare from potting is to not allow to dry completely (ever) keeping some moisture around the new roots
and not so damp that new roots rot.

Is there wire passing through the drainage holes (not individual screen cover securements) that ties the root ball to the pot?
The wire would probably be one length passing through or over the root ball in one or more applications like left and right
or front and back.

The lady also offered to have me take it in anytime and babysit it just in case I wasn't comfortable. Underneath the pot there is a hole and it does have a wire that comes out of it and runs across the bottom of the pot.

Woah....How Much $$$$?!?!
.....I mean, I'm aware of Bidenflation....but whaaaaat!!!

 

[chrisbon]

Woah....How Much $$$$?!?!
.....I mean, I'm aware of Bidenflation....but whaaaaat!!!

Every nursey within a 50-mile radius all had similar prices for the type age and work that the tree has had done to it. After he gave it to me, I did some searching of my own to see what was out there. Tree's that were over 20 years and were maintained well were pretty expensive. Of course, out of state might be different but this is what I saw in the socal area even after accounting for some markup.

 

[Stella]

Welcome.
if it gets very hot, you can just mist the leaves.

Looking forward to see what you will be doing with this tree