First Juniper, Grey Owl

[Mike132327]

The other day I picked up my first juniper from a local bonsai nursery. Said he believed it was grey owl juniper but wasn’t 100% sure. The trunk looked good and i thought with some love and deadwood it could be cool. I really liked the color of the foliage and they gave me a good deal on this and a Crepe Myrtle I was stuck between so I got them both.

It is in 2 gallon nursery can currently. I was thinking it could be a nice shohin tree with Shari and deadwood. The two branches that extend out a good ways also present the opportunity for a cascade or semi cascade style.
I was going to repot it this spring into a flatter pot that won’t restrict the horizontal growth as much. But am unsure if I should stay in the same size range or try to reduce the roots a bit. I was also going to try to clean up some of the growth to get a better view of the structure before I commit to any big decisions.

I have read these are a bit fickle when it comes to traditional bonsai methods but the nurseryman said he hadn’t seen any problems with it so far and he had it for a couple years.

I think it has a lot of potential but I also know nothing so that is coming from a place of hope rather than knowledge lol. Any style ideas tips or ticks are always appreciated as well as any juniper/cultivar specific knowledge. Thanks for looking!

 

[Japonicus]

A junipers strength is in its foliage.
Forget reducing any foliage for quite a while. Your nursery has already done that.
It is not in need of repot (not root bound) and with a bushy head of foliage when that comes, it will recover
from your 1st soil transition with much higher chance of survival.

Full Sun and weekly fertilising full strength, is your best bet this year for preparations to begin root work.
Next year repot? That depends on how vigorous it gets this year.
It is best to work roots 1st then foliage after full vigour returns.
Your best bet is to give it full Sun and full strength fertiliser this year.
Here is a thread where I reduced 2 or 3 nursery junipers, and the following year, potted up
the gold lace, as it was quite the vigorous plant. It didn't need a repot looking at the roots
or percolation properties, but it was vigorous enough to withstand the work, and, to recover
with flying colours. Rely on signs of vigour or the lack thereof to determine if your subject is ready,
but don't both reduce foliage and repot (even with no root reduction) in the same year.

 

[Mike132327]

A junipers strength is in its foliage.
Forget reducing any foliage for quite a while. Your nursery has already done that.
It is not in need of repot (not root bound) and with a bushy head of foliage when that comes, it will recover
from your 1st soil transition with much higher chance of survival.

Full Sun and weekly fertilising full strength, is your best bet this year for preparations to begin root work.
Next year repot? That depends on how vigorous it gets this year.
It is best to work roots 1st then foliage after full vigour returns.
Your best bet is to give it full Sun and full strength fertiliser this year.
Here is a thread where I reduced 2 or 3 nursery junipers, and the following year, potted up
the gold lace, as it was quite the vigorous plant. It didn't need a repot looking at the roots
or percolation properties, but it was vigorous enough to withstand the work, and, to recover
with flying colours. Rely on signs of vigour or the lack thereof to determine if your subject is ready,
but don't both reduce foliage and repot (even with no root reduction) in the same year.

Copy thank you! Right now it’s in an unheated green house with okay sun until winter lets up a little up here. Once we get a little relief it will be in full sun. I will just let it be this year and feed it. I like it a lot and don’t want to try to rush it and kill it. Thanks again.

 

[Japonicus]

How warm does your greenhouse get in full Sun?
Like say a 40-50° day?

 

[Mike132327]

Closer to 40ish. It is not a permanent structure but a plastic frame enclosed in a polycarbonate cover that I have sealed up as well as I could.

 

[Mike132327]

How warm does your greenhouse get in full Sun?
Like say a 40-50° day?

I figured that was better than my unheated garage with very little light. I have my stronger white, mugo and Scot’s pines and spruces out in some wind protection and my smaller guys in the greenhouse to give them a little cover and extra protection.

 

[Japonicus]

I figured that was better than my unheated garage with very little light. I have my stronger white, mugo and Scot’s pines and spruces out in some wind protection and my smaller guys in the greenhouse to give them a little cover and extra protection.

For trees requiring dormancy, a greenhouse can cause temp spikes beyond dormancy requirements. For instance my stand alone shed easily runs 10° warmer than outdoors.
Add a clear view, and this difference multiplies.
Also increases drying. Just keep an eye on it.
Outdoors mulched in on the ground protected from Sun or healed into the ground mutes these spikes.

 

[Mike132327]

For trees requiring dormancy, a greenhouse can cause temp spikes beyond dormancy requirements. For instance my stand alone shed easily runs 10° warmer than outdoors.
Add a clear view, and this difference multiplies.
Also increases drying. Just keep an eye on it.
Outdoors mulched in on the ground protected from Sun or healed into the ground mutes these spikes.

Gotcha I will definitely keep an eye on it. The greenhouse is facing west cozied up to my house so it gets morning sun till about 12 and is in shade the rest of the day. I will monitor it a little closer. Based on the temps we’ve had here recently I haven’t been in there and it be over 50 yet so I would imagine that is a good thing. I planned to move it to a part of my yard that gets more sun as the spring approaches.

 

[James W.]

Does not look like a "Grey Owl" to me. I have not observed any of mine wanting to grow downward when left on their own. All of mine want to grow out and up with a good bit of juvenile foliage.
Maybe something like "Blue Rug"?
Time will tell and I am perfectly happy to be shown to be wrong. Shouldn't make much difference in how you treat it in the near future.

 

[Japonicus]

Can't disagree with blue rug.
I find the percentage of brown/dead foliage concerning, coming from a bonsai nursery at that.
I do like the runner on the left in the 1st pic.
(Keep for energy stores)
Colour is typical for Winter on it, so no worries there.
Trunk has a nice start.

 

[Mike132327]

Does not look like a "Grey Owl" to me. I have not observed any of mine wanting to grow downward when left on their own. All of mine want to grow out and up with a good bit of juvenile foliage.
Maybe something like "Blue Rug"?
Time will tell and I am perfectly happy to be shown to be wrong. Shouldn't make much difference in how you treat it in the near future.

I guess we will all find out together, I liked the pops of blue purple and grey foliage so I went for it. I’m not to attached to the grey owl. I’ll do some research on getting an id if possible.

 

[Mike132327]

Can't disagree with blue rug.
I find the percentage of brown/dead foliage concerning, coming from a bonsai nursery at that.
I do like the runner on the left in the 1st pic.
(Keep for energy stores)
Colour is typical for Winter on it, so no worries there.
Trunk has a nice start.

I wasn’t sure if some of the needles turning brown was just from winter, I will definitely keep an eye on it. Perhaps switching from a very climate controlled greenhouse to its much less temp stable new home caused some stress?

I’ve had nothing but good experiences from the place I got it from (these are my first trees from them but everything els has been great so I am not to particularly worried in that regard. With my newness to the craft I am much quicker to believe the fault could lie on my end.

 

[Japonicus]

I wasn’t sure if some of the needles turning brown was just from winter, I will definitely keep an eye on it. Perhaps switching from a very climate controlled greenhouse to its much less temp stable new home caused some stress?

I’ve had nothing but good experiences from the place I got it from (these are my first trees from them but everything els has been great so I am not to particularly worried in that regard. With my newness to the craft I am much quicker to believe the fault could lie on my end.

It takes a bit of time for stress to show up.
In fact, a juniper that is dead, can still exhibit green foliage. I think it'll be fine if you leave it alone this year besides removing dead needles and good husbandry.
To prevent blowing over, you can place the can in a heavier pot that has drainage holes. Heavier pot will no doubt be non bonsai related.
Simple terracotta pot may be too light.
Rocks can be placed around the base or tether to a cynder block or your bonsai bench. Get creative

 

[Mike132327]

It takes a bit of time for stress to show up.
In fact, a juniper that is dead, can still exhibit green foliage. I think it'll be fine if you leave it alone this year besides removing dead needles and good husbandry.
To prevent blowing over, you can place the can in a heavier pot that has drainage holes. Heavier pot will no doubt be non bonsai related.
Simple terracotta pot may be too light.
Rocks can be placed around the base or tether to a cynder block or your bonsai bench. Get creative

Copy that sounds good. I will just feed and let it grow out this year.

It’s out of the elements for the winter but that is a great call for spring when it is exposed. I definitely have a few kicking around that will work.