How to do everything wrong…

[ETN_bonsai]

I decided at the end of June that bonsai was something that drew my interest. So I started reading, watching YouTube, and trying to kill this little ERC. At the time, I new nothing (which is about 1% less than I know now). So I dug up this tree, brought it home & put it in a nursery pot I had laying around. I immediately took out my wire cutters and cut the tree up and wired it with some scrap Romex sourced copper wire. This is butchery as of July 1.



I think I pulled about 80-85% of the foliage off that day. I watered it daily and started to fertilize it once a week after two or three weeks of rest.

At some point in the middle of August, I decided it need more abuse. I then did a little root pruning to get it to fit in a notbonsai pot my wife had laying around. There were a large number of new roots growing into the potting soil, so I left them and only trimmed the older hard roots that kept it from fitting. I think I did a little more foliage pruning for shape and changed the wiring. I put it in the sun and watered it every day and fertilized it once a week.

I took a look at the tree today (after much research, I realized that it should be dead). Here’s what we have now.



It’s hard to tell from the picture, but the tree has fresh growth all over it (I think it’s the second or third flush since I pulled it from the ground. The newest growth is also mature foliage. It’s rooting out the bottom of the pot as well.

I plan to heel it in for the winter and leave it alone next year. Hopefully I can get it back bud.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Not mature foliage for ERC, but nice job otherwise with your first tree. Careful with mid summer repots. I think you were lucky with this one.

 

[pandacular]

Your wire looks nice and cleanly applied, but I think you should try again with a thicker wire in the spring. With aluminum on a juniper, I’m usually looking to use a wire that’s around half the diameter of the branch that I’m wiring. Copper wire needs to be annealed to use for bonsai effectively, which you can do yourself (I’m told, google it) if you have cheap wire available.

Good job keeping it alive for this long! I’d get several more junipers (maybe J. procumbens or J. chinesis “Old Gold” if you can find them) and see if you have better luck killing those.

 

[ETN_bonsai]

Not mature foliage for ERC, but nice job otherwise with your first tree. Careful with mid summer repots. I think you were lucky with this one.

All of the existing foliage is juvenile, but it seems to sprouted a small flush of new, mature foliage in the last couple of weeks. I think I’ve been lucky as well. I’m not sure why the tree is alive, but at the time I was very uninformed.

Your wire looks nice and cleanly applied, but I think you should try again with a thicker wire in the spring. With aluminum on a juniper, I’m usually looking to use a wire that’s around half the diameter of the branch that I’m wiring. Copper wire needs to be annealed to use for bonsai effectively, which you can do yourself (I’m told, google it) if you have cheap wire available.

Good job keeping it alive for this long! I’d get several more junipers (maybe J. procumbens or J. chinesis “Old Gold” if you can find them) and see if you have better luck killing those.

Thanks. I’ve wired a wild few trees for practice

 

[Orion_metalhead]

All of the existing foliage is juvenile, but it seems to sprouted a small flush of new, mature foliage in the last couple of weeks. I think I’ve been lucky as well. I’m not sure why the tree is alive, but at the time I was very uninformed.



Thanks. I’ve wired a wild few trees for practice

That new growth is not mature ERC foliage. Mature foliage is scale foliage. Those new shoots are still juvenile.

 

[BonsaiManic]

This makes me think of Wiley Coyote before he read the book of the law of gravity. Your tree is thriving because the two of you didn't know it shouldn't have survived.
BTW, perfect title for a thread about falling (or failing) with style.
Mission failed successfully!

 

[ETN_bonsai]

That new growth is not mature ERC foliage. Mature foliage is scale foliage. Those new shoots are still juvenile.

You’re right. I was being too optimistic.

This makes me think of Wiley Coyote before he read the book of the law of gravity. Your tree is thriving because the two of you didn't know it shouldn't have survived.
BTW, perfect title for a thread about falling (or failing) with style.
Mission failed successfully!

If every tree was this idiot proof, bonsai would be a much easier hobby. The tree did so well that I tried similar, but leas invasive, feats with two other, better ERC and both have since died. It’s upsetting, but at least it a lesson learned.
This tree is still plugging along at the moment.

 

[ETN_bonsai]

Hello guys. I looked at the tree I posted above over the weekend and noticed the following.


It seems the most recent flush of growth seem to turning almost black. The tree has been outside in the same spot more or less all summer. I’ve slowed down on watering somewhat from when it was in the 80s and 90s, but I’ve still been watering it almost every day it’s sunny. (I moved it inside to the grow tent for the photo opportunity.)
Any ideas or suggestions? It seems to be the entire tree acting up.

 

[BonsaiManic]

We don't have ERC down here, but if I remember correctly from my childhood in Kansas, their foliage turns quite dark as they move toward winter. It was a very deep red or purple. I hope that is the case here. What part of the world are you in?

 

[ETN_bonsai]

I’m in north east TN. I suppose I should wonder over to the part of the woods I collected the tree from to see its relatives are doing the same thing. I hope it’s just a winter color. I’m fond of this little one.

 

[Joelshack2362]

I'd say possible over watering. If it survives cut back to every other day or only when it needs it. Some good material on here about over watering.

 

[bwaynef]

The coloration of the new growth is mostly indicative of the cool snap we've had in the southeast. You've got fresh/tender new growth subjected to cool temperatures. Junipers can take on winter color, which can be pretty disconcerting until you know whats happening. Some folks call it bronzing, but there's almost always some red/purple hue (as can be seen in yours).

I'd encourage you to continue practicing wiring, and looking at good examples. There's a nice tutorial on craftsy that's free (even if it asks for payment, iirc). I see poor anchors, ineffective wire, and unnecessarily crossed wires. Spacing looks good, and doesn't seem too loose/tight. I also see that you wired two branches with a single piece of wire which is a great way to make sure they're anchored properly. A little knowledge & planning and wiring will take care of itself ...for the most part. Also, annealed copper is the way to go. I'd avoid it straight from the Romex. Otherwise, aluminum will go on with less effort than unannealed (and if we're being honest, annealed) copper, with less damage risk.

I'm no expert on ERC, but I'd recommend letting it overgrow for a year or so. Remove downward growing foliage and crotch growth if you must mess with it, otherwise leave it alone. It will thicken and build density. Once you begin to see extension growth, you're on notice to check any wires on the tree because wire bite can happen quickly.

Lastly, it looks like its in a grow tent. Make sure you let it go dormant.

 

[ETN_bonsai]

I’m hoping it’s caused by the cold snap. It got into the low 40s and upper 30s for a few nights recently, and the new growth was still the lighter green shade of new growth.
The first picture of the tree in this thread is the first time I’d wired. It was a terrible job to be sure, but I was using what materials I had to hand. I’ve switched to aluminum wire since then.
I plan to leave the tree to grow until spring 2026. I’ll keep it outside over winter. It was in the grow tent for the best lighting so I could take clear pictures to upload.

Thanks for all the replies and advice, fellows.