Just got this juniper and the foliage is dense up top. Wondering if it’s ok to prune some of it to get more sun in the center of the tree? Also the soil does not look like the best bonsai soil. Should I wait to report it in better soil, if so when can I repot?
Juniper beginner questions
- Thread starter jbhuynh
- Start date
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
That thing left looks like one of them frog statues!
Welcome to Crazy!
You're probably best to just wire some of that foilage down, since you'll need the activity, the "traffic", to get it to bud interiorly.
I'd think about skinning it all the way down to the furthest trunks folaige and making it a Literati like tree in the far future.
Sorce
Welcome to Crazy!
You're probably best to just wire some of that foilage down, since you'll need the activity, the "traffic", to get it to bud interiorly.
I'd think about skinning it all the way down to the furthest trunks folaige and making it a Literati like tree in the far future.
Sorce
QuantumSparky
Shohin
Complete novice here but I'm under the impression of "if any of that foliage isn't getting sunlight, you don't need it"
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Definitely wait until a better time to repot provided you can manage watering in the meantime. Simple risk V gain. Repot now is definitely risky. Leaving in poor soil may be risky. Try to manage care to suit the current soil. Only attempt out of season repot if you feel the gain outweighs the extra risk.
Many growers are now repotting successfully in late summer when growth slows but still enough time for roots to recover before cold winter. Spring is the traditional tried and true time for repot. Hopefully you will get some input from experienced growers from similar climate zones with more than just theoretical advice on repotting.
The design is definitely odd! You can prune a bit at any time but also consider wiring as a means to get light into the tree. Pruning and wiring together is probably the best option.
Be aware that rough handling in spring and early summer can kill sections of juniper so if you wire do so gently and bend carefully. Might even be safer to wait until after mid summer for any wiring and bending.
Tieball
Masterpiece
Hmmmmmm…..I'm not sure what you were thinking when you picked this one.
caffeinated
Mame
The opposite is true, just generally speaking. Inner foliage is needed to keep bonsai compact and to have foliage to cut back to as your tree continues to grow out and outgrows it's design. Part of the horticultural practice is thinning and/or manipulating the outer foliage to get adequate sunlight to the interior of the tree.
