Large one seed juniper progression

[Hartinez]

Collected this one seed juniper (Juniperus Monosperma) in early spring 2017. Great root ball at collection, and was able to reduce the original soil amount pretty significantly from the get go. Planted in pumice and composted bark. Watered and fed all last year and this growing season. Growth has been great, with extensions from last year and this. I cleaned up the live vein and deadwood about 4 weeks ago and created a few jins while I was at it. I also removed weak growth and crotch growth from the interior.

In all honesty, I pushed this tree pretty hard considering it’s only had two summers of growth. Regardless the tree is vigorous and healthy.

The style... I changed the angle on this beast as there were multiple trunks to deal with. 3 trunks survived the cut and I jinned the remaining. The jins may be a bit much, but I’ll reevaluate next season. My wiring execution needs work but I’m getting better with each new tree. And this tree being so large really pushed my patience and abilities. I definitely need some training. I used a combo of aluminum and copper wire. It’s what I had. ??‍

I did my best to take the best photo I could, but my iPhone only produces so good a photo, even with a decent lighting setup. The tree in person feels balanced and I can’t wait for it’s progression and growth.

DH

 

[Hartinez]

Setup is pretty good. I just need a better camera.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Not shabby at all. Great material to work with there. Seems to have a good powerful base.... want to see how this one turns out for sure.

 

[Hartinez]

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Brilliant. Are you going to keep the heavy jin on the left?

 

[Hartinez]

Brilliant. Are you going to keep the heavy jin on the left?

That’s the one I like most. The rest seem a bit much. We shall see I suppose. For now, the tree and myself need rest. This is the longest I’ve spent on styling a tree. ?

 

[BunjaeKorea]

That’s the one I like most. The rest seem a bit much. We shall see I suppose. For now, the tree and myself need rest. This is the longest I’ve spent on styling a tree. ?

Cool.... no point just lopping it off..... you have plenty of time to decide to leave it , reduce it or carve it.... just wait till the tree fills out a bit.
I'd say that your time in styling will pay off handsomely down the road... keep updating us

 

[Hartinez]

Will do. And thank you.

 

[Hartinez]

Upon further review this morning. The pads and placement need addressing. And maybe that secondary trunk height.

 

[Hartinez]

I need to stop staring at this tree and be content with its current layout. I think I’ll be much happier once it fills out more. Here’s a slight rotation of the pot and better pad dispersement.

 

[Hartinez]

Blowing up my own thread here. ? why not. I’m happier and happier with how this turned out.

 

[Hartinez]

Certainly not perfect wiring, but I’m getting better.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Certainly not perfect wiring, but I’m getting better. View attachment 212283

Some of the wire spacing is too wide.... don't beat yourself too much.... just practice practice practice..... and let the tree recover a bit lol.....
You do know trees never grow when youre watching......lol

 

[Hartinez]

Some of the wire spacing is too wide.... don't beat yourself too much.... just practice practice practice..... and let the tree recover a bit lol.....
You do know trees never grow when youre watching......lol

I’m def not touching it. But I’m looking! ?

 

[BunjaeKorea]

I’m def not touching it. But I’m looking! ?

Hehehe theres no crime in appreciating your own art

 

[Hartinez]

Hehehe theres no crime in appreciating your own art

Absolutely right. I’m an artist and designer for a living, and Bonsai is easily the most difficult craft I’ve done. Can’t tell you how many trees I’ve mangled over the years!! And this and a few others I have are proof that I may just may be improving a bit. A bit...

 

[Silentrunning]

Keep a close eye on that wiring. Some of it looks a bit tight. You don’t want to leave wire marks on the branches as the tree grows. I know from personal experience.

 

[Hartinez]

This thread needs an update.

I was VERY happy with the work done to this tree fall of 18. However, I’ve learned considerably from the mistakes I made. And what I noticed.

This tree is alive and well but suffered some unfortunate dieback and threw a ton of juvenile foliage. The apex bit the dust and the primary branch on the tallest trunk also died. I removed all of the wiring, and raffia very carefully in early September, to allow the tree to do its thing.

while the tree was healthy and putting on growth, it was not vigorous growth, and that fact should have lead me to the conclusion that a fall styling of this tree in particular, was not in order. It did not have a large reserve of accumulative energy to take the heavy styling, bending and foliage removal with ease that I did at styling. View attachment 266666i


with what I said from above, it may have made it through winter unscathed had I protected the tree from the elements, in particular the root ball, in a better fashion. We had a particularly cold winter this year, and several other trees were taken down as a result. Also, in March, the plastic crate it was propped up on to change the angle for style, cracked and collapsed, causing the whole tree to topple. I should have noticed the precarious nature of my tilt from the get go. Fortunately the rootball stayed mostly intact, but this caused me to slip pot quickly into this nursery container. I have to think this did not help the tree along at all.

the rootball still has a decent amount of field soil, which in New Mexico is a heavy clay we call Caliche. Muddies up the system quite a bit. That may have been an issue.

This tree after dieback and a slow start, began pushing foliage all over, including a ton of backbudding, to help replace lost branches and fill unsightly negative space. It is now considerably covered in foliage with a good amount of the juvenile sections already reverting back to mature.

my plans for this tree going in to next spring, are to protect and hunker down this beast first and foremost, and then I will repot, possibly HBR, in order to begin reducing that original soil mass, and into a pure well draining substrate of pumice.

What I’m finding in investigating this tree is that it has great potential for a new front and a wonderful build up of character due to the elements beating down on the deadwood I created. I’m posting the angles at which I see the best “front” for a styling that may happen next year, but possibly the following year.

Original front


sligtly turned


Potential new front


the base

 

[Hartinez]

the foliage

 

[Hartinez]

Here are the pots I’m considering. I like the idea of a large round drum. Maybe taiko style. Though a rounded rectangle or oval could be nice. These are all affordable and on Amazon. Yixing pots. Until I can afford something worth while.