Shaping Juniper Bonsai

[wmcarthur]

Hi Everyone

I was gifted a Juniper Bonsai back in December and I have been recently thinking about trying to shape and prune it. Right now it’s in a nursery pot and is looking quite bushy. It has one main stem that goes up then curves to the side with other branches coming off of it. Ideally I’d like to eventually have it look like a stereotypical tree. I have attached pictures that hopefully demonstrate what I am talking about. I would like to know what I should prune first before I get into wiring etc.

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[tperoda]

I took a "start by removing anything on the underside of the branch/growing downwards" to get a lay of the land. I also just learned (I'm a bit of a newb), is to trim/prune outside to inside (helps create the sizeing down to fit the proportions).

 

[pandacular]

The most common noob mistake--and I should know, as a fellow noob--is to trim to heavily on the interior growth. This is a problem because interior growth is hard to grow back and exterior/apical growth is always happy to keep growing.

After you remove bottoms, I would remove other unfavorable bits of growth, including crotches (pieces emerging from the place where branches join) and tops (similar to bottoms, but you can leave some near the apex).

Once you've done that, you should remove growth that comes out of the same point. If two branches emerge opposite to one another, cut one off. This rule can be fudged if it will lead to awkward one sidedness, huge empty sections, or you're just not sure. Leave such growth on too long, and you'll get ugly swelling at that point. The design goal here is to have roughly alternating branches between left and right.

Best of luck!

 

[pandacular]

Also, I recommend updating your profile with your location (state/region is good enough, but city is better) and USDA hardiness zone, it helps others with context.

Do you know the species of this juniper? it looks like communis, given it's juvenile (spikey) foliage, but could be another juvenile foliage species. It doesn't look as dense as procumbens.

 

[Shibui]

Typical arching trunk of J. procumbens. The stake is there to hold the start of the trunk upright but as a prostrate variety the new growth will always try to grow down unless you hold it up until the wood hardens.
I'm guessing that, as a newbie, you'll be happy with a skinny trunk, bushy tree shape which means you can start soon.
Start by removing any obviously unwanted branches to make it a bit easier to see what's left - really low branches as an example. Also, as mentioned, try to retain branches on outside of trunk bends and remove from inside bends where possible.
Then thin out remaining branches to leave some space between the keeper branches. At this stage it probably doesn't matter which stay and which go. In most cases beginners keep way too many branches initially anyway.
Wire the trunk to bend it into attractive shape and stand the falling section up as an upright tree if that's what 'stereotypical tree' looks like.
Wire remaining branches to compliment trunk shape.

The above work can be staged over a few months as junipers sometimes react badly to lots of foliage reduction, wiring and bending in one session.

Definitely add a location as most bonsai tasks are quite season specific. Without a location we don't even know if it is winter or summer where you are.
You would be much better off finding a local source of knowledge to assist. Someone that can see the tree in 3D can plan much better than us looking at 2D photos. Bonsai clubs are a great resource and are usually more than happy to offer guidance to newbies if you can find one within reasonable proximity. Bonsai nurseries may also be willing to advise but may charge a fee for service.

 

[Paradox]

If it' is summer where you are, do not wire and bend this tree now. You can cause the bark to slip and kill the branch. Wiring and bending juniper is best done in the fall or late winter.

Some pruning would be fine now like removing the downward growth and some extra growth but be careful about removing too much as stated.

Please do put your location on your profile

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Hi Everyone

I was gifted a Juniper Bonsai back in December and I have been recently thinking about trying to shape and prune it. Right now it’s in a nursery pot and is looking quite bushy. It has one main stem that goes up then curves to the side with other branches coming off of it. Ideally I’d like to eventually have it look like a stereotypical tree. I have attached pictures that hopefully demonstrate what I am talking about. I would like to know what I should prune first before I get into wiring etc.

Thank you in advance for your help.View attachment 499876View attachment 499877View attachment 499878View attachment 499879View attachment 499880

Keep developing and growing it through the remainder of Summer and Fall and then go dormant (keep it outside at all times since they prefer to remain outside) for winter. Dormancy outside will still provide the down time it needs (as opposed to being in a garage or utility closet) so it’s ready to come out of the gate swinging in Spring 2024.

In Spring, hit it with 10-10-10 fertilizer, water as needed, and light prune at the end of Spring and then again at the end of Summer. At the end of Fall 2024, make any prunes/branch removals and apply wire for shape/style. Come Spring time 2025 you’ll have a more full, denser, and healthy tree with good pads.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Light prune = only remove foliage growth inside crutch areas (elbows, corners where the first branches exit the main trunk), foliage growing directly on the bottom side of branches.

The purpose of this kind of pruning is to allow light and oxygen down into the tree for overall energy and photosynthesis. Proper water, fertilizer, oxygen, and sunlight will allow the tree to optimize photosynthesis (which gives you the best material and growth to work with).