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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #39961

  • Ricky73
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Hi all,
I am growing a Chinese Juniper, bought three years ago from nursery stock, and that I want to train into a Bonsai.
I have been following this website and forum since long, read books and surfed the web (including exhaustive articles on bonsai4me) but still I am wondering how to prune and wire to give my Juniper a proper shape.
Main doubts are on the big branch on the bottom left (should I leave it?) and on the total lack of nebari on the left side.
I have repotted it in full akadama last year so I won’t do it again till next year at least.
In the second attached pic this is shown from a potential, better front.
Can you give me any advice? Thanks!

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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #39969

  • leatherback
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Slightly dificult to tell from a picture..

If I look at the branches I can see long bare branches. Do you get any budding along the bare branches? The tree is sparse with all fooliage at the end of the branches, making it slightly dificult.

As said, I cannot really tll from just pctures, but have you considered just wrking with the left-hand side of the plant? There is a split intoo more or less equal trunks. Using just the left, and sl=plitting the large vollume of foliage in several layers might be a route to take.

else, something like this one of mine might work (In middle stages of development, getting the foliage on the right spots), but you need to get backbudding first:

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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #39973

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Thank you Leatherback for your reply and your advice.
Unfortunately there are no signs of backbudding on any branch.
I've understood however that backbudding on conifers is basically impossible...
I'm a bit skeptical on using the left-hand side "trunk": it only has a long bare branch at the bottom and a foliage pad on its tip.
I do not see other branches that could be grown and thickened - but I am not experienced enough to spot some
potential in it!

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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #40045

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Hello,
In fact I see some veeeeery little hints of backbudding here and there... I’ll try to develop and make good use of these sparse new buds.
In the meantime I’ve started applying additional wire to the existing pads and here is the current result.
I was also thinking of removing some branches (including a couple of the long bare ones...).
Finally, I could make a jin of what will remain of the left trunk.
You can see the current appearance and the “simulation” in the attached pics...
What do you think of this possibility?

Another question: since a few days I’ve noticed tiny flies walking on the akadama granules and flying around the branches... not many but I’m afraid their larvae might propagate ending up damaging roots and tree. Do I have to worry? What could I do?

Many thanks everybody for any advice!

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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #40051

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If the tiny flies are black, could be fungus gnats, an indication of overwatering.
Their larvae are dangerous for the roots.
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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #40099

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Many thanks Clicio. Yes they are dark greyish-black, so I believe you are right, they could be fungus gnats.
If not overwatering (my trees are in akadama with no tray at all below the pot when I water them), could the reason be some decomposing Biogold organic granules I have added to the soil?
Also, back to my previous question, any advice on the styling "simulation"? Thank you!

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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #40393

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Hi all,
I’ve been wiring further (with some very light pruning) my Juniper, bearing in mind Leatherback’s example above of a twin-trunk tree.
So here is the last step... conscious that there is still lots of work and training and time.
What is your opinion on it?
Thanks!

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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #40400

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I think that is a very good improvement. On my phone i cannot see details but overall, jobe well done.
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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #40405

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Thank you Leatherback - I will post more pictures from different points of view to better check the details.

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Pruning and Styling my Chinese Juniper 5 years 10 months ago #40416

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Hi - here are a few more pics of the Juniper from different angles and above. Certainly not as good looking as from the front...

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