Hi all!

I have recently picked up a juniper nana from a local nursery because of the potential I saw in it to become a bonsai. I pruned it up waited a couple days and then re potted it since the soil in its growers pot had become dead roots from the tree. Its been sitting in the shade now and I have begun to do some basic wiring on it but am wondering if these branches are a little long? What is everyone's opinion on cutting back branches? Good because it encourages back budding or bad because its cutting a branch? This is my second tree but much bigger than my first and I'm just trying to get as much knowledge about how to give it the best life possible while also looking amazing. Any response is welcome!

Also! I was planning on trying to cascade this tree on the long branch and then have the other side go up, thats the vision I saw. If anyone has a different idea for shaping Id love to hear it!

What I would do is some serious bending of everything (the more jumbled up, the better, at this stage) and leave it grow freely in the filed or in a big, big pot for a few years.
Coming back from time to time just to make sure the wire doesn't bites too much into the wood, but for the rest basically leaving it alone.

Ofc, I know that can be hard if what you wanted is "a tree, now".

From the look of it you need to get some health into it before doing anything to it. It does not look to be healthy at the moment, so unless it is not draining well I would leave it alone, start fertiliser once it looks as if it is growing and leave it for this year at least before doing anything.

...so you repotted, pruned and "wired" basically at the same time.... thats enough to kill it. Unwire it ( the wire is not doing much anyway) and leave it alone. Water-fertilisize ( if you start seeing growth) and thats it, untill you get some decent growth in a year or 2-3

I don't think that's a Juniperus (procumbens) nana?

Personally, I don't see that much potential in what's left of this tree.

Auk wrote:

I don't think that's a Juniperus (procumbens) nana?

Personally, I don't see that much potential in what's left of this tree.

I agree with AUK, this definitely isn´t procumbens and look like a thuja more than a juniper.
Maybe some literati form would be ok for this.

My bad its a Juniperus gold! dont know if that changes anything

it is a juniperus gold!

breno1911 wrote:

it is a juniperus gold!

That you ruined for bonsai by cutting off tjhe lower side branches.