Juniperus squamata 'Prostrata'. Any advice?

[Laurie J]

Trident et al. "I would willingly give you back five minutes of your life, if that's all you had left."
I have noticed some newbies are not coming back that is a shame to me. Have you wondered why

To be honest, the reason I rarely come on here is the amount of incorrect information being posted. I see so many posts where people give advise, and it turns out to be completely wrong. In my opinion, if you give advise or post in a thread, it should be correct. And of course on topic. Just my

Laurie

[Bush bunny]

Laurie, it's a question of really what suits one (tree) may not suit another, particularly where you live and the micro-climate in which you are growing your bonsai. Plus one's personal knowledge of course. I can personally relate to some but I am not stupid either. If you haven't got much to work on, like a starter bonsai, instincts are to let it grow and mature a bit. Especially if one is an experienced bonsai-er one would have confidence. I haven't so much of that. Yet, but it is growing. I approached re-potting with fear after losing my first one. Now I am getting more confident, and luckily, with some horticulture nous too, keeping my fingers crossed, I have been lucky not too lose any more. So far, so good. Mind you it dominates my life at the present time. I've learned most of my limited knowledge from books, or the internet generally, and as a professional student (tertiary too) my way is to research and research, and read widely. Luckily from the blog, I have found some local bonsai experienced folk, whom I can contact over the phone for advice when it may appear trivial to some here.
Have a great day, Laurie. Nice to have met you.

[kcpoole]

Trident et al. "I would willingly give you back five minutes of your life, if that's all you had left."
I have noticed some newbies are not coming back that is a shame to me. Have you wondered why

To be honest, the reason I rarely come on here is the amount of incorrect information being posted. I see so many posts where people give advise, and it turns out to be completely wrong. In my opinion, if you give advise or post in a thread, it should be correct. And of course on topic. Just my

Laurie

Hmm That is sad to hear

Like every discussion, everyone has their own opinion and whether it be right or wrong, everyone thinks that they are usually correct.
Before taking anyone advise re your tree whethere on a forum or in person, Ascertain whether they are knowledgeable about the subject and sincere. then decide to apply what they offer yourself.

One of the problems is that people take the written work or gossip as gospel, and that is the case in so many aspects of our live today, not just Bonsai.
The huge advantage of forums is that it is very easy to get a very diverse range of thoughts and ideas from people that have very different ideas and experiences and personalities to ourselves. Just remember the 1st point I made above.

Ken

[Bush bunny]

I think I agree Ken, just that sarcastic comments can put people off. It doesn't me particularly as I have a tough skin, that comes with one's life experience, but I can spot people's various ways of expressing themselves through the written word. And their personality comes with same. Gosh I have been a journalist and professional writer for years, too long to repeat. And experienced publicist. One way to put newbies off is to patronize them and make them feel they are unwanted or too stupid for words for not knowing. Then arguing over the ID, or methodology offered.

One politician I worked for told me..."If you are asked for advice or opinion, bear in mind, whom you are giving it to. [He meant get their credentials, name etc., or true reason for asking first It is unwise to assume the person is less informed on the issue than you. They may not be - to your chagrin later.." In the political arena, many traps are laid for the unwary staff as well particularly from the media or opposition.

respect those who are genuinely asking for advice not comment bearing in mind, the reason they have approached you in the first place.

[Ash Barns]

Here is what I do when I buy a Juniper in a black pot. Scrape away the top soil to expose the full trunk. Pull back the foliage to ascertain the trunk line. I don't do any heavy wiring in Spring (for fear of separating the cambium layer) I do heavy wiring in Winter. Meanwhile I feed the tree all Spring and less in Autumn. I wire the shape of the tree whilst in the nursery pot. I do not touch the tree until the following Spring, which is when I would select a bonsai pot for the tree.

Cheers
Ash

[Neli]

Neli, This bonsai starter had only thin fibrous (?) roots,only a few thicker feeder roots and that's where I stopped trimming them, left them as is.
Thick roots are not feeder roots! The thin fibrous ones are the feeder roots. Those are the ones you need.

Now I have a three inch long trunk at least. It is after all a ground cover bonsai. They don't have much of a trunk and do send out fibrous roots from that under the soil. No tap root (not one I could feel) I trimmed these roots from what was a trunk, NOT the main root mass. It hardly had any when I started maybe less than an inch of trunk. NOT from the lower root mass. Other than one extra long thin straggler. But it was top heavy of course without a tap root.
You could have always removed the top roots later during the subsequent repots, ones the tree was established.. remember it takes time to create a bonsai. We normally remove the lower roots during the first repot, and gradually remove top roots that are not needed.
But what I noticed was in the middle of the root mass the soil was dry? That's how thick it was! I got rid of that.
That seems like a good idea...normally junipers are root reduced in stages...like 1/3 at a time.

It's raining today not heavy, the birds are singing and I went and had a chat with it as I normally do to my new bonsais. And it told me, he appreciated his new home. In dappled sunlight under a Photinia tree. So have a laugh with me, not at me, eh?
I have a friend in SA Costa....his wife complaing that he talks to his trees for hours every day...You remind me of him....mine get the occasional kiss only.

Oh to get to know who you are preaching at, this is what faces visitors to my home.

It personifies my personality or part of it.

You are very funny girl...and I like that.

[Bush bunny]

Ash, sound advice. I realize that some nursery trees are buried deep in the soil. But this one was a ground cover juniper. It had only less than 1 inch showing above soil level. I did exactly what you said. Investigate where the trunk started and separated from the root mass. The tiny roots on the trunk I removed, that were under the soil originally, but not part of the main root mass, If I'd left them exposed I reckon they would have shriveled up anyway. but the ones that came from the main root mass, I left. Some were thicker than others (the upper feeder roots. Those roots I removed did not belong to the principle root mass. I felt they could be sacrificed. I am leaving it alone to settle now. Good advice, Ash. I can relate to what you have advised. Here in Armidale some of my trees have not broken into full leaf, they have just opened slightly, the deciduous ones at least some are slower than others. Our temps are going below 5 C at night, and up to 20 C during the day. And sometimes frost when there is no cloud cover. That's Armidale, the City of Four Seasons, and some days we get all four together. Don't believe me Neli? we had snow once on the 24th December, great for me, a Pom who loved white Christmas'.

Cheers

Pat

[Luke308]

It's raining today not heavy, the birds are singing and I went and had a chat with it as I normally do to my new bonsais. And it told me, he appreciated his new home. In dappled sunlight under a Photinia tree. So have a laugh with me, not at me, eh?

Oh to get to know who you are preaching at, this is what faces visitors to my home.

It personifies my personality or part of it.

I appreciate your willingness to learn and contribute but with over 450 posts in 68 days (7.2 posts per day ) I can see you are not using the seach function or Ausbonsai Wiki to find what you seek first. I am not saying don't contribute, but please contribute quality rather than quantity. I can see why others have commented as they have.

My suggestion to you would be to join a club and get along to some workshops and learn the basic of repotting, wiring, root pruning and the like. Secondly.....avoid bunnings for anything bonsai related. Sure you can find some nice starters there, but they will take time to even resemble anything like a bonsai.

Maybe put some money aside and buy something that has already had a start on its way to becoming a bonsai?

[rodm]

Hi Ash,
Couldn't be any simpler. This could be applied pretty well to almost all species. Just a few variations where necessary. So simple.
Cheers Rod

[Bush bunny]

Luke, you are entitled to your opinion, be it personal about me. I'm researching for a course, that the government is paying me to study and I am a willing communicator by nature. But your comments and a few others have made me feel that maybe this site is not for me after all. Thanks for the sound advice and I will join others who have been made to feel unwelcome.

I wish to thank all those positive contributors who have helped me. 'What put money aside and buy something worth while..." what advice is that to a beginner who is wanting conversation about bonsai...?

I've met people like Luke in dog showing and training. "So I can star and win quicker - 'I'll get a better dog' when it's the trainer/handler who is at fault not the poor canine. Cheers. Au Revoir!

[kcpoole]

this thread has run its time

as always if anyone disagrees then please advise the Mod Team via PM
Ken