AusBonsai

Hi Guys,

I made a good score with a decent sized shimpaku at a clearance sale which i posted before.

I have no knowledge with junipers of any type and was wondering what people recommend as general care, things such as:

- repotting, what is the best time, do you slip pot or bare root (i would like to bare root to see what is going on under the soil and with the basal structure but i dont want to harm the tree)
- Fertilizing
- potting mixture (is a zeolite, diatomite soil mix ok)
- foiliage reifnement
- wireing and bending, raffia, tyre inner tube, are there things to look out for?

As i said iu am a complete newbie to junipers, so any help and advice would be very much appreciated.

G

Post a photo up mate...I'd love to see it

Hi Yes I would like to see a photo of this tree too. As for repotting now is definately not the time to do it. Spring is best but early autumn can work too depending on where you are in this rather diverse country of ours. Never ever, ever, ever completely bare root a juniper or any conifer for that matter, take care to only remove what youneed to, and always keep the core root system with some soil or potting mix still on.I grow a few junipers and have success with the quality potting mix and diatomite combination with a decent helping of slow release fertiliser added.Should be able to shape well with wire but for heavy bending you will ned to use raffia first with the wire over the top. I prefer raffia to rubber innertube and the likes because it is a natural product that works well and has done for as long as I can remember plus it will breakdown naturally when it has completed its task and it is also a porous material that will allow the bark to breath, I think we all need to do that from time to time. As for styling, you cant go wrong if you look at lots of pictures and remember to let the tree talk to you and dont force it to do what it wont. This is of course only my opinion and very brief. Patience is a viertue, hurry up slowly and all will be reveiled. Dark1