AusBonsai

Hi all!

First off, I want to say hi as this is my first forum post! Been checking around here for a couple of weeks and reading lots of stuff on the Wiki. I've always been interested in Bonsai and have decided to finally take the plunge. Unfortunately, I live in rural SA so I don't have any local bonsai clubs, so here I am on the forums.

Yesterday I went out and bought my first bonsai, a Sargent Juniper. Its about 9.5cm high. I've taken some photo's and am after some suggestions as to what I should do next. Bear in mind I cannot plant it in the ground, although a grow box/pot is a possibility.
I already have a few ideas running around in my head, and there's a branch in the front which I already want to remove. However, in a great display of self control, I decided to consult the forum guru's before touching anything

Hi Phoenix,
Welcome to AusBonsai. I would let it grow a little bit more and then look at some possibilities.

Regards Panda

Hi Pheonix
I would try to bring down the branches to create some "negative space" between them so you can see thru the tree. Also the branch in from can be repved as it crosess the trunk and you cannot see it.

Thin outr some of the foliage by pinching if it looks to thick and losing the outline you want

Next time you repot, I woud tilt to the right to get soem direction out of the ground and bring the highest point of the tree above the trunk base

Ken

Thanks for the quick replies! Do you think I should start taking pieces off now, or leave it grow for a bit? I planned on taking that front branch off, it really is in the way. I probably don't want it to get much higher, but I need to thicken the bottom up a bit

Phoenix238 wrote:Thanks for the quick replies! Do you think I should start taking pieces off now, or leave it grow for a bit? I planned on taking that front branch off, it really is in the way. I probably don't want it to get much higher, but I need to thicken the bottom up a bit

The only way to thicken the bottom is to plant into a large pot or in the ground for a few years. Not what you really want to do with a new bonsai. I suggest take of the branch, wire the others if you can and learn how to keep it healthy. While learning that, get a couple of other "preBonsai" and put into larger pots or the ground so that they will thicken up. Once you are happy with them then you can work on them

Look around for trees to layer branches off, or "weeds" growing near you ( Olives in SA), collect them and start practising.

Ken

Thanks for the tips kcpoole, I'll have a look around and see what I can find. Something tells me I'm gonna have more plants than I know what to do with soon...

Just wondering, what is the best time for pruning, repotting etc for these?

Hi p238, now is a good time to repot and style your "sargentii"

Thanks for the info Bodhi, now I just need to go look up soil stuff. I take it my bag of potting mix for my other plants won't cut it for Bonsai...

After a repot, root trim and pruning, here is what I'm left with
Found this on my nebari, not sure what to do with it