Bonsaify | When NOT to Repot Junipers PLUS Fiber-Pulling Fun!

[@Nepali_Bonsai_Bamrukh]

Hi Bonsaify thanks for sharing your experience I enjoyed and learned about juniper growths...... And mistakes. It was totally helpful for me...... Thank you again.

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Always fantastically educational and informative Eric. Love your videos and the wonderful smaller trees you work on 🙏

[@cynicalPixels]

Must watch for beginners.

[@jerzinho92]

As always, great and interesting video! Many thanks!

[@TheBonsaiZone]

I think the tree in the small pot will gain strength as the roots fill the pot and as the balance of the foliage is achieved. I think the finer growth will be beneficial in the long run. 9 months isn't a long time for the tree to recover from this severe top and bottom work.

[@themichaellerner]

I appreciated watching your fire pulling technique! Thanks for sharing.

[@wabisabi3619]

Superb video, Eric. Your content is so good. And I really like your non pretentious demeanour. I realise I’ve just made the mistake you are pointing out… I just put a very similar juniper into a very similar pot! But this is how we learn, through experience. I have about 30 more in this size so I will take a different approach and have a control subject for comparison. I have a goal to open a small nursery in the future and your channel really helps. 4 years ago I thought I could be ready in 5 years but… well, it’s hard to rush quality bonsai, I’m running out of room and working at this scale without experience at scale means a big learning process! Thank you for everything you do though, mate. You’re helping people all over the world and that’s an incredible thing!

[@steveanacorteswa3979]

To those getting started, The hard lessons of getting started in bonsai, you have to look at what you are building, I potted too many too early, you need to figure out what you want, keep it in a relatively large pot (I use #3 airpot), until you get the trunk you want, then you may even want to do your shari and dead wood and get all that done and healed. Move to a bonsai or training pot to work on ramification, as you no longer want fast growth. At least that is what I have learned in the last 4 years. So much on the internet talks about cutting candles etc, that isn't what you do on a young JBP etc when you are trying to grow wood. Nice video, I want to do more Junipers, I have about 400 JBP & JRP in development, starting to propagate some maples, then some of those Shimpaku :)

[@MoraisSanFoo]

Your work is amazing, congrats.

[@PNWBonsai]

Those trunks have developed amazing! Thickness and movement are perfect! I hope you guys have an amazing show in November!

[@9daywonda]

Nice one, really gnarly type ones.

[@brianbarnes1362]

Stunning tree. Can't wait to see it next time

[@BONSAIenCORTO]

Great tips. Thanks.

[@Serentropic]

Lovely juniper :) I'd probably keep the 5-gallon tree a *bit* taller for my tastes, but it feels like a tree that has plenty of quality to work with regardless of design direction. The deadwood looks well on its way! Do you know if that one was grown with a sacrificial leader, or did the taper development just come from branching? I've studied up on early pine development and I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of how to girth up a pine, but I haven't seen as much content on that state of juniper development after wiring the trunk the first time but prior to setting branches. Feels like it could be a nice topic for future videos :) I wouldn't mind some seiju content too; I just bought one of your starters after binging Mirai's library content on elms and I'm eager to learn more! Thank you for the thoughtful video and I hope to see more of these two trees in the future, they're very attractive

[@emy1111]

you could air layer the top, junipers root easily from layers... and film it we would all like to see 😁

[@EP-ex2om]

What is your air layering process for junipers?

[@emy1111]

@@EP-ex2om hi Eric, pretty much the same as deciduous, ring bark, rooting hormone and sphagnum moss. Timing early summer separating 6~8 weeks later or when enough root has emerged. Hope this helps 😊

[@mokdog666]

Air layer the top of the larger juniper? Great material , shame to waste it! 😅Even if it’s just for a parent plant for cutting material ?

[@Bonsaify]

Great idea, but not sure I will - I want the deadwood as a jin top that I can carve away!

[@mokdog666]

@@Bonsaify it’ll be a beautiful tree in a couple years !

[@judymagrath3771]

Amazing video as always!

[@jasongannon7676]

Looks amazing. One horticulturist to another

[@robertscarborough68]

Sublime.

[@tototest4157]

Isn’t the big tree a wonderful material for a bunjing ? ( literati)

[@Bonsaify]

Interesting question - to my eye it is not. The movement is too severe and a bit predictable. It is better suited to an informal upright IMO. But, bonsai is an art, and you could take this piece of material any number of directions and shape it to your taste. What I showed here is only one possible (or two) design.(s)

[@lolpwndk]

Hey Eric, i did some shari work on a juniper a few months ago. Now that it's callused over a bit, is it still alright slap on some lime sulphur or should i wait untill spring?

[@Bonsaify]

You can apply lime sulfur after the wood dries. When it's wet/freshly made it doesn't work well. (although you wet it from the outside when applying lime sulfur before doing so.) The time of year is not super important for the wood, only if you plan to spray the foliage.

[@davewilliams9948]

Just curious, did you ask Jim's how old this tree was? If not, what is your best estimate? Great content as always!

[@Bonsaify]

I did, but he didn't tell me. I would guess about 15 years from cutting, with some number of years ground growing, perhaps not in an ideal spot.

[@joeydupre6153]

You were probably a bit quick in putting that smaller tree in that small pot. It looks good, though.

[@aaronleslie1581]

Could you burn away the small fibres?

[@Bonsaify]

Yes, that is an option, but I find the process more laborious and unrewarding than other methods. The burn marks on the remaining wood are difficult to remove, and protecting the lifeline also takes time.

[@aaronleslie1581]

@@Bonsaify awesome thanks, also love the videos! You’ve helped me out a lot! 🇨🇦

[@dudesjirbonsai]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌🙂

[@bobbydelaura]

Bonsaify aloha I’m in Antioch you’re in Oakland I want to start bonsai tree I’ve made some cedar wood bonsai pots and also want to make my own soil what would suggest

[@oliwestside5050]

First 😅

[@Gameslotpenghasiluang-82828]

Amazing vdeo