Good Juniper Bonsai Foliage: Nature or Nurture? [And bonsai fun with @XaviersBonsaiRetreat ]

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I've never been told I have a floppy juniper problem before 😮

[@GrowingBonsai]

Be glad your juniper is the problem!

[@abydosianchulac2]

​@@GrowingBonsai He could always wire it

[@JaniLaaksonen91]

That might happen when the juniper ages!

[@bartstellink307]

😂

[@JudyGSD]

Love love your compilations! Thank you Jelle for your expertise and the humor between you two is wonderful ❤️

[@GrowingBonsai]

I am sure my humor is the key to making the jokes funny though, that IS what you meant to say, right? ;)

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

Oh my goodness.... What a fun time! Lots was learned for sure. Great video!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sueb1317]

Wonderful explanation! Answered a lot of questions I've also asked myself!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Great! Any questions that you have that were not answered?

[@sueb1317]

@@GrowingBonsai Thank you so much Jelle! Would you have any thoughts on improving vigour on my J. horizontalis (not an ideal species). The terminal leaders extend nicely, but the leaflets surrounding them die out. Much appreciation!

[@Stu.Williams]

Awesome video Jelle and guest Xavier. I love the humor and the information about the different Junipers is very helpful. Thank you

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

It was apleasure to have him stay with me for a few days. i learnt a lot about humour from him :)

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Thanks for this Jelle. I always say not all junipers are made equal. Many of these garden centre junipers have long, stringy foliage, not the dense compact foliage of Chinese junipers. Picking the right starting material is so important for success. Chinese junipers can be a little pricey, but cuttings also root quite easily so plant up any cuttings you take for more trees from the one plant. Keep up the great work. 👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

Very true!

[@oachkatzlsmum]

So good to see you 👍😘🙋‍♀️

[@GrowingBonsai]

🤗

[@joegarland4885]

Hi guys great to see you both working with each other on Junipers before your trip Xav and when you arrived in the U.K. I am sure Xav learnt so much from you. Very interesting what you say about picking the right variant of Juniper, not something I thought about but it does make a lot of sense.

[@GrowingBonsai]

I learnt loads from Xav too!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Now that was a little bit of everything - but some great points made Jelle. This has helped me for future juniper selection.

[@GrowingBonsai]

glad you liked it. Had a good time over there!

[@P.W.Brandenburger]

That was fun! Thanks guys.

[@GrowingBonsai]

wet two too!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I find working with jelle both inspirational and a lot of fun :)

[@naturgeist]

☺Very nice color grading, such soothing colors and soft image! love it! Great to see you two together ^^

[@GrowingBonsai]

thanks for noticing!

[@mcbabs7495]

Un grand merci pour la vidéo!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Yu're welcome!

[@dkstott29]

Great Juniper lessons

[@GrowingBonsai]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@MAMLeers]

Interesting, of course. But the problem remains more or less: which species should one choose? I guess it's pretty clear that we all would like to have a shelf (or two), filled with Itoigawa's... But it's not easy to get them and/or they are quite expensive. I was lucky to be able to buy two very small ones (sold out in no time...) earlier this year and I'm trying to grow them bigger and to get a few cuttings to root. Nevertheless I'd like to suggest to look for Juniperus Virginiana "Grey Owl". I am growing (and propagating) them for decades now and I must say that I'm quite fond of this species for bonsaï because these trees do have a few advantages in my opinion. Propagating is rather easy (heal cuttings), great tolerance (pruning, temperature, drought, repotting) and when styling and pruning is executed step by step, juvenile (needle) growth is very limited. I do feed and water them well and I also do mist them regularly (although they can withstand drought quite good). But perhaps also important is that they develop very dense and refined foliage that, in my case, turns green/dark green as they age. So, being blueish/greyish at the beginning or if growing in your garden soil (which speeds up the growth very much by the way), I can ensure you that it's very well possible to grow green and refined foliage. More or less like Itoigawa's but clearly darker green. These trees also do "backbudd" rather easy. Furthermore: they are quite cheap (small and young plants can be achieved for about € 8,00 or € 9,00 or so) which I think is quite important for beginning bonsaï enthusiasts. I live in the Netherlands, by the way. Good luck, Jelle!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thx. Ittoigawa should be not too hard to get a hold of though? J Chinensis Blaauw is also a very good variety!

[@MAMLeers]

@@GrowingBonsai Negative, I'm afraid. Even rooted cuttings are (very) hard to get and if, they're very expensive (not to mention larger and older ones...). Of course, Blaauw's Juniper is a very good alternative, I agree. But they're also hard to get, I'm afraid. By the way, I think they're look quite a lot like this Juniper Virginiana I was writing about. Good luck, Jelle!

[@johnhetherington1253]

I’d love you to style a Hinoki cypress

[@GrowingBonsai]

I used to have one, but sold it. I am not a fan of their curly foliage!

[@DavidAllan-zd8wm]

After trying to bonsai a garden centre chinensis a few years ago (and failing) I was never a fan of junipers, but you may just have changed my mind.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Give is a go with a J chinensis Blaauw if you can get one.

[@laddieokelley6095]

Interesting video. We sometimes try to work with Eastern Red Cedar (juniperus virginiana), which I think would be in the floppy category. I watch videos by bonsaists at different skill levels and with different philosophies. By insisting that the tight Itiogawa-like foliage is the preferred type, we are maybe limiting ourselves to the classical exhibition-type trees. Nothing wrong with that, but it is limiting.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Absolutely true. Other types also can make great bonsai, it just requires a different styling. Ryan Neil does a lot of work on junipers with other foliage type and styles them often very open.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

We did this together because I have had trouble with my Eastern Red Cedars and the foliage style - mine all got hit by the red cedar rust in 2024 as well. Nasty little disease which has also hit my hawthorns :(

[@nerinat8371]

I realise recently l have the wrong variety, oh well.. great vid guys thx

[@GrowingBonsai]

:)

[@user-OMF]

Step down Xavier 😂 all joke side great video guys thxs

[@GrowingBonsai]

:)

[@Bonsai_jopie]

Hallo Jelle, Kan ik mijn Juniper verpotten in de herfst? 🍂 zit nu in een 15 liter pot.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Ik heb vorig jaar rond oktober een berg jeneverbessen van een veld opgepot. Ik denk dat er misschien een van de 20 dood is gegaan. Dus ik zou zeggen van wel.

[@Bonsai_jopie]

@@GrowingBonsai bedankt voor je snelle reactie. Ik ga er werk van maken :)

[@Chris-oq6kn]

Why do the runners premote back budding? If we prune them isnt that supposed to premote back budding? Or just leave them alone im confused. Thanks jelle

[@GrowingBonsai]

The runners are a sign of the tree getting really strong. It is the strong growth & accompagnying sapflow that triggers the backbudding. Allowling extention grow helps build this strength

[@Chris-oq6kn]

@@GrowingBonsai thank you jelle! Im going to leave mine alone until the time comes.

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌🙂

[@GrowingBonsai]

:)

[@rtregear]

Why does your tree suck? Because it's the wrong tree. In 50 years, it will still be the wrong tree. I like this kind of wisdom.

[@GrowingBonsai]

:)

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

He very nearly chose to leave that out because it may upset a few people. But it is true - sometimes :)

[@rtregear]

@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat Hope is not a strategy. Optimism is not a plan.