Pruning an Overgrown Juniper Bonsai

[@expeditionexperience6681]

You are a lovely overgrown bonsai 😂. No shade. You're adorable. Xx

[@notionbonsai]

😂🪴😂

[@joegarland4885]

Hi Adam a very helpful video working with Juniper, a lot of people will get a lot from it, as you say the tree has a good few years before it can be called a bonsai, I had a bit of a laugh when you said 5 to 10 years by then I will be over 90, I don’t think I wait that long ha ha. Good video mate.

[@milenaruzickova8026]

Mlademu se to rika lehce. Mate moje sympatie, ze vas bavi bonsaje i po 80. Jsem jen 70+ a nevim, jak dlouho vydrzim se o me milacky starat.

[@notionbonsai]

Hey Joe! Glad it was helpful! Bonsai sure do work in long timescales!

[@TheKippBot]

Loved it! I need to give juniper another go!

[@SandraBoddy]

I have learned so much watching your videos the past few months. Thank you

[@notionbonsai]

Hey Sandra! I am glad they are useful for you!

[@Sully-83]

I absolutely love junipers. This tree looks great. I have one I bought from a nursery that I’m kinda dragging my feet with. I may try to wire it into a more verticle shape after watching this.

[@notionbonsai]

Ahh nice one!

[@MAMLeers]

Dear Adam, you asked for comments and opninions. Well, I will give you mine (I practice bonsaï for quite a few decades now). To be honest: it would not have been my choice. You have chosen to wait for two years (why not have a thorough look at it and make some adjustments after one year?) and let the tree grow freely and fertilized and watered it well (I can see that: the tree looks quite healthy!). Now, at the end of the video, I see a few long, thick and bare branches with a lot of foliage at the end, almost like pompoms. The tree may start a lot of backbudding (I would not be surprised) but then you will be confronted with a lot of juvenile growth as you can see at those places where this tree backbudded already. I think and see that many people often choose to remove the small branches and twigs and almost always leave the thick branches when trying to shape a bonsaï. Another choice would be: do the opposite! Cut the thick and large branches and leave the thinner ones (which can be wired and shaped more easily by the way!). That might give you the effect of an old, large tree perhaps more (and sooner) than you achieved in the video, especially when you take the time to shape/create a bonsaï (as you obviously do). The thick and fat branches - ore stumps that you might leave - are ideal for creating yin/dead wood. I was rather surprised to be honest, that you did nothing of that kind with the thicker branches you removed. I'm sorry but: another person, another opinion or taste, isn't it? I do not want to be unfriendly but you asked for opinions so I gave you mine. Good luck!

[@notionbonsai]

Hey! Not at all, I love comments like this! Thank you for taking the time to share your insights and experiences. I genuinely appreciate your feedback and understand that Bonsai is a highly personal and subjective art form. It's always enlightening to hear different perspectives, especially from someone with decades of experience! 😲 Your points about the choice of branches to remove and the potential for backbudding are well taken. I agree that leaving the thick branches can lead to a different aesthetic and developmental pathway than focusing on the finer branches. It's a valuable reminder that there are multiple approaches to shaping a Bonsai, each with its own merits and challenges. With the timing of adjustments, I opted for a two-year period as after the first year the tree did not put on much growth as it was settling into the pond basket I put it into... then in year 2 it put on lots of good growth. With other trees I will definitely adapt and work on them after 1 year if need be. As for creating Jin or Shari with the thicker branches, it's an excellent idea that I didn't explore in this particular instance. Incorporating deadwood features can indeed add a sense of age and character to the tree, and it's an aspect I look forward to experimenting with more in future projects! Thank you again for your thoughtful and constructive comments. Your feedback has given me a lot to think about and will undoubtedly influence my future work! 😊

[@ck_sidekick8306]

Pruning at this stage is absolutely the right move. The interior growth needs light to survive. You know as well as anyone that junipers won't back bud if there is no hreen growth

[@notionbonsai]

Very true! I am glad that you agree 😊🪴

[@MuhammedRameeskp-pg8wu]

Beautiful tree

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you very much! I hope this one develops well over the years!

[@BlueJayBonsai]

Excellent video as always!

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you Jay 😊

[@chrismarshall8321]

Nice work Adam 👏

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks very much Chris!

[@angryzombie8088]

I totally agree with removing the bottom branch, firstly because its too close to the 1st branch. Secondly because the upper branch flow nicely with the trunk line. I would try making the sacrificial branch as the 1st branch.

[@TumTum-YumYum91]

U definitely seem to know what to do. So hopefully u can help me. I left a Q in a comment. We'll 2 Qs but the more important one is not the black stuff Q.

[@JoeCangelosi-e3r]

Great decisions, great suggestions !

[@souzalima9193]

Top. Obrigado pelas dicas. Brasil

[@MarcVandewyer]

Zeer heerlijke video.simpel en duidelijke uitleg. Thxxxx

[@aaronbradley8701]

Beautiful tree, good job!

[@phillipwaterman5721]

All about time and only time thanks

[@notionbonsai]

Very true Phillip!

[@Krisz-nm1zv]

Thanks Adam!👍 The best worshop😉

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks Krisz!

[@raymondbirds2392]

Lovely job, great video

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you very much Raymond!

[@Елена-щ5ъ2ж]

❤❤❤💫🌳🌱🌿✨Adam✨thank you very much✨🤩

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks for watching Елена!

[@awontan]

love it

[@notionbonsai]

Hey! Glad you enjoyed!

[@deepanjanbanerjee3491]

Good call with the apex

[@Bonsaicrazy]

Love it Adam sorry I missed the prem 👊👊👊👊

[@davidewing3438]

I like the soil you use.

[@notionbonsai]

It is very free draining and suits me in the rainy irish weather!!

[@Aztecs911]

0:24 Your hair looks the same as the juniper. Good vid.

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks 😂🪴

[@nerinat8371]

Excellent video and very professional videography ( if thats the correct wording ) 😅

[@lozitore]

hey, can you recommend any good books on bonsai? Great video, lots of information :)

[@notionbonsai]

Hey! there is plenty of Books out there and they all have useful information we can learn from. I personally love the Bonsai Techniques books by John Naka, though they are not cheap to buy the PDFs can be found online! As a general all rounder one The Bonsai Bible by Peter Chan and his Bonsai Masterclass book that was re-published last year is also very good!

[@lozitore]

@@notionbonsai Thanks a lot! I'll check them out

[@forgetfulLlama31]

Thx for the video Adam. Good teacher and real attention to detail in the video production. Quick question: do you offer (paid) advice for bonsai pruning/shaping? I'm guessing there's a lot of people like me who aren't sure what to do with their projects for fear of wrecking years of growth; I'd love to be able to send photos of a tree and have an experienced person say, I'd do this or that.

[@notionbonsai]

Thank you very much! At the moment I do not offer paid consultations though this may be something I can consider for the future if there is a high enough demand for it. Feel free to send me a message on Instagram and I can check out your tree!

[@Wonker1927]

Hi Adam, where did you get your tool roll bag from? 🙂

[@notionbonsai]

I got mine on ebay!

[@Baru_089]

Nice video, nice choices, I just feel like you could have jinned a lot of the growth you cut away.

[@TumTum-YumYum91]

Whats the black stuff that you put on the spots that u cut.?

[@notionbonsai]

Hey! The black stuff is called cut putty and it helps keep moisture in the tree while also keeping moisture out of the tree.

[@JasonLorette]

Wow cut so much off holy…it always shocks me. I’m trying to be patient with my juniper as it’s just starting to get some adult growth and the trunk is really thin…but it’s hard! I need to get another tree or two so I leave this one alone. 😂😎

[@notionbonsai]

It wasnt thaaat much 😅 For sure patience is needed for one to do Bonsai. Some say the hardest thing is to just leave the trees alone! Getting more trees definitely helps with this as you can work on ones while others are developing!

[@TumTum-YumYum91]

I really hope that u or atleast one of these people knows the answer. I have a Juniper and in a few spots where the branch starts to grow is brown. Then from that is 3 branches w green juniper leaves. What am I suppose to do w that!?!

[@angryzombie8088]

put your finger 1 inch into the soil, if its dry water it. Remove the brown leaves & let green leaves grow. Put the tree on a place with lots of sunlight. The black stuff is called "cut putty" used to seal the cut.

[@TumTum-YumYum91]

@@angryzombie8088 thnk u

[@smokereapergaming3861]

Why prune all the branches off? Why not make deadwood from it, and the branch on the lower right was perfect, but you got rid of it. I hood of keep it but that's just my opinion 😊

[@angryzombie8088]

making deadwood is for refinement stage, this tree is in growing stage. And growing the tree will give more option for deadwood.

[@smokereapergaming3861]

@angryzombie8088 that makes no sense, mate. If the branches are cut off, there will be nothing to refine.

[@angryzombie8088]

@@smokereapergaming3861 there will be nothing to refine? You need to learn more about refinement stage mate.

[@smokereapergaming3861]

@angryzombie8088 mate, you don't know what I know. So don't tell me I need to learn more about refinement. If you could only see my bonsai collection, you would understand why I commented on the video in the first place,have a nice day.

[@davidmorgan3508]

Hi Adam I'm from Australia, there is a great video by David ( bonsai worx). Regarding wiring junipers. You should check out his channel. ❤

[@notionbonsai]

Hey David! I will have to check him out thank you!

[@ferdylf5071]

Making bonsai ficus

[@Akatsuki-En]

Amazing video as always Adam ive finally found my niche in the bonsai community. Bonsai music videos. Would be honored if anyone could check it out 🙏 working on my music video editing skills while staying regular with posting

[@notionbonsai]

Thanks very much Akatsuki-En! Very interesting take on the Bonsai genre!!

[@HellcrushPlays]

(Math)