Basic Steps for Styling Juniper Bonsai Trees

In this video, Terry Erasmus showcases another juniper tanuki. Terry describes and demonstrates the process of taking this two year old planting to the next phase of development which is to start refining the design and positioning the basic branches as well as creating some basic foliage pads.
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[@hassimgora]

Stunning transformation. ❤

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks my friend. You always have something positive to comment and it is most appreciated.

[@GreenGardenBonsai]

Tahap awal pembentukan bonsai yang sangat detail kawan, terima kasih salam dari indonesia 🙏

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much. I am glad you feel that way about it. Appreciate the feedback 🙇🏼‍♂️

[@AlwiBonsaiOfficial]

Terima kasih banyak boskuh,bonsainya slalu menarik

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

dengan senang hati. saya senang Anda menikmati videonya.

[@stonelantern1584]

Great video as always. Think its great inspiration to make good looking trees in a short time period. We all got some dead trees lying around that we can utilize. Thanks again for a great video.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much Stephen. I appreciate you commenting. Yes, I think Tanuki's offer a wonderful avenue for artistic creativity. And yes, they can take a fairly short amount of time so that should encourage those of us a little short of patience :)

[@ebenanthony1069]

Thanks. I bought a Japanese maple from u in Somerset mall. Would like to buy more stuff for coming spring.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks for your support Eben. Definitely. I suggest you repot it. You can select a nice pot here www.bonsaitree.co.za/collections/economy-japanese-ceramics

[@BASSCHALLENGESA]

Hi Terry, once again, thanks for these amazing videos! I have a tanuki as well, which is around 1 m to 1.2 m tall! I haven't worked on it this winter yet...and now that I see you are working on yours, should I wait a bit before starting work on mine, I'm in Johannesburg. I think I might have asked this question before, which you might have answered, before! 😂

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Glad you enjoy them! That’s a big tanuki. Big bends on junipers are best done in Autumn while there is still sapflow. You can however do the kind of styling I was doing now until late winter. Early summer is also a good time to do this kind of work.

[@greenpropscanada]

Thanks Terry! Always great videos.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks so much 🙇🏼‍♂️

[@petualangbonsaipemula]

👍👍😊

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

🙇🏼‍♂️

[@sueb1317]

Love the progress this tanuki has undergone since you first styled it. Also really appreciate the info on apex development and re-development - I've struggled understanding this, but your video clarified things for me. With proper treatment, how long would you expect the deadwood trunk to last? What happens to a tanuki when it's base finally does deteriorate? Many thanks from Canada!

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Hi Sue, thanks for commenting! Juniper wood can last a long time actually, with preservation much longer but how long I cannot say, more years than I will still be alive for at least. The same thing would happen as would happen to every other juniper bonsai with live veins - those trunks are just as dead as this one. I think the answer is that you try to prolong that from happening (and there are many, many ways) but it is ultimately inevitable and then you work with it by adjusting your design or you hide it.

[@DrSticktrick]

Will you eventually carve the deadwood to make it less smooth and give it more character?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Thanks for the comment. No, I had no intention to do that. If I wanted to do that it would have been best to do so before making the tanuki. Maybe I will change my mind sometime in the future but I quite like it as it is.

[@dennisrobinson4588]

As someone once said if you have lemons make lemonade. I think this plant looks great gives me some ideas for junipers in the future. Question when is the best time to trim and or repot junipers, I just bought two and was going to let them grow out until spring of 2025?

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

Correct, forces one to be creative. To prune junipers the best time would be between growth spurts so early spring and then autumn through winter. Repotting is best done when they become active in spring. Watch the tips of the foliage, when they begin swelling and are bright green that’s the ideal time.

[@dennisrobinson4588]

@@TerryErasmusbonsai Thank you!

[@AlexisRivera-s3z]

A new ceramic pot will make this tree look great.

[@TerryErasmusbonsai]

I completely agree with you Alexis! It’s part of the excitement when a tree is just starting to show promise to put it into something a little nicer. Kind of like to reward the tree for its good behaviour 😂