Juniper Itoigawa

I dont have problem with brown tips...It is our winter starting now, but I have never noticed before brown tips. One might say that it is warm here...but apart for changing foliage color the junipers at Taisho en dont get brown tips in winter...I get almost daily pictures from there and never saw brown tips.
If exposed to harsh sun here they have a general change of color ...like dullness to them not really healthy green color...and the growth stunts...

How do they winterize their Pines and Junipers at Taisho en Neli? Do they shelter them or just let them outdoor?

Xuan

Even the Gardenias which are tropical are left outside covered in snow. I was told that by now they are acclimatized to cold. There are 3 green houses small ones...mostly for sick plants and really tropical plants...some junipers and maples are also kept there...and transplanted plants. There are just too many junipers there to be put in green houses. They are left outside.
Thia is what they do with small bonsai during hurricane warning...normally the shelves are on top. Big bonsai tied up to the shelves.


One of the roof gardens for small bonsai:
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This is the lower garden only...there is the upper one also where all the large bonsai are.

This is the upper garden...looks small but it is really big and there is more behind on and on the other side also.


video of winter in taisho en:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyNPjip8QuQ

I found some time to continue this topic...itwill be a slow process but I plan to finish it never the less.
So Now you have cut back your branch to create taper and movement. What next?
That will depend on many factors:
-How far is your foliage from the trunk? If it is very far, and the primary branches are just too long.you will have to try and bring the foliage closer to the trunk. That shortening can be done by bending the branch in somewhat S shape, to a certain aesthetically acceptable degree, or trying to force the branch to back bud so the foliage pad is brought closer to the trunk. Some time none of this is possible and then grafting can be done.
That is why a virtual is important from the start so You can plan the development of the branches....their length, position and tilt.
-How big is your tree. Do you need to develop secondary branching first before starting to form the tertiary branching or you have a small tree? Some time the primary branch still needs to be extended, and that is done in the same manner as any deciduous tree. Grow and cut back...for taper and movement...Just remember to have light in the inner parts where you want back budding, and always leave healthy foliage at the end when cutting back.
If there should be a need to develop secondary branches and incorporate them into one pad, the principles are the same as any other branch formation... The only difference I see is the way volume is created in a pad. On deciduous trees you can have the volume created by branches going upwards with not well defined pads...in junipers though you create tiers of foliage, in a single pad, they are created in parallel to each other and much closer to each other.
It is important to establish the bones of a branch in the correct manner, that will provide the proper structure for the tertiary branches.
Here is a picture of a large pad in development. Notice the tires/levels in the branch structure. I shall have to draw this in order to be understood easier. Ihad big problems understanding it before I saw it in real life and it was explained to me.

Some times when developing primary branches, you can train side shoots from them to fill gaps in the canopy.




Some time for a better design you might need to create two pads on one primary branch, at different levels.

Ones the bones of the pad are established the actual foliage for the pads is developed and next I will write about pad formation on small trees, and diagram on how secondary branches are wired on large juniper pads.
(I am writing this so I dont forget) He he he!

This is a bit off topic but I would really like an answer. I notice in the photos of the nursery grounds all of the tables and bare ground. Is there anything that is put down to keep weeds under control or does everyone get down on hands and knees and pull the buggers out? A job for apprentices?

Hi Vance there is a thick level of gravel under the tables at Taisho en, but still the occasional weed needs to be pulled out on hand and knees and you know by who.
The Japanese are meticulous about cleanliness and good looks. The occasional stone from the gravel used to go on the concrete path, when they were drugging the watering pipes, and it was my job to sweep back those every morning. It took me 5 min to sweep 10 stones...he he he. I was terribly spoiled there. I new about the work apprentices do there, and since I was referred by someone very important in Japan...that was mentioned to Oyakata...that I am not used to heavy work...so he spoiled me rotten. This was my second time to go to Japan so I new the ropes a bit.
Sweeping the gravel was something symbolic to do that I really did with great dedication and joy.
But later Oyakata liked my styling a lot...so I guess the job I was doing is styling trees for sale...And I know if he did not like my work he was not going to tell me every time he passes : faster bonsai mama. To me it meant he wanted me to style more trees.

Thank You for sharing that story.  Most stories I hear from people who have been through the apprentice "mill" are not quite so positive.

It also is true that you have the artists eye, something that does not seem to reveal itself until latter in training.

Thanks Vance, I adored Oyakata...he is a man I admire...treasure and adore...not to talk about how much I respect...
Every day Oyakata used to buy us ice-cream...Lovely guy. I still call him on the phone to tell him how much I miss him.

Neli wrote:Thanks Vance, I adored Oyakata...he is a man I admire...treasure and adore...not to talk about how much I respect...
I hear Kobayashi kicks and punches his apprentices....nothing like that at Taisho en...Every day Oyakata used to buy us ice-cream...Lovely guy. I still call him on the phone to tell him how much I miss him.

That's wonderful. I was coached by a wonderful old man when I was fifteen and just starting bonsai. My memories of him are sweet and powerful, and I treasure them to this day over fifty years latter. He passed while I was in Viet Nam. Never got a chance to say goodby.

Shame, I know what You mean...Oyakata is not young and health wise not sure how well...So I always ask Taiga (his son) if he is OK...last time he told me his back pains him and he did not sound his cheerful self...So I had to ask Taiga if he is OK. Taiga said he was napping when I phoned and that is why he sounded like that.
I told Taiga if he is not OK to let me know...I love Oyakata so much.

Wonderful thread you have going here, just finished reading through and it is the first thread I have read on this site. Not to mention my first ever post here :)I am new to bonsai and have a couple junipers in training so this thread was very informative and helpful to me. Looking forward to what's coming next. I still have much reading to do on all aspects of bonsai but especially primary, secondary, and tertiary branch identification, development and placement. Thanks for the pics and info!

Thank you for your kind words...I have been looking for shimpaku or chinensis branches to continue the article...It is hard to find in Africa...mine are just too small to cut off and I dont want to cut them at this stage...and I need to take pictures when explaining how a pad is made.

I need to reload>host again the pictures. I linked them to Face book and most of them have disappeared. It was so depressing to see that. But I hope to finish this soon. My apologies.

Neli wrote:I need to reload>host again the pictures. I linked them to Face book and most of them have disappeared. It was so depressing to see that. But I hope to finish this soon. My apologies.

I agree, I find FaceBood unreliable.

never trust your only copies to something like fakebook...

All my pictures linked to FB on my blog are gone. Depressing to post there also.
Thank you.

sad to hear but good learning moment. Facebook is not a filehosting service. It is a social network. if they change their internal structures, onfacebook all will work. But external links won't. Better get a service that is set up to host files (Or even better, use the forum-linked service)

bestest of the more betterer is an external 1tb hard drive w/ cloud back-up
(he says as if he knows what he is talking about )

I agree! I will host them here soon as I find a bit of time.

beer city snake wrote:bestest of the more betterer is an external 1tb hard drive w/ cloud back-up
(he says as if he knows what he is talking about  )

That is the very bestest of best ideas. But how do you get those hard drives to float in the clouds?

leatherback wrote:

beer city snake wrote:bestest of the more betterer is an external 1tb hard drive w/ cloud back-up
(he says as if he knows what he is talking about  )

That is the very bestest of best ideas. But how do you get those hard drives to float in the clouds?

virtual balloons !!!

beer city snake wrote:virtual balloons !!!

Be carefull, sounds a lot like a virtual mind talking there. Been smoking?
Tha ain't no such thin as virtu'l bloons!