JUNIPER PROCUMBENS
by :- Robert McFawn
A good Bonsai subject. The juniper is available at almost any nursery. It is very flexible and can be trained into many different styles, probably the only drawback is the prickly foliage. (But you can wear gloves - surgical rubber ones are great as they still give the feel of bare hands but protect the skin).
If you are looking at j. procumbens for Bonsai material, start by lifting the tail and viewing the bare underside. The trunk and branches can now be easily seen. This bare side can be used as the front of an upright style, the windward side of a windswept style and the back of a cascade.
Take note of the branches, remember the rule of three for branch placement. Side branch, back branch, opposite side branch or side, side, back. Try not to start with a back branch. The first branch in an upright style is generally positioned a third to half the height of the finished tree. Slowly turn the tree around, see how the line of the trunk often appears thicker from one side. Watch how the branch positions change, try to position them on the outside of a trunk curve, they can be bent quite sharply on this species. Look for a cut off point preferably at the side or back so that it will not be noticeable.
Finally scratch away some of the soil at the base, looking for any major roots, although this species does not generally produce any sizable roots until the trunk is quite large.
After probing and poking around for a while, look at all the trees very carefully. The nursery staff will be looking at you very suspiciously, but you can allay their suspicion as to your sanity by telling them you are only a harmless Bonsai freak.
When you get your tree home, have another good look at it. Maybe make a few sketches of different styles. ( the two books by John Naka are excellent for this purpose and have lots of ideas). When you have decided what you want to do, get out your branch cutters and prune off the branches you don't want. Don't cut branches too short and in doubt leave it on. Preliminary pruning makes it easier for the next stage, which is everyones favourite job, wiring.
A few points to remember about wiring :-
* annealed copper or aluminium is used but aluminium is softer. Therefore a heavier gauge will be needed.
* the trunk and heaviest branches are wired first. This is because the heavy wood takes longer to set so that the wire will remain there longer.