Hem Collection : Juniper #1

Juniper from the "Hem Collection".

I don't know what juniper species it is.
It was a friend that gave it in my care because he does not have time anymore to take care of it.
It's been neglected for several years, moss had covered the whole trunk up till the ramifications.
During the initial cleaning up of the moss I found a rotten deadwood area at the base of the trunk underneath the moss.
Decided to go ahead a repot, clean up the rotten deadwood and open up the "dead zone".

Basically here are the main issues with the tree after I completed the initial cleanup:

• Rotten deadwood at the base of the tree.
• Formation of a dead zone at the junctions of the main trunk and the primary branches.
• Leggy growth

The leggy growth and dead zone is secondary and will have to be cared for later on.

The term dead zone refers to areas within the ramification, usually near the base of the branches that do not get enough sunlight and ends up without any foliage.
This does not mean that they are dead, just with dormant buds. Opening up the foliage to allow light to pass through is usually enough to promote new shoots.
But that will be a long term process.

The most urgent is the deadwood issue, I need to treat it asap. The base of the trunk was dangerously mushy and soft.

The previous front

Previous side

Back

The critical area. The wood was badly rotten and crumbling
at any slight pressure.

Foliage was mostly the mature scale-like foliage,
with some juvenile needle-like foliage scattered here and there.

That branch on the left is completely dead. Possible future jin.

The new front I would like to use. Much will depend on the root underneath.

Preparing my bonsai soil/substrate mix:
3 parts lava rocks or baked pellets

3 parts vermiculite

1/2 part slow release fertiliser pellet

I would normally add crushed pine bark but I ran out stock.

Removing the plant the pot. Carefully untangle the roots to check on the state.

Found a surprisingly good root structure.
Only one long lateral root that was later removed.

This thick root on the left seems to be an old tap root.
I was initially going to remove it, but decided against it at the last min.

Close-up of the critical area.

Repotting.

New front

Now to treat the damaged deadwood.

I needed to get to a healthier deadwood underneath the rotten one.

Used a small metal brush to scrape of the soft damaged wood.

End result

Will be using some limesulphur for the first treatment.

After first application of lime sulphur.

Now I address the second issue : The deadzone.
I need to make more light get into this inner area of the tree.

Before wiring : Lots of growth at the top.

After wiring and opening up the branches.

Side : This could become the future front.

With the slow release pellets in the soil mix, I won't have to fertilize for 1 month or so.
For now, no styling planned, only some aftercare to the tree back on track and get new growth in the deadzone for future styling.

Vaneron Garden Center - New pots and other bonsai related stuffs

Some exciting stuffs arrived at Vaneron Garden Center last week and I was able to have a look during the weekend and managed to get some shots for you with permission from the nursery.
Several new pots as well as antique mini figurines or mudmen (made of ceramic) are now available at there.
Apart from those new arrivals, there is also various horticulture components that can be used to prepare your own bonsai mix, as well as several bonsai materials in various stages.

Contact Details

Usual disclaimer: I'm listing some of the places that I know you can buy pre-bonsai and "bonsai".
I am not endorsed or sponsored by any of those nurseries mentioned in the article.
I am just sharing places that I have seen selling "bonsai" for anyone who want to get into this hobby and would like to buy one.

Vaneron Garden
Marbella Road, Trianon,
Quatres Bornes, Mauritius

Tel : (230) 466-7108
Email : vaneron@intnet.mu
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Vaneron.Gardens

Open Mon - Sun (incl. plublic holidays)
8:30am till 5pm

Types of species available there : Tropical species, Junipers/Conifers, Flowering species, Fruiting species

Bonsai Pots

Various new bonsai pots are available, as well as a range of older ones.
The pots varies from plastic pots, to glazed pots to terracotta pots.
There is also a huge variety of shapes and sizes.
Bonsai pots will range from Rs. 120.00 (plastic bonsai pot) to Rs. 3,000.00 (Biggest Terracotta Bonsai pots).
The average price will be around Rs. 450.00 (for a ceramic bonsai pot).

Before showing the various pots available, I'd like to draw special attention to the new arrival, a green glazed bonsai pot with a pond.




Ok, now with the other pots on sale at Vaneron Garden Center.

Some of the pots with a real context to give you an idea of the possibilities:

Rectangular green glazed "Shohin" or "Mame" pot :

Not an identical pot, but close enough to give you an idea of the potential.


Round green glazed pot

Similar pot with a literati ficus benjamina in training.


Flat oval terracotta pot

Mudmen ( Antique Mini figurines )

Those tiny figurines would be ideal to highlight your bonsai and enhance the illusion of a tree minituarized.
I specially like the old man fishing, the small house as well as the old man in his bamboo boat.
In addition to bonsai, those mudmen would be ideal in making a penjing, which literally mean "tray scenery", as opposed to a bonsai which is a tree in a tray rather than a scenery in a tray.

Bonsai materials, pre-bonsai and bonsai available too

In addition to the pots and mudmen, there is also a wide variety of bonsai and pre-bonsai at various stages of development. You will have to contact the nursery directly for the prices.

Bonsai soil components

Bonsai soil is a really misleading term. Generally speaking bonsai soil is a mix of various components instead of actual pure gardening soil.
There are various reasons for that and loads of articles on the net on that topic.
I made a generic introduction to the topic previously on Bonsai Soil Demystified

The point here is that there are loads of "bonsai soil" components that you can get at Vaneron Garden Center. Here are just a couple of the various components that you can buy individually and combine at home.

Perlite : inorganic medium, water retention


Pine bark : organic medium, water retention


Coconut peat : organic medium, water retention


Some sample soil mix that you can create:

Perlite = White stuff [ Matrice structure - Retains water and dissolved nutrients ]
Tiny rocks = Black stuff [ Inorganic structure - Does not retain a lot of water ]
Pine barks = Wood pieces [ Organic structure - Will slowly decompose over time and release nutrients ]
Fired clay = Brown stuff [ Matrice structure - Retains water and dissolved nutrients - lower water retention than perlite ]



Or a mix with pebbles, pine bark and coconut peat


There are also some new components that Vaneron Garden Center received recently : Lava rocks, Vermiculite and Zeolite among other things. Those three are inorganic mediums with various water retaining features.
Sample mix made up of Lava rocks (left), Vermiculite (right) and slow release fertilizer pellets (center) being prepared and used during the repotting of a juniper.






There are loads of other bonsai related stuffs available there, such as pumice, soil-less organic mixes, manure, fertilizers, pest control chemicals, raw bonsai materials (a.k.a. nursery plants)
But I won't be able to develop those topic here and now, so that will be for another time.