Good Day All,

Being new to the art of bonsai can be frusterating. I have been
adivised by
our local club here to start with some nursery stock. Junipers
have been
recommended due to their ease of growing and taking the abuse a
newcomer has
to go through.

I chose a Blue Star Juniper. I love the color of this plant, I
picked
through them to find one that I liked the shape of and came out
with one
that is slightly slanting to one side of the pot. It is quite
full and will
need lots of trimming and work on it.

I would like to know if I can pot this juniper in a bonsai pot
and do some
pruning to shape it all at once?

I have two pots one being 8"Lx5"W and 10"Lx7 1/2"W. The juniper
is in a 1
gal pot at the moment. Which of these two is the better size
for this plant?

Because it is on a slant already do you plant them to one side
in the pot or
in the middle?

Our club is quite new and there are some members that can help
me if I need
it but they are learning too. If any of you could be of
assistance to me I
would greatly appreciate it.

Have a nice day.........Lynn

Lynn . . .

We need to know where (general area) you live. In MY area of the
world, it's much too late to do any root work on a juniper.
Generally, beginners (and intermediates, too) will be better off
if they work on the top of a tree while it stays in its nursery
pot. Doing top and roots at the same time is stressful, and not
recommended unless you know what needs to be done to keep a plant
alive without its natural life-support systems.

That said, the larger pot is better.

I'd recommend you run to your nearest bookstore or garden center
and purchase the Sunset book "BONSAI". Get the 2003 edition.
Your club members could use this little book as their bonsai
Bible as you all get started.

So. Work on the top. Don't try to do it all at once!!!!! You
cannot glue chopped branches back on the tree. You are not in a
hurry -- or you shouldn't be. Patience is one of the most
important parts of bonsai. Next winter/early spring, move the
tree into a bonsai pot if you want (though it will be happier if
it stays in its nursery pot while you refine the top).

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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