Eric compares the health and growth of two Junipers he acquired at the same time, two years ago. For the first, he repotted it before focusing on the design; it was in a 3 gallon can and he potted it down about 9 months ago. It's since grown very slowly. The second tree is still in a 5 gallon can.
00:01:33 Tree #2 is a field grown Kishu from Jim Gremel. Last time Eric worked on it, he cut back the long big straight branches really hard. He left the top alone, ensuring no part of the trunk would die back. 12" whips have grown over the past year.
00:02:45 Eric creates more deadwood (shari) from the stubs.
00:03:29 Close-up of peeling the bark.
00:04:39 Fiber-pulling: Eric grabs tiny fibers and pulls them down. This makes interest textures and grooves in the wood.
00:05:51 Reduced stump and nice interest in the deadwood.
00:08:03 Looking at the tree from the other side. Eric assesses his design options and which piece he will need to eliminate. More wood peeling!
00:09:51 Branch selection.
00:10:56 Pointing out potential center of the top for the future and a second option for a shohin-sized bonsai.
00:12:01 Clear picture of tree from the front.
00:12:55 Wiring to add movement.
00:14:05 Eric will revisit the tree in 6-12 months.
00:14:45 Back to tree #1. Eric shares how he can fix it and force some barely visible buds. He reinforces that potting down a juniper too quickly, just slows the entire process down.
What experiences have you had, potting down before design vs design before repotting? Share them in the comments below. Thank you for watching! Please like and share this video. Subscribe to our channel for more bonsai fun!