P a t r i c k G i a c o b b e

The story of an Urban collected Christmas Juniper

Prior to being lifted 12/24/05

The construction workers were in a hurry and I didn’t have theluxury to take my time so there were mistakes that were unavoidable. The result of that catastrophe will show it’s ugly head in a year or so. It was in pure sand, that was a plus. I dug it up and
kept the roots wet and headed straight home. I then prepared a
solution of super thrive, two cap fulls in five gal. of water and
soaked long fiber sphagnum moss in it.

 
Pruned unnecessary branches and treated with lime sulfur.

April 10 2006
The tree was in good health so I could not resist and did some wiring and shaping.

 
12/29/06/ Japanese pot
It has been a year from collecting. The tree has grown new
branches and shoots . It was time to prune the old branches back to
the newer growth. The roots were growing lots of new hair roots,
nothing was cut there but I took the opportunity to put the tree in a
smaller pot so it will be easer to control. As you can see the tree is
acquiring more deadwood. The tree has re-routed the sap flow to
the branches that have foliage.

 
3/2009
I changed to a smaller pot 18 1/2” X 14 1/2” X 4 1/4”
From the top of the pot the tree is 20” high and the spread of the canopy is 32”

Size Comparison

                           
                                       12/2003                                    3/2009

I use Turface for bonsai medium, this means the tree has to depend on what I give it to be sustained in the proper manner. My routine is; I keep trees in full sun always. Water every day aggressively, in the summer twice a day and mist often. I water the whole tree. The foliage, trunk, soil, pot and surrounding area. I water so that it is pouring out of the drain holes. Junipers love water, a lot. I feed aggressively, every week all year, one quarter strength. Feed lots of nitrogen in the growing season for the foliage (lots of foliage means lots of roots) and lots of phosphate in the so called non-growing season to strengthen the roots. I am not concerned with salt build up because of the Turface and the heavy watering routine.
You must have very well draining soil for this routine or you might loose your trees. This is what works for me. It might not work for others. Bonsai is an art and what one artist uses another will frown upon and possibly never even think to apply such a radical technique.
One needs to find their own niche.
Which leads me to the opportunity to air my philosophy on teaching and learning bonsai.

One can be taught the craft,
but the Art comes from within
~~~~~~~
A talented person, although knowing the rules and techniques of
the craft are not bound by them.
These things are training tools, meant to start the artist on a strong
foundation. If held meticulously these training tools will inhibit
the creativity of an artist.
They must eventually be muted.
Many people cannot go forward without the rules.
So they adhere to the rules strongly and defend their use to all.
Some eventually become teachers.
But they can only teach the craft.
They cannot teach the Art that comes from within.
The artist will move beyond the memorized rules and techniques,
into the realm of creativity.