It would be nice if you added some info that gives readers of your postings an idea where you live. The best advice will very often be predicated on where you live, and if you live in a really crazzy place like Oz, that's down under the equator, advice could be bassackwards and lethal.

I'm sure this isn't what you want to hear, but bonsai isn't all about trimming your tree into the perfect shape and keeping it perfectly shaped at all times. The number one priority is making sure your trees are in a state of vitality (strong enough) that ensures they will tolerate your ministrations. How long ago was the plant potted in that pot? Is the plant secured in that pot so well that when you wire it it's not going to move around in the pot and break off enough fine roots to jeopardize health going into the fall? I don't mean to discourage you from trimming or wiring, but the more important lesson is in making sure you understand the ebb and flow of vitality that comes with trees that have and haven't been worked. Let your trees grow for a while until they are very healthy, then do your serious pruning early enough in the year that the tree has time to replace enough of the lost foliage to ensure it goes into winter with plenty of stored energy. Trees stressed too late in the year or trees not allowed to recover before winter often don't wake in the spring. Let your tree grow a bit. It will tell you or another bonsai practitioner willing to help you what direction it wants to take as it grows up.

I know how hard it is to resist snipping and shaping, but the sooner you learn to value your tree's vitality above all other bonsai-related aspects, the sooner you'll get past the stage where you can't seem to keep your trees viable. Advice offered with the best of intentions.

Al

I'm from right outside of Philadelphia.. So right now it's pretty hot...

I planted the tree in the new pot on May 31st... The wiring has a small amount of movement to allow for any growth but not so loose that it doesn't want to grow around the rock...

I wouldn't really say you are discouraging me with trimming or wiring... I just didn't know what the next steps were in owning a bonsai tree... So I joined this forum and started asking question lol

The 2 trees I have are Japanese juniper and a ginseng ficus?

When you say do your pruning early in the year... As in early spring as it starts getting warmer out...

I do appreciate all the advice and knowledge so far...

Ken

I don't do much pruning on Junipers after the middle of July, and if I had just repotted the tree in May, I wouldn't touch it for a full year. This is pretty much a rule of thumb. You can sort of prune a little to correct any potential issues you see arising, but by and large the tree needs ALL of its food-making machinery (leaves) to recover from the repot and put some energy in the bank (store some extra carbohydrates in root and cambial tissues) so it can tolerate what you'll do to it next year.

If you're determined to become a part of the bonsai community (I hope so - we need you), I strongly urge you to join a club, take your trees to the meetings, and ask lots of questions - preferably of the members others seek advice from - all advice is not created equal. Getting to understand how plants work and gaining a working knowledge of soils will also be an essential part of your journey. Don't rely on your own experience as a teacher. Gain as much knowledge as you can, and then use your practical experience as a way to validate what you've learned. At the outset I failed miserably as a bonsai practitioner, but I was determined to learn. I put the trees aside, hit the books and got a fair understanding about what this bonsai thing is all about. Things smoothed out and my trees started to remain healthy instead of struggling or dying. That is the make or break point - being able to depend on your ability to keep your woody material alive and healthy.

Al