My Procumbens cascades

[Japonicus]

Instead of individual threads for each of these, I will lump them all in here.
Procumbens nana. Don't think I have any that aren't nana. I like the blueish hugh of their foliage but hate the C.A.R.

The 1st 2 are staying cascades, the rest are cascades of sorts for now.
Current out of Winter storage photos.


Cascade #1
Started from 1g nursery can.






Cascade #2 Started from a 6 pack of starter plants from eBay.


Cascade #3
Same starter pack (2-3" pots)


Cascade #4
Same starter pack








Cascade #5
An eBay purchase about 2018. Finally strong enough to open up after potting up.
I think there's more adult than juvenile foliage on this one which I do not like, but that's the reaction I got from the last good thinning.
There's pretty good movement in the trunk on this one, so I need to open it up. A lot.

 

[Japonicus]

The cascading branch on my blue Pacifica died so it is no longer in this category. I have not enjoyed working with this type of juniper but not giving up yet. It could still cascade but doubt I'll be doing that. Not sure where to start the jin yet.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

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The cascading branch on my blue Pacifica died so it is no longer in this category. I have not enjoyed working with this type of juniper but not giving up yet. It could still cascade but doubt I'll be doing that. Not sure where to start the jin yet.

Lovely! Wow

My other juniper at work is blue pacific but I think I titled it blue rug.. you inspire me

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Instead of individual threads for each of these, I will lump them all in here.
Procumbens nana. Don't think I have any that aren't nana. I like the blueish hugh of their foliage but hate the C.A.R.

The 1st 2 are staying cascades, the rest are cascades of sorts for now.
Current out of Winter storage photos.

View attachment 537476
Cascade #1
Started from 1g nursery can.

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View attachment 537478

View attachment 537479
Cascade #2 Started from a 6 pack of starter plants from eBay.

View attachment 537489
Cascade #3
Same starter pack (2-3" pots)

View attachment 537480
Cascade #4
Same starter pack

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View attachment 537483

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Cascade #5
An eBay purchase about 2018. Finally strong enough to open up after potting up.
I think there's more adult than juvenile foliage on this one which I do not like, but that's the reaction I got from the last good thinning.
There's pretty good movement in the trunk on this one, so I need to open it up. A lot.

Stunning, stunning cascades, my man. I need to consider my future apexes and how I want to style/where to place pads as they cascade down. Does alternating pads left and right work? Does the “rule” of no branches/pads inside of bends/curves largely apply to cascade?

 

[We're all Mad Here...🎩]

Deeeeeeeecent.

 

[Japonicus]

Does alternating pads left and right work?

Yes

Does the “rule” of no branches/pads inside of bends/curves largely apply to cascade?

Same. Rules are rules and should be bent or broken to conform to your particular piece.

Thanks for the kind words.
I've been really lax shortening branches. One bit of input would be to allow more vigour in the cascading branch.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Yes


Same. Rules are rules and should be bent or broken to conform to your particular piece.

Thanks for the kind words.
I've been really lax shortening branches. One bit of input would be to allow more vigour in the cascading branch.

I think I understand what you’re saying. Keep the main trunk dense with foliage but shorten the primaries that emerge left and right along the trunk (to create movement?) These primaries are used to create alternating pad structure, right?

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Wow! Great stuff @Japonicus. I love cascades but I've only experimented with one. How do you winterize these? Can't really set them on the ground can you? Also are you familiar with a Vulcan mind meld ?

 

[Japonicus]

I think I understand what you’re saying. Keep the main trunk dense with foliage but shorten the primaries that emerge left and right along the trunk (to create movement?) These primaries are used to create alternating pad structure, right?

Well you have to let the primary branches elongate then cut back.
Well you don't have to, but that's how we build taper.
Also, #1 went from a wooden cascade grow box to this Sarah Rayner pot last May.
Then spider mites hit after repotting.
So I did not do much work on it last year. I nearly lost this one potting it up in March
a few years back after thinning it the previous year. I mean the foliage hardly budged
for 2 years in which time I felt the tree was ghosting on me.



October 2021

There are rules broken here indeed. It's a work in progress. The worst broken rule that worked against
all my procumbens, was pinching to maintain pads. Nothing wrong with pinching where applicable, but
I wasn't thinning with scissors, more so with my fingers. So I am spending years correcting the flaws
that behavior built into the pads. A pad built on a flaw is a flawed pad.
As for building main and secondary branching, it's no different than any other upright juniper.
Hope I'm understanding your question right, if not put it out there again.
If you wire it and bend the trunk where existing branches throw out in the curves, you can remove poorly placed branches
when your tree is ready to do so. I never remove all those in one go of it. I like #8 copper wire for this typically.
Maybe #10 for younger material.
This year, besides the CAR, is the healthiest it's been in a long time.
This is what recovery means. Not the following year before you perform another insult, but when the tree is ready.

Wow! Great stuff @Japonicus. I love cascades but I've only experimented with one. How do you winterize these? Can't really set them on the ground can you? Also are you familiar with a Vulcan mind meld ?

Thank you! No different than my other trees. It sits on the ground just fine. It's like wiring then moving a branch though.
You don't force it in a fail swoop. It goes against our foundation about 9' back under our sunroom on North side of house.
No Sunlight or rain or snow for at least 3 months.


I'll try to do a progression post on it tomorrow.

 

[Esolin]

The cascading branch on my blue Pacifica died so it is no longer in this category. I have not enjoyed working with this type of juniper but not giving up yet. It could still cascade but doubt I'll be doing that. Not sure where to start the jin yet.

This looks a lot like my J. Conferta (Blue Pacific Shore Junipers). Needle Junipers. I've found them to be very slow growers and hard to bulk up. Ryan Neil says needle junipers are weaker than scale junipers, because their foliage is not as efficient at photosynthesis. He doesn't do anything to his Rigida needle junipers before the warmth of summer when they are growing strong and can recover. He will not even repot before summer. I've started treating mine like Rigidas, not even doing any trimming until summer and they seem to react better, but still, very slow growers. It'll be a while before I do any real work to mine. Still very small.

 

[Japonicus]

This looks a lot like my J. Conferta (Blue Pacific Shore Junipers).

Yes thats what I meant. Reminiscent of the Blue Star which I really don’t like for bonsai.

Shore conferta share your pics and experiences...

I picked this Shore Juniper up yesterday $7 Not sure what's blue about it other than the name. I set it back down, and got half way to the register with a Japanese Holly, and turned back around and traded back to this little guy. The holly looked pretty good actually, but haven't made all my...

www.bonsainut.com

I bought this one simply for the trunk movement $7.
I do wait for Summer to do cut backs on my junipers. I’ve had better response out of them.
Simple thinning I wait till mid April, as well as root work. I also feel that waiting to open wounds after the fruit trees
are done blooming may help reduce CAR infection. IDK but I try to follow that approach.
Still now in March I have to cut shoots with the jelly on them.

 

[Hartinez]

Paul. These trees look great, and are a testament to your ability in making and keeping Junipers very happy and healthy. This is as vibrant green as I’ve seen on Procumbens. The only thing I would suggest long-term is to start jinning some of the branches. Would potentially give you a more dynamic image. And possibly present an opportunity to give a glimpse of the trunk itself. Great work, Man

 

[Japonicus]

give a glimpse of the trunk itself.

I know I know I’m getting there
Thanks Danny! I appreciate you brother. While opening them up I will
scout out branches to Jin. I’m not expecting much in that category though
but you will see improved form this year.
#5 I may be jining the top shortening the upper apex. The lower apexes need a lot of work on most.
Especially #3 and 5. Last year was a bad year for mites for me, so I did not do so much on them.

 

[Japonicus]

#1 some time past the 1 gallon nursery container May 8th 2011. Easily 2 years prior purchase.
Notice the cascade is coming down the right side of the pot. So the main trunk was wired and twisted
counterclockwise to bring the cascade off on the left side of the pot at some point in time.


Fast forward to March 4th 2018



I also made a wooden pot for this cascade 3/18






March 18th 2018
This is the potting up, that changed my timing approach to mid April - early May.




Est 2006-2008 acquisition in 1g nursery can

 

[Japonicus]

#1 progression continued...






September 22nd 2019
The back side has always been weak.




September 24th 2019




May 24th 2020



July 27th 2020


September 7th 2020

 

[Japonicus]

#1 progression continued...


April 2021




October 11th and 12th 2021


September 11th 2022 in the new Sara Rayner pot




May 4th 2023


May 9th 2023 with spider mites and colour is ghosting.

 

[We're all Mad Here...🎩]

Nice progression. Were you able to take care of the spider mites? I have a pretty decent cascade nursery stock that I got when I first got into the hobby. Never really touched it, just letting it grow and learning the species. The trunk itself is pretty straight Arrow until it rolls over to the cascade fall side. Thought I'd post a couple pics and see what you thought. Is the trunk worth bending at this stage, or work with it as is?

 

[Japonicus]

Nice progression. Were you able to take care of the spider mites? I have a pretty decent cascade nursery stock that I got when I first got into the hobby. Never really touched it, just letting it grow and learning the species. The trunk itself is pretty straight Arrow until it rolls over to the cascade fall side. Thought I'd post a couple pics and see what you thought. Is the trunk worth bending at this stage, or work with it as is?

Wow that's like a wedding train!
Good luck taking this one to a work shop
Yes malathion and safe soap along with another miticide knocked them down finally.
Yes bend cascading branch for sure.
#6 or double up on #8 wire.

 

[Laddo]

why am i so bad at this lol.... awesome pieces of art!

 

[We're all Mad Here...🎩]

Wow that's like a wedding train!
Good luck taking this one to a work shop
Yes malathion and safe soap along with another miticide knocked them down finally.
Yes bend cascading branch for sure.
#6 or double up on #8 wire.

Will probably slip pot this week and let grow for the season and start next year