rawlyn
Yamadori
Picked up this San Jose juniper (my first juniper ever) last summer on clearance.
When I got home, I repotted and lightly wired the main descending branch with an eye to eventually creating a full cascade at some point. Then left it pretty much alone for a year.
Now feel like it may be time to begin doing something more to move it along, but as I study the tree, I am a bit conflicted. Last year, the main branch seemed to be the really obvious candidate for cascade, with a pronounced curve from left to right that I tried to enhance a bit, and an overall length already bringing it below the base of this training pot. Together with the first major horizontal branch moving left to right above the pot rim, I felt there was good potential to eventually create a decent visual effect. (Recognize that most of the foliage topside will eventually have to go, but figure I'm better off leaving it for now to continue feeding the branches I will eventually keep).
Now, however, I no longer feel that the main branch curvature is sufficient in either extent or interest, and I'm worried I won’t be able to add any new movement to the core branch without breaking it.
So, I'm wondering if it would be better to abandon the current end of the main branch and instead wire the side branch marked with blue (which is *much* more pliable than the main branch) as the new trunk leader, breaking to the left, rather than continuing the steady curve to the right, thereby shortening the descending branch & then reorienting the whole tree slightly in the pot to render it a semi - rather than full – cascade.
Does that make sense? Or should I stick with the original plan?
Many thanks in advance
- Mike
When I got home, I repotted and lightly wired the main descending branch with an eye to eventually creating a full cascade at some point. Then left it pretty much alone for a year.
Now feel like it may be time to begin doing something more to move it along, but as I study the tree, I am a bit conflicted. Last year, the main branch seemed to be the really obvious candidate for cascade, with a pronounced curve from left to right that I tried to enhance a bit, and an overall length already bringing it below the base of this training pot. Together with the first major horizontal branch moving left to right above the pot rim, I felt there was good potential to eventually create a decent visual effect. (Recognize that most of the foliage topside will eventually have to go, but figure I'm better off leaving it for now to continue feeding the branches I will eventually keep).
Now, however, I no longer feel that the main branch curvature is sufficient in either extent or interest, and I'm worried I won’t be able to add any new movement to the core branch without breaking it.
So, I'm wondering if it would be better to abandon the current end of the main branch and instead wire the side branch marked with blue (which is *much* more pliable than the main branch) as the new trunk leader, breaking to the left, rather than continuing the steady curve to the right, thereby shortening the descending branch & then reorienting the whole tree slightly in the pot to render it a semi - rather than full – cascade.
Does that make sense? Or should I stick with the original plan?
Many thanks in advance
- Mike