Another partway rmj

[wireme]

Another quick crack at it this evening and the bones are more or less set now. I may or may not move smaller branches around this year. Probably not, lots of bits need to grow more first anyways. I’m optimistic though that it will turn out to my liking in the end, happy with choices made so far..
Some of it is a little odd and some will be challenging to maintain within the framework but I think I can work it out, will see in time I guess

 

[wireme]

Daytime shot. Easy to see some of the structure is definitely a bit odd, I’m pretty sure I see ways to mostly overcome funny looking areas with some more time and future round of adjustments. It’s been teaching me a bit this one. I’ve misjudged the quality of wiring needed to safely manipulate and position everything on this tree a couple times now, did it again last night, almost good enough, not quite, next time.
I think I will pull the moss this year, scrape the surface, possibly pull from the pot and reduce the lower rootball as well.

 

[daudelus]

Came across an earlier pic of the tree yesterday. Partway along after first potting and beginnings of the branch lowering but close enough to as collected.
You can see the options I decided to remove now. My current favoured design idea requires more removal, removal of all the upper foliage and using the bottom 2 branches only, can't say for sure I'll follow through with that but debating. View attachment 90786

Looks awesome... did you have to notch (cut) the top to bring it down that much?

 

[wireme]

Looks awesome... did you have to notch (cut) the top to bring it down that much?

Thanks, no no notching, just pulled it down a little more every spring over 4 years or so. Originally it was growing upwards at around 30 degrees.

 

[Beanwagon]

I like it!!

 

[wireme]

I like it!!

Thanks. glad to hear it. I'm still not 100 percent sure of the design here myself but I think so, I think so, gotta try.

 

[0soyoung]

I keep thinking that the top branch, that is descending ought to be a tighter loop and the end should stick out on the right side, somewhat higher up than it is now. This would make an eye-catching loop up top that might be good/bad. At any rate, it doesn't seem quite right yet.

I'm asking myself what would I do if this were the tree now. A lot seems to depend on the end of that descending branch.

... just pondering ...

 

[wireme]

I keep thinking that the top branch, that is descending ought to be a tighter loop and the end should stick out on the right side, somewhat higher up than it is now. This would make an eye-catching loop up top that might be good/bad. At any rate, it doesn't seem quite right yet.

I'm asking myself what would I do if this were the tree now. View attachment 190314 A lot seems to depend on the end of that descending branch.

... just pondering ...

I often open threads and see a response I missed.

I’ll give your post a read, look and think. Gotta get somewhere pretty quick now.

 

[wireme]

Just updating to say work has resumed. The objective is to determine if I can really make this work or if it this design plan will always be ridiculous. Because I’ve still held on to reserve foliage on the trunk just in case.

Hopefully I can get it tidied up a bit more soon and we’ll see, feel free to cast a vote!
The reserve foliage will continue to obscure the image until it’s removed probably no matter what I do but I’ll try to get it clearer.

 

[PiñonJ]

Just updating to say work has resumed. The objective is to determine if I can really make this work

I think you can easily make it work. You just need to wire out well-defined pads and apex. It’s a fairly feminine tree, so I would keep the pads small and well separated. And don’t forget to create out-in-out movement in the silhouette. This summer would be a good time to do it, if you’ve been fertilizing and it’s been growing strong.

 

[wireme]

I think you can easily make it work. You just need to wire out well-defined pads and apex. It’s a fairly feminine tree, so I would keep the pads small and well separated. And don’t forget to create out-in-out movement in the silhouette. This summer would be a good time to do it, if you’ve been fertilizing and it’s been growing strong.

I’m really on the fence between continuing to pursue the current style or going elsewhere with the use of the reserve foliage. Thanks for the input.

This is before any of the work that I just started. It’s more or less down to 22 gauge and scissor work to further define it now.

 

[wireme]

A little more progress and I better move on to other work for the day. It will be difficult now to get any clearer look at the upper portion styling without removing the reserve foliage.

 

[wireme]

Here’s why I’m reluctant to remove my reserve foliage and fully commit just yet. Here’s a tree on this forum that gives very good motivation to develop from my reserve bits that are pretty well placed to do something somewhat akin to this.

California Juniper finally ready for show

I bought this collected California Juniper in January 2005 at the Collection North benefit sale at the Lake Merritt garden center in Oakland. In early 2006 Boon grafted some Kishu shimpaku scions onto it for me because the native foliage was really coarse and was also not in a place that made...

www.bonsainut.com

Of course that is grafted so perhaps I just go ahead and prune away my bits in the knowledge that someday down the road some fancy foliage can be put on my tree anyways but it is a tough call.

 

[Arcto]

Just a couple of ideas to think about before the tree is repotted again. Have you considered a slight tilt of the tree to the right to remove that straight vertical position of the lower trunk? Also moving the base of the tree closer to the center of the pot at repotting. I’d put a block under the pot and tilt the tree at different angles and study it. It’s great to see you bringing out the potential of this awesome tree you collected.

 

[wireme]

Just a couple of ideas to think about before the tree is repotted again. Have you considered a slight tilt of the tree to the right to remove that straight vertical position of the lower trunk? Also moving the base of the tree closer to the center of the pot at repotting. I’d put a block under the pot and tilt the tree at different angles and study it. It’s great to see you bringing out the potential of this awesome tree you collected.

Thanks, hope you’re settling into the new place well and exploring for trees!

I’ll definitely center it next repot, shallower pot would be better too I’m thinking?

As for the lean, dunno, I feel like considering where I want the foliage to be it would throw of the balance but I’ll ponder for sure.

 

[wireme]

Got back to the tree and realized that I’ve come this far and there was just no way to see it any better with those hunks if reserve foliage so no choice really, take’em off and go. Still little buds there so no big deal. I’ll probably keep at it a little more but for now... Yeah, I’m still a bit skeptical but I think it’s pretty cool, getting there.

 

[chicago1980]

Got back to the tree and realized that I’ve come this far and there was just no way to see it any better with those hunks if reserve foliage so no choice really, take’em off and go. Still little buds there so no big deal. I’ll probably keep at it a little more but for now... Yeah, I’m still a bit skeptical but I think it’s pretty cool, getting there. View attachment 249641View attachment 249642

Now you are working it! The clean up and wire set the structure nice!

 

[wireme]

Now you are working it! The clean up and wire set the structure nice!

Thank you. Nice to hear, I think it looks pretty good but don’t like to always just take my own word on that. Sometimes sure but not always. I’m relieved actually, it has looked pretty strange along the way. It still has a ways to go but I’m much more confident now. I erased the lower branches here virtually, I think it’s very probable that there will someday be less or shorter lower branching.

 

[PiñonJ]

If I can make one more suggestion, try to get the bottom of every pad as flat as possible, first with wire, then finishing by plucking any wayward scales extending downward.

 

[Arcto]

Thanks, hope you’re settling into the new place well and exploring for trees!

I’ll definitely center it next repot, shallower pot would be better too I’m thinking?

As for the lean, dunno, I feel like considering where I want the foliage to be it would throw of the balance but I’ll ponder for sure.

Shallow in pot, good. Shallow in personality? Not so