Cascade? Not so much?

[Hartinez]

Here is a San Jose juniper I bought on clearance the fall of 16’. I went with a mirrored cascade look...well sort off. With as tall as the apex is can I even call this a cascade? Even with the lowest branch dropping so low? Does it even work? I like it but I’m not certain.

What I do know is that it needs a trim and some fine wiring. Here is a pic of summer last year and today.

I will say that the deadwood could have been executed better.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Personally I think there's two trees here: an upright one, and another upright but upside down. It feels uneasy somehow.
I think that putting the lowest branch a few degrees up would benefit the view. There are two paralel lines now, which visually attract attention. I believe it would be nicer if there's a slope instead of a cliff.

However, you should do as you please. My junipers are far from developed. I might not be the best in giving styling advice.

 

[Wilson]

If you really want to style it as a cascade, I would work on tipping the whole tree around 90°. Your deadwood can become the dead apex, with branches growing down over the ledge.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Reminds me of some funky penjing the way it is styled currently

 

[Hartinez]

Personally I think there's two trees here: an upright one, and another upright but upside down. It feels uneasy somehow.
I think that putting the lowest branch a few degrees up would benefit the view. There are two paralel lines now, which visually attract attention. I believe it would be nicer if there's a slope instead of a cliff.

However, you should do as you please. My junipers are far from developed. I might not be the best in giving styling advice.

I’m liking this better. And feel I can even take a few pads off the bottom branch.

 

[Hartinez]

Worked this juniper today. I compacted the entire tree, bringing the top trunk down with Raffia, heavy gauge copper and a guy wire. I also rewired everything and trimmed a bit along with some detail wiring. I’m starting to like it more as a semi cascade of sorts. The juvenile foliage will always be a bit of an issue, but I think with more time this tree can be something worth while.

 

[Cosmos]

That deadwood looks stunning. You said you were not satisfied with it in your first post, did you work it some more after? If so, what techniques did you use?

 

[Hartinez]

That deadwood looks stunning. You said you were not satisfied with it in your first post, did you work it some more after? If so, what techniques did you use?

.
I wasn’t satisfied and I’m still not fully satisfied. There were several rookie mistakes I made early on that I have, id like to think, learned from. The dead wood looks great but I should have kept more of the initial branch to make it more of a feature. I used Jin pliers to peel the branch back, then burnt the wood, steel brushed it and lime sulfured it. It looks ok now because it’s been about three years since I first worked it. Nothing since.

Other problems I see though are. The two main trunk lines come from a single point some what awkwardly. The juvenile foliage that I think I will always have on this tree to some degree or another is a bit messy. My canopy work is just aight. And the pot needs changing.

With that said. I compacted the tree to bring it closer to the deadwood and the lower trunk. The foliage is getting better in regards to its ramification and cleanliness. There are a few lines and branches I’m not convinced of yet, but the over all look is improving. When it comes down to it, I’m still not great at wiring and over all vision. But once again, with time and practice I think I’ll get there. With more work, hopefully this tree by next year or the year after will present better.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Better, however removing bottom forward bar branch from upper tree might help. Eye poking branch also hiding trunk.

 

[Hartinez]

Better, however removing bottom forward bar branch from upper tree might help. Eye poking branch also hiding trunk.

This one?

 

[Hartinez]

Took a bit more time to detail wire this tree first thing this morning. It’s hard doing the work on any tree in one go with 3 kids to manage!! ? and I’ve still got more small branchlets to shape!

It’s tricky with the needle foliage to get all of the buds growing/pointing upwards. Really the only way is the detail wiring. I remember a post @Smoke made sometime back about how crucial wiring every last branch is on trees. Especially juniper. I think it was smoke? ? either way. Strong growth over the next few years should really allow this tree to begin to take its best shape.

Lastly. There are still a few branches I’m not loving. The bar branches in the middle top half, towards the crown could be a problem long term. Also, that very bottom branch and pad of foliage, just might be too low for the design of this tree.

 

[Japonicus]

Very nice progression @Hartinez . Sure wish I knew my way around grafting, would be beneficial,
because the upper bar branch has a left branch just above, that I cannot tell if it can wire to the right or not
over a couple of years, beginning next year allowing current work to heal. If it could swing it, that'd be sweet, not flawless...

Can you balance the energy to the apexes? The upper apex an extra year of free reign, but both need at least 2 years, 3 even better.
The upper apex looks quite fragile.

This one?

Yes, compacting the tree really brings that out doesn't it?

sorry, free software very limited. Probably should have hazed out the forked branch as it's the only one on this juniper.
How tall is the foliage? ...and agreed, nice work on the dead wood

 

[Potawatomi13]

This one?

Da. IMHO slightly bring up low branch or remove lowest twig. Grow more to side but above pot rim. Forget "triangle". Make look like real tree. Deal with other bar branch now development will fill in soon.

 

[Hartinez]

Da. IMHO slightly bring up low branch or remove lowest twig. Grow more to side but above pot rim. Forget "triangle". Make look like real tree. Deal with other bar branch now development will fill in soon.

Yeah, that one may need removing all together. For now it rests. Once I get more growth I’ll reevaluate. Early fall.

 

[PiñonJ]

There’s another design option for this tree that you may not have considered. Angle the whole thing almost 90 degrees to the left (you’d have to engineer a stand to hold the pot that way, or repot first and style later), bend the upper branch/trunk down opposite to how it’s bent now, to make a true cascade, and turn the right branch into the apex. This would give you the acute angle of drop you’re looking for. The deadwood might become more interesting, as well.

 

[Hartinez]

There’s another design option for this tree that you may not have considered. Angle the whole thing almost 90 degrees to the left (you’d have to engineer a stand to hold the pot that way, or repot first and style later), bend the upper branch/trunk down opposite to how it’s bent now, to make a true cascade, and turn the right branch into the apex. This would give you the acute angle of drop you’re looking for. The deadwood might become more interesting, as well.

At this point I’m going to leave it as is for awhile. I don’t love the tree, but I don’t hate it either. And to be honest it’s growing on me a bit, and with more growth and better ramification in its pads I think I will be happy. Time will tell. Thanks J.

 

[Ali Raza]

I agree with @Wires_Guy_wires

 

[Hartinez]

Here’s the tree as is. Lots of new growth. Lost 1 branch when I was removing wire due to cutting in to the branch too far on accident. Lesson learned. I will only be unwrapping wire if it’s possible, and will cut where I must. I’ve decided that for the foreseeable future this tree will stay as the design it is, but could easily change down the road at some point.
I had a friend make me a simple pot that I thought would look great with this design.
I didn’t get a chance to fully wire the tree out again, AS IT NEEDS IT BAD. But I’m getting sub 28 degree nights and it’s time to store for the winter! Tree will get a good hair cut and wire come early summer.

 

[Hartinez]

This one took a tumble about 2 months ago and fell right out of its broken pot. Re potted and it didn’t skip a beat. In need of a major trim and complete wiring.

 

[Japonicus]

This one took a tumble about 2 months ago

So glad it held in there. I would have been so pissed if it were mine
especially if it lost any branches.
Too bad this happened, now would be the BEST time to thin
except for the apexes. Top apex looking much better.
At least you can clean the undersides up now
Looking good!