Design needed for this California juniper

[bonhe]

Hi Si, I'm not crazy to grow seedlings from them. Thanks a lot for another beautiful sketch. Your artistic mind is so good my friend. Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

It was styled on 11/22/09. I didn't split the live vein at all. The dead wood on the top needs to be finished later on. Now, wait until next year to put it in the pot. Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

another view. Bonhe

 

[Si Nguyen]

Hi Bonhe, the tree turned out ok! Good wiring! I could never wire that good. You know I hate wiring.
The design looks a bit too wide for the trunk size though, and especially too wide for such a small live vein. Here's one option for a small tweak. I would probably convert this to a windswept style, just in order to narrow the silhouette of the tree a bit more. So I would lean it to the right a few degrees, bring the main branch down further, then sweep the right-side small branches over behind and to the left of the trunk line for depth. Here's a quick sketch of what I mean. You have enough foliage for a small flat top canopy, which would be ok for this thin windswept-bunjin look. You will never have enough for big Japanese helmet on this tree, but why would you ever want to. Don't mess any more with that top branch, you need it to live. By the way, you need to finish wiring every bit of that foliage, all the way to the very tips, all of it.
Good luck Bonhe!
Si

 

[bonhe]

Nice use of materials to have great looking final product.

Truck

Thanks Truck.

Hi Bonhe, the tree turned out ok! Good wiring! I could never wire that good. You know I hate wiring.
The design looks a bit too wide for the trunk size though, and especially too wide for such a small live vein. Here's one option for a small tweak. I would probably convert this to a windswept style, just in order to narrow the silhouette of the tree a bit more. So I would lean it to the right a few degrees, bring the main branch down further, then sweep the right-side small branches over behind and to the left of the trunk line for depth. Here's a quick sketch of what I mean. You have enough foliage for a small flat top canopy, which would be ok for this thin windswept-bunjin look. You will never have enough for big Japanese helmet on this tree, but why would you ever want to. Don't mess any more with that top branch, you need it to live. By the way, you need to finish wiring every bit of that foliage, all the way to the very tips, all of it.
Good luck Bonhe!
Si

Hi Si, thanks for your comment. Excellent sketch as usual Si. Looks like it's a best one for my tree at this stage. Yes, I need to wire more. Bonhe

 

[catfish chapstick]

OK Bonhe, here's another sketch. This is what I would do with it. You might have to grow it a bit longer though.
Si

i'd do something more like this, eventually, to highlight the subtleties of the wood and vein.

 

[Si Nguyen]

i'd do something more like this, eventually, to highlight the subtleties of the wood and vein.

Hi Catfish, seeing the branch and size of foliage of this tree again more clearly, I can see that that sketch is too unrealistic. In order to achieve that design, the top branch would have to be grown out much longer and the finer foliage would have to be grafted on. I'd saved this design for a tall shimpaku with a long branch.

Hi Bonhe, looking at this tree again this morning, I think you might have to move that top branch after all. It might be safe to move. I would lean it forward a lot more. You had it too far back. By moving it forward, you would also create more space for the other branches in the back. Here's a sketch of the side view. When you lean the main trunk to the right , I would also lean it to the back a little too, so the top branch can lean forward more. Does this make sense? It is hard to give directions like this. Good luck!
Si

 

[bonhe]

i'd do something more like this, eventually, to highlight the subtleties of the wood and vein.

Thanks for your thought Catfish.

Hi Bonhe, looking at this tree again this morning, I think you might have to move that top branch after all. It might be safe to move. I would lean it forward a lot more. You had it too far back. By moving it forward, you would also create more space for the other branches in the back. Here's a sketch of the side view. When you lean the main trunk to the right , I would also lean it to the back a little too, so the top branch can lean forward more. Does this make sense? It is hard to give directions like this. Good luck!
Si

You mean lean it forward? I can bring the top forward more. I'll reeaxam it this Saturday. It's having heavy rain in my area this week Thanks Si. Bonhe

 

[Si Nguyen]

You mean lean it forward?

No. I do mean backward. Here's a side view and a front view. It should be clearer now. The main branch should also sweep down and forward a bit more too.
Si
BTW, I did get those fertilisers like you recommended. It was cheap! Thanks for the tip!

 

[bonhe]

Hi Si, I think I get your idea now. I will give it a try next week. Thanks Si.
P/S: I'm glad you like its price. Bonhe