First Tree Juniper Progression

[thomas22]

This Is the first piece of material I ever bought. I bought it from a local landscape nursery for $6 about 6 years ago. It was also the first tree I ever attempted to wire which is painfully obviously by looking at the first picture.
I had it looking pretty good 3 years go but I sheared the top of the pads to make them look flat and the whole tree became week and then responded with juvenile foliage throughout the whole tree. (Don't do this beginners)

The third pic was after getting healthy again and before cleaning out the weak foliage a few month ago. The last pic was after work done last nigh. The lowest branch crossing the trunk will be jinned later. There is something not quite right about the shape of the top canopy but I can't put my finger on it. It also needs a shallower pot.
Suggestions to make this tree better are welcome.

 

[drew33998]

Come a long way. Great progress

 

[thomas22]

Come a long way. Great progress

Thanks for the compliment Drew. My struggle with this tree is finding ways to make it interesting. Here is a vert that I am thinking about. Not the best but I'm not sure about other options right now

You cant tell by the pic but it has really has nice nebari for a Juniper so it will help when I put it in a nice pot and set it up a bit to show off the roots.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Wow really nice progress.

You can make your tree interesting by carving up the foliage mass and/or letting it grow a little taller and developing the apex. This will also help you with making sure your trunk tapers and doesn't look uniform.

For example:



And

 

[thomas22]

Wow really nice progress.

You can make your tree interesting by carving up the foliage mass and/or letting it grow a little taller and developing the apex. This will also help you with making sure your trunk tapers and doesn't look uniform.

For example:

View attachment 140718

And

View attachment 140719

Yes, the top is too dome like and uniform. I think you are correct about breaking up the foliage mass. I will let grow for a while and do some adjustments later this year or next year. Thanks

 

[defra]

Nice progression it improved allot!
Maybe next repot try to change the planting angle making it slant more to the left or to the right it will improve the movement of the trunk the botom part looks very straight but its a nice tree!

 

[sorce]

Right after I made this one of the pics looked better if the right side was reduced....

But...


Maybe....

Either way....

I wouldn't be fraid to hit it hard again...

You are growing this thing amazingly!

Sorce

 

[thomas22]

Right after I made this one of the pics looked better if the right side was reduced....

But...

View attachment 140727
Maybe....

Either way....

I wouldn't be fraid to hit it hard again...

You are growing this thing amazingly!

Sorce

Thanks Sorce. I will play around a bit with different Ideas like reducing the right or left.

 

[ChrisV]

Can i give a tip? Did you ever considered changing the angle? For example tilting it to the right just enough so the the trunk won't have straight lines going upwards.
Meaning the trunk will go to the right and the upper part to the left.
Then bring down the main branch closer to the trunk this will fill up the negative space between the two trunkparts.
Then bring down the rest of the foliage. Right now it looks like one big apex.
To make it more dynamic and fit the slender trunk try to compact the shilout by getting the foliage closet to the trunk and create multiple layers.
It should look more balanced then.

Hope you like the idea.

 

[berobinson82]

I really like the 2nd image. Feels like that image is the one you should hunt for again. Looks pretty natural. I thought it was your "I'd like it to look like this" example before I scrolled further. Maybe a bit heavy, yeah, but good looking tree. Especially for your first attempt.

Cheers,
B

 

[thomas22]

Can i give a tip? Did you ever considered changing the angle? For example tilting it to the right just enough so the the trunk won't have straight lines going upwards.
Meaning the trunk will go to the right and the upper part to the left.
Then bring down the main branch closer to the trunk this will fill up the negative space between the two trunkparts.
Then bring down the rest of the foliage. Right now it looks like one big apex.
To make it more dynamic and fit the slender trunk try to compact the shilout by getting the foliage closet to the trunk and create multiple layers.
It should look more balanced then.
t
Hope you like the idea.

You can always give me a tip. I will give this idea some serious thought. It will take me awhile to visualize but I know coming from you there must be something there. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

I really like the 2nd image. Feels like that image is the one you should hunt for again. Looks pretty natural. I thought it was your "I'd like it to look like this" example before I scrolled further. Maybe a bit heavy, yeah, but good looking tree. Especially for your first attempt.

Cheers,
B

I do like that image also but hopefully I can improve on that version of this tree. Thanks for the input.

 

[ColinFraser]

Nice progress; it is clearly thriving in your care.

This seems tailor made for a bunjin/literati style: tall relatively thin trunk with a small amount of taper, interesting movement, and most of the branching in the upper third or so . . . seems like all it would take to get there is some ruthless branch selection to make it look a little more sparse/austere, and perhaps wiring down a nice drop-branch or two.

I think some shari would bring a lot of interest to the trunk too, especially if it moved around in the straight section after the left turn; that might give that section some movement visually.

 

[ChrisV]

Ok quick sketch of what I had in mind i'm at work so its really fast done, but it can give you an idea of my.vision.

 

[defra]

Exactly what my tought was ill try and do a virt tonight!

 

[Johnathan]

I don't have any suggestions as a newbie, but thank you very much for sharing the progression. Very nice and very beautiful tree.

 

[ColinFraser]

bunjin/literati style

some shari

drop-branch or two

quick sketch of what I had in mind
View attachment 140759

Yep, we are thinking along similar lines
Though, I'm not sure how I feel about the tilt (or at least that far) - definitely an interesting option though.

 

[defra]

as far as i got for now
tilted 22 degrees
will continue later

 

[thomas22]

Kind of like this @ChrisV @ColinFraser @defra. I tilted it and even turned it a bit which showed more movement in the lower trunk. I then took a new pic of the tree with a tilt and created a realistic vert based on everybody's comments and the branching I have.
It maybe need a little tweaking but I love it.

 

[defra]

thats the path for this one nice!

 

[drew33998]

I would thin out the top or drop some of the branches down from the top so the apex I a little more sparse.