Large squamata juniper

[Fishtank307]

It scared the hell out of me

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to this.. But you're right, it's the only way to make a convincing tree out of it! But for now, I'll let it rest for another year

 

[Fishtank307]

Did you use copper for the guy wire? It looks quite a thin wire to move such a thick branch, especially if it's aluminum.

It's aluminum wire, 2 mm. The bend is still very subtle at the moment, so I think it should be fine..

 

[Fishtank307]

I think I heard a crack...
Wasn't very happy with the first styling. The more I looked at it, the more I realized that the trunk line had to come down first. Otherwise, this could never be a decent tree.
Sure, I could style the apex and the tree has a nice base. But if I can't connect those two parts visually, the design would never work. So I thought, 'here goes nothing!'

 

[Vin]

I'll just reemphasize what I said earlier, it looks like a great grafting project..

 

[Lazylightningny]

Ouch! That's a big break.

 

[defra]

I think I heard a crack...
Wasn't very happy with the first styling. The more I looked at it, the more I realized that the trunk line had to come down first. Otherwise, this could never be a decent tree.
Sure, I could style the apex and the tree has a nice base. But if I can't connect those two parts visually, the design would never work. So I thought, 'here goes nothing!'
View attachment 205918

For next time do this bending in late winter/early spring
Wrap it up in raffia+wire and then wrap it up in some wet towels for a couple days that will help make the wood just a little more supple when you going to bend

 

[Fishtank307]

I'll just reemphasize what I said earlier, it looks like a great grafting project..

If it survives, I'll graft some itoigawa foliage onto the trunk. I'm very fickle!

 

[Lazylightningny]

There's something in the resource section on big bends. You might check it out.

 

[Fishtank307]

Repotted a couple of weeks ago. Started pushing new growth 2 weeks ago.

The angle of the trunk is slowly getting there.





I think my plan of bending straight section closer to the trunk may work. The goal is to get the foliage closer to the powerfull base and have the trunk go up and then (almost) straight down again, parallel to the section of the trunk that is going upward.

 

[Fishtank307]

Growing well. The tree is becoming more and more compact!





View from the side:



Probably not everyone's cup of tea, but it's a fun project Maybe next fall or spring I can prune and style it again.

 

[Fishtank307]

October 2017 - now

 

[Cable]

I liked it the way it was but I like it even better now. Nice work.

 

[defra]

Nice!
I also got a squamatta but it had spidermites so lots of brownish
Theyr gone now and healthy green starts to push now

Btw I follow @dirk hoorelbeke instructions on how to manage the foliage so far works like a charm

 

[Fishtank307]

Nice!
I also got a squamatta but it had spidermites so lots of brownish
Theyr gone now and healthy green starts to push now

Btw I follow @dirk hoorelbeke instructions on how to manage the foliage so far works like a charm

Thanks! I had spider mites on this one last year. Constant rinsing with a soap solution and a lot of humidity did the trick for me.
I think I've seen yours in another thread. Dirk also explains to keep the foliage 'clean' and remove the brown needles in fall, no?
This fall i'm going to hard prune it for the first time in two years, and then work on basic branch structure.

 

[leatherback]

In my experience squamata is very hesitant on back-budding. So keep you rfoliage under control. I cut mine back twice a year and leave only a few needles of green at each branchlet. That will cause 2-6 new branches to form there, which need to be thinned out a few weeks after trimming.

If you do not do this, the second year the foliage turns yellow, then brown, and you have a long bare section.

You might have to be a little less aggressive in trimming wiyth the foliage mass you have on it now.

 

[Fishtank307]

In my experience squamata is very hesitant on back-budding. So keep you rfoliage under control. I cut mine back twice a year and leave only a few needles of green at each branchlet. That will cause 2-6 new branches to form there, which need to be thinned out a few weeks after trimming.
View attachment 252253
If you do not do this, the second year the foliage turns yellow, then brown, and you have a long bare section.

You might have to be a little less aggressive in trimming wiyth the foliage mass you have on it now.

Thanks for the advice! There are a lot of long bare branches that I don't need in the final design, so they will be cut next fall.
After the next styling I will definitely keep the foliage in check. I hadn't pruned it so I could repot it last spring and keep it healthy while I do this heavy bending.

 

[wireme]

Repotted a couple of weeks ago. Started pushing new growth 2 weeks ago.
View attachment 243412
The angle of the trunk is slowly getting there.

View attachment 243414
View attachment 243413
View attachment 243415

I think my plan of bending straight section closer to the trunk may work. The goal is to get the foliage closer to the powerfull base and have the trunk go up and then (almost) straight down again, parallel to the section of the trunk that is going upward.

I made very similar initial decisions along the way with this one. https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/another-partway-rmj.20099/

I hope yours works out for you.

 

[Fishtank307]

I made very similar initial decisions along the way with this one. https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/another-partway-rmj.20099/

I hope yours works out for you.
View attachment 252338

View attachment 252333

Nice tree! It feels very natural considering the heavy bend.

 

[leatherback]

Guess none of us is being very original!

 

[Fishtank307]

Removed some unwanted branches two weeks ago. Ready for styling tomorrow!