My first California Juniper

[snowsurf125]

This is my first California Juniper. I purchased it at Benny Kim's Nursery a few years ago when I spotted it and was smart enough to randomly ask, "how much for this guy?" Well he gave me a good deal and thus was my first "good raw material" purchase.
I didn't touch it for a few months other than a couple guy wires and attempting to wire a couple branches. Here is what it looked like when I got it in late 2010/ early 2011.

 

[snowsurf125]

Mid-Styling

Here is the tree about a year later. I had re-potted it late summer/fall '11 but didn't go as shallow as I probably could have. I didn't want to take any chances with it being the first good tree that I actually spent over $100 on.
I pruned heavily and started wiring in Jan '12 over the course of probably 2-3 weeks because of my schedule. I wired every branch thoroughly and applied more guy wires to the larger branches.
It does have some room for some good jin and shari work. I did a little, but left room for future refinement.
Here are a few pictures just after pruning and right when I started to wire. Again, sorry for the poor quality photos. I do what I can when I can.

 

[snowsurf125]

After the styling

Here is the tree as of earlier today (May 31, 2012). Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures as soon as I finished the work, but It has only pushed out a bit on the tips, so not much has changed with it.
It is pushing out and budding back a little. A few of the branches have died back, and the main top died off as well, so I may have to take one of the upper branches and turn it into the new top. Could make it look a little more naturally old/weathered too. The branch that looks like I am air-layering was cracked at a critique (not by me...). I was told to treat it as an air layer for a year to keep the moisture in and it should survive. It hasn't, unfortunately. Looks like I might be trying to graft some Cal Juni in a few spots to cover up/fix a few flaws.
I plan on letting the tree sit and grow for a year or two before I repot to a much shallower pot.

Here it is today.

 

[snowsurf125]

A few more...

And here is a few more pictures. Some up-close shots of the jin and shari which should leave some nice work in a few years to be done.

A few questions I would pose for some of the more experienced on here:
Did I get a little too eager and do too much work?
Is there any good way to induce back budding closer in by the trunk near crotches?
Is there any good way to get nice tight foliage on Cal Juni's? (I'm not interested in grafting Shimpaku onto it).

 

[Ang3lfir3]

This guy is tired... he's working hard at surviving

you are done with this tree (except for watering and maintenance) for a few years now ...
when it starts to look more like the first pics you can work on it again (probably when its about half that full)

as time passes and you continue to know the tree better and strengthen it you can do more work faster .... but that's not for awhile...

stylistically ... I would bring those flat branches down more .... you are on the right path but its gunna be a slow one ...

 

[snowsurf125]

Thanks Ang3lfir3.
I figured I stressed it out a lot and probably got a little too eager. It pushed out a little later this year and some branches haven't really pushed out much either. But I do plan on waiting another year or two before anymore major work. I do plan on pulling down those larger branches slowly over this next winter with the guy wires, but other than that, its sitting and resting. Thanks again.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Verrrry clean, uniform wiring -- nice job!

 

[Attila Soos]

Great job, snowsurf!
Ang3lfir3 summed up perfectly.

 

[stacy allen muse]

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