Next step for this styled juniper

maroun.c

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Styled this juniper in nov 2020.
Screenshot_20220227-121540_Chrome.jpgScreenshot_20220227-121559_Chrome.jpg

it did well after the styling and branch removal. Yet in winter 2021 unortunately couple lower branches browned out and I assume are dead. A shame.as they were giving a wider base to the tree. Not sure if they died from wiring as they weren't aggressively bent or from the bad nursery soil, yet they had grown after being styled so believe wiring isn't to blame. Soil remained q bit too wet in winter.
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Yet looking closely at them there is still a hint of green so does that mean they might still be alive?
Screenshot_20220227-115638_Gallery.jpg
Also another mishap during wiring where the main trunk cracked at a severe bend.
Screenshot_20220227-115722_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20220227-115739_Gallery.jpg
From the back side more than 50 percent of the live vein is still intact so I assume tree wouldn't have an issue surviving but as this part holds the weight of the tree which will increases is this a risk ? Is there anything I can do to help it heal better or get stronger ? Also should I sand the damaged portion to make it look nicer and also believe decrease water accumulating and causing rot ?
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The top part is not crazy healthy but looks good enough

Screenshot_20220227-115852_Gallery.jpg
Plan is to repot into bonsai soil and pit this year in april would that be a risk or do u think its ok ?
Also any idea what type if juniper this is
 
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Tieball

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I see the juniper with a thought to stop trying to fix and style the juniper while it declining in overall health. I would be hesitant with a repot at this stage, however, you can see the soil and if it’s an issue while I cannot. I tend to think that root disruption would create more problems at this stage. I’ve taken plastic pots like that and punched 6.35mm holes all around to promote better drainage.…resembling an air pot when I was done. The bottom holes may be insufficient for drainage and just plugged up right now. Just my view from a long ways away though. You can see much more than I can.
 

sorce

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This isn't wire or wet winter, it's just the tree prioritizing, you can feel it looking at this picture.
Screenshot_20220227-121559_Chrome.jpg

From this point the tree has to make a decision, continue using the stronger, more abundant, thick branched top, which will eventually shade out the weak twiggy bottom....
Or commit to the weak twiggy bottom?

It chose.

In order to keep your low branches thicker than the top like they should be, you should've left more mass on the bottom. This will change what gets prioritized.

Pruning to the shape of a triangle isn't as important as pruning to the MASS of a triangle.

Amount of work done, I would call yours using 75 of 100 points, leaves your design more susceptible to poor prioritization.

If you keep work done between 25 and 50, your design will come faster.

Sorce
 

maroun.c

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Thanks for all the replies, no further styling in plan qt this stage for sure.
I'll go and drill holes as suggested hoping this will help and will keep it a bit drier for sure. If I see good growth before mid spring do u think it would be safe to repot or would it be best to keep it till next year. Not in a hurry to have it in a bonsai pot for sure, soil is not good and not draining but I can place it away from rain and make sure to water only when needed to do all whats possible to have it survive one more season in same soil.
I'll also place it in more sunny position this spring abd summer abd fertilize it more ?
Do u think bottom branches can still come back ?
 

Sae Nguyen

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I think some Gorilla Glue could be daubed haphazardly on that wound. It can be shaped before dry.
It can also be painted with craft paints. With care, it would be pretty unnotiiceable.

:)
 

maroun.c

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So in April 2022 I repotted the tree out of nursery soil. Went pretty conservative in cleaning up soil to avoid stressing tree further so guess will follow up with a end cleanup in spring 24 or 25. Screenshot_20240113_082451_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240113_082524_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240113_082624_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240113_082635_Gallery.jpg
 

maroun.c

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Then few days back I completes the styling. The break I had in the trunk uninitial styling was a limiting factor as live vein split a bit more as soon as I started bending. But guess I got the tree to the shape I wanted. I didn't prune much to avoid further stress on the tree or it favoritizing branches with more foliage abd dropping lower ones with less foliage like it did before. Any comments on fj al shape appreciated.
Next step is further soil cleanup this year if tree looks healthy and better position in pot as last time remaining soil dictated position shifted to the back in the pot.
Screenshot_20240113_080637_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240113_080648_Gallery.jpg
 

maroun.c

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Looking at the tree yesterday I turned the back to see if it works better as a front and it wasn't too bad.
What's your thoughts ?
Base I feel current front is more powerful yet the thicker base should have been on the other side supporting a tree that leans to the opposite side and not towards the sane side of the buttress in the base?
Foliage current trunk has more front branches not sure if having those at the back would add more depth to the tree.
Deadwood shows less with current front, I can have it show more by slightly rotating the tree counterclockwise. Yet turning it 180 degrees the dead wood shows more but again it's not crazy quality dead wood and I feel having 2 pointed dagger like dead wood pointing at you in the front wouldn't be the best look ?
One advantage of using current bac as front is that after the loop the main trunk I'd now at front of the tree and not to the back. Yet the base is so much nicer at current do I can't make up my mind.
Current front
Screenshot_20240122_060706_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240122_060725_Gallery.jpg
Current back used as front
Screenshot_20240122_061019_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20240122_060914_Gallery.jpg
 
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ShadyStump

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I believe turning the back to be the new front is best. You can show the jin, and the base looks more balanced.
If course, there is no problem with the tree looking good from both sides.
 

chicago1980

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I believe your early trunk movement was more interesting than the current trunk movement. The current movement seems too vertical.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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I think it's time to fully wire the branches out, and then see what front fits best.
Sunday morning when I styled yet one other juniper (in reverse, starting from the top) it dawned on me that I personally just have a too fantastic brain: I can see a hundred different results, but not one is super clear.. That is, until I wire some foliage and all of a sudden things start becoming clear.
Maybe that works for other people too! And if it doesn't, at least the whole plant is wired now.
 

maroun.c

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I think it's time to fully wire the branches out, and then see what front fits best.
Sunday morning when I styled yet one other juniper (in reverse, starting from the top) it dawned on me that I personally just have a too fantastic brain: I can see a hundred different results, but not one is super clear.. That is, until I wire some foliage and all of a sudden things start becoming clear.
Maybe that works for other people too! And if it doesn't, at least the whole plant is wired now.
My branches wiring skills aren't that good bur it'll be a good exercise I guess.
I opted to delay full branch wiring as it'll need taking out a lot of foliage which I thought would be a bit risky at beginning of winter?
I'll try wiring som and see if that clears up things more.
 

Orion_metalhead

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I believe your early trunk movement was more interesting than the current trunk movement. The current movement seems too vertical.
Agree. I would look to select a new leader and wire some additional movement into the top of the tree, either bringing it further to the left over the nebari or further to the right, for a dynamic image.
 

maroun.c

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I actually still need to decide on what to go for I can either compress on right or left side and can drive the apex towards the compressed side or opposite as well to escape the current Christmas tree shape of the tree. More in favor of pushing tree to outside of the pot mire and compressing side towards the base. Apex goes out as well in that case regardless which front I chose.
Something like below, am bad at drawing so excuse the novice sketch. Feel free to suggest otherwise? Screenshot_20240123_084424_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20240123_084551_Gallery.jpg
 

ShadyStump

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I would compress in the other direction from your sketch. Let that large jin be the focus on one side while the living tree balances it to the other.
As if the tree is trying to get away from whatever it is that killed that branch. Or, if you prefer given your comparison of it to a dagger, parrying as opposed to lunging.
 
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