Step By Step Style of Juni through Pics

[A Random User]

I keep seeing post of what to do with a juniper, where to begin and how to style. I don't have the time to do a tutorial on how to do it... but had this little $9 dollar Juniper that I picked up from a Big Box store last year. The tree was originally wired, and it has been removed. So, it is not an untouched piece of material ... but close enough for demo purposes. With this tree I plan to demonstrate as well a typical "Flat Padding" type tree... that most starting off might seek to accomplish. I am not going to go into discussion about things like wiring or guy wires, establishing pads, etc. Just show plenty of pics of the process! There is alot of info floating around, and after if people want to ask about something then perhaps a discussion?

Please hold off posting until all pics are up, will let you know when finished.
Thanks!

 

[A Random User]

 

[A Random User]

 

[A Random User]

 

[A Random User]

 

[A Random User]

 

[A Random User]

Thanks... Finished!

 

[A Random User]

Before and after Pics.

 

[Wilson]

Nice photo presentation! I think photo series like this can be a great tool for new folks wondering how to proceed with their first attempts at styling. As many people can confirm, junipers are often a tree bought by people starting this hobby. Thanks for posting!

 

[Les]

I always enjoy reading your post thanks!

 

[don b]

Awesome progression! The transformation here is outstanding. I think it would be awesome if you went back and added captions to some of the pics. It would help those of studying your work to know why you snipped this branch as opposed to that branch and so forth..

Also, with such drastic foliage reduction, could this possibly cause juvenile foliage to recur?

 

[0soyoung]

Awesome progression! The transformation here is outstanding. I think it would be awesome if you went back and added captions to some of the pics. It would help those of studying your work to know why you snipped this branch as opposed to that branch and so forth..

I thought it was excessive that Stacey shows scissors, shows what was removed, showed what was left - you couldn't follow that? However, I agree that it would have been good if @sawgrass had made a quick vert/sketch of where he was going when he started. Maybe he can figure it out on the fly, but never get a good result without some idea of what I am aiming for when I start (the idea may change mid-stream, once I've discovered I can't quite get what I wanted, but it is 'opps' and a revised vision before I continue).
BTW, Stacy, I very much liked the absence of your customary verbal diarrhea. Keep up the good work

Also, with such drastic foliage reduction, could this possibly cause juvenile foliage to recur?

Branches are largely autonomous, meaning what you do to one doesn't affect the other much. Here, removing a branch doesn't affect the remaining branches - hence what was done in this demo doesn't cause juvenile foliage. Mowing through those treads of green like a lawn mower is what produces juvenile foliage.

 

[sorce]

Sorce

 

[DougB]

Great presentation and it wasn't a video. Thanks. Hope to see more like this. Only suggestion would be to mark the front and perhaps back. Less experienced folks may get confused and miss your turning of the pot.

OK what is next?

 

[A Random User]

Awesome progression! The transformation here is outstanding. I think it would be awesome if you went back and added captions to some of the pics. It would help those of studying your work to know why you snipped this branch as opposed to that branch and so forth..

Also, with such drastic foliage reduction, could this possibly cause juvenile foliage to recur?

I agree... just did not have the time at the moment.

As far as juvenile foliage...

Working with junipers there is always going to be an issue of resorting back to juvenile. Should this be a concern? Yes and No...

If the tree is mostly a finished tree and near showing, more so perhaps? But, then again if you are having to do heavy work on a tree such as this... then it really isn't near finishing is it?

Don't allow the thought of it resorting back not allow you to do the work needed to be done. Junipers are all about replacing and growing out... cutting back to finner growth, which is what I did in the pics.

Sure perhaps cutting back like this might produce juvenile growth, but as this young growth continues to grow out, it will turn to adult foliage. If a tuff of adult foliage is to far away from where you need it to complete your design, it is useless.

No sacred cow here... juvenile foliage is not bad, just not preferred on a finished tree. This tree needs years of work to get it to that point.

 

[M. Frary]

It's a great step by step picture presentation Stacy.
Thanks.

 

[A Random User]

It's a great step by step picture presentation Stacy.
Thanks.

No Problem!
Thanks for the reply!

 

[LeonardB]

Haven't seen anything to match it, great presentation!
I disagree with the comment about showing your tools though. It was a lesson for me in articulation to see you bend back the branch to reveal the unwanted growth, and the tool used.
Please think seriously of doing another for us starters ( I would love to see a Jap maple? ).
Regards,
Leonard

 

[GrimLore]

Some may have missed the reverse wiring over wire scarred branches. It really works nicely giving those branches a gnarly look over time

Grimmy

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

I used this post to work on a juniper this weekend. Very useful info, especially your pictures of creating pads. Thank you very much for posting!