Styling a juniper cascade

Javaman4373

Shohin
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I bought this green mound juniper from Home Depot for $12 and thought it had potential for a cascade bonsai. It was very root bound in the nursery container, so I reduced the roots and cleaned up the foliage and potted it in bonsai soil in the one pot I had available. It obviously needs a cascade/semi cascade style pot, but I thought I would let it recover for the growing season and see about obtaining a good pot for it if it stays healthy. My questions concern how to style for a cascade tree. It has one long sloping branch and two smaller sloping branches, one in the opposite side to the long one. Would these secondary branches need to be reduced to de-emphasize them? When should it be wired? Some photos to illustrate where the tree is now.
 

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ponderingsage

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Looks like a fun project. I would personally shorten the non-cascading side.
 

Cadillactaste

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I highly suggest you go into images in your search engine and do your homework. Study the techniques and styles that appeal to you. Then make a mental note as to which ones you prefer and can they eventually be applied to your material. You may need to just allow the tree to grow and offer those secondary branching off the cascade branch. It's younger material...I don't believe now is the time to wire them, I no longer have juniper so I sort of forget the window of wiring. This will allow you time to do your homework. Best of luck to you.
 

Shibui

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For cascade to look good it needs to emphasize the cascade so it is believable for viewers. Having branches or trunks going in opposite directions just confuses the eye and brain.
Definitely shorten, remove or reposition strong opposite branches to focus the design on the real cascade.
That said you may consider leaving them for a year or 2 as sacrifice branches to thicken the lower trunk. They could also be used to create dead wood features. So much depends on what you will be satisfied with as bonsai and how long you are willing to wait to achieve it.
Check different cascade styles as @Cadillactaste has advised. There are a number of different styles of cascade - straight trunk, contorted trunk, single, multi trunk, apex, no apex, etc.
With cascade style it is important to watch vigour and strength of different areas of the tree. Usually the upper part grows much faster than the lower section because of apical dominance. We need to prune much more in the apex to balance strength.
Not all branches are needed for any bonsai. Cascade in particular look better a little sparse IMHO. Natural cascade grow in inhospitable areas under lots of stress so should not be full and lush.

If wired and bent in spring and early summer juniper branches sometimes die back due to bark separating from the wood underneath. Not every time but enough to be wary of, especially newer growers lacking skills. Much safer to wait until growth slows or stops so later in summer or fall is safer.
 

Javaman4373

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Thanks Shibui for the helpful post. I had the feeling that the secondary long opposite branch was never going to work. I plan to keep it long for now to help with the health of the tree and to build more trunk as you suggested.
 
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