Styling advice?

Thumbsaway

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I picked up this blue shore juniper from the local Home Depot. I may have gotten a bit prune happy but I’ve got to say it is interesting to look at... maybe a bit thin but it should thicken up over time.
Any input or advice helps :)
 

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DonovanC

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The advice that most people don’t care to hear when it comes to giving a tree a head start and thicken it up is - stick it in the ground. No matter how green your thumb is, your tree will never thicken in a pot the way it will in the ground. Having said that however, there is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping it in a pot and taking the patient route. I don’t mind the idea of a tree taking ten years to get to the thickness of my thumb - it doesn’t bother me.
The tree doesn’t look bad. It does seem a bit 2D, so bending a couple branches to the back would help give it some depth. You have sort of a slanted style already established, so simply repositioning the branches to where they’re parallel to the ground would help bring it together. Also maybe shorten the lower branch on the left side of the picture if you can.
Other than that, just let it grow - it’ll have been through quite a bit and will need to recover.
That’s my opinion, but there are plenty of way more experienced folks around here that’ll be of more help.
Good luck!F57271D9-1EF1-473C-93EA-C5601658C6A7.jpeg
 

Thumbsaway

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Thanks for the input Donovan. I agree that it seems a bit 2D so I’ll have to bend a few back and see what I can do. I am planning to sacrifice some of the bottom branches in time. I read somewhere that leaving in lower branches can also help thicken the trunk and give that nice taper.
 

sorce

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Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 

Japonicus

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I picked up this blue shore juniper from the local Home Depot. I may have gotten a bit prune happy but I’ve got to say it is interesting to look at... maybe a bit thin but it should thicken up over time.
Any input or advice helps :)
Coming from HD I am guessing you bought it in a nursery can, changed the soil out
and potted it up, pruned it, and wired it too?

I have one of these shore conferta junipers. It is the least liked project I have.
I pruned it 2 or 3 years ago. Still in the 1g nursery can today, I’m thinking about potting it up
but not sure I want to “waste” my bonsai soil or pot on it.
I’m sure it would turn out better with some attention in time.

In the future look to unglazed pots for conifers. Mica pots work great too.
 

jaco94

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Hi , you 've got a nice little tree , already expressive with a good shaping process .

If possible , a branch should be placed backwards to improve the volume .
Now , it's time to wait and to give good growing conditions and fertilizer to let it gain strength .
 

Japonicus

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Thumbsaway

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Oh wow! I didn’t know you could buy trees on eBay! I’m gonna have to look into it after I make some room. I’ve got a lot of seedlings and cuttings and not much space that gives full sun.
 

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