Basic sketch for my juniper. What do you all think?

[Bonsaipadawan]

So I have a photo before doing some major pruning, after the major pruning and then a photo where I drew over the photo to show my basic idea of what I will do if the tree survives the drastic prune I did. I blurred the one major branch I left on in hopes that it will be enough to keep the plant from dying.

I am kind of okay if the plant doesn't survive since I figured it was good practice to work on for experience. I figured the way it was all the branches were too big the proportions were all off.

My plan is to shorten most to all of the jins them to use the young shoots that are present to create the furure design and just let them grow out during this growing season. I figured ill see how much growth I get and possibly wire them next winter or this fall.
Id love to hear what you all think and what you would do. Also I have a question it's been in this nursery pot and does seem pretty pot bound but at this point since I did major pruning I should probably wait to do anything with the roots. I wasn't sure if maybe I should like put it in a larger container and just tease the roots a little and add more soil medium. My logic here is that when spring comes it will grow deeper into a larger pot and might help the tree grow with vigor.

The species is juniper chinensis sea green

 

[cmu268]

Nice, I have one of this variety too that I picked up cheap last summer for practice as well. Maybe you could slip-pot it into a larger pot or basket, but probably don't want to disturb the roots. If it were me I might just leave it, see how it does, and if it survives then repot further down the road.

The lower portion of the trunk seems to be pretty straight without much movement so will be interesting to see how those small shoots can grow in and add movement to the trunk. Little tough to tell from your sketch, but where do you imagine the future trunk line?

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

Nice, I have one of this variety too that I picked up cheap last summer for practice as well. Maybe you could slip-pot it into a larger pot or basket, but probably don't want to disturb the roots. If it were me I might just leave it, see how it does, and if it survives then repot further down the road.

The lower portion of the trunk seems to be pretty straight without much movement so will be interesting to see how those small shoots can grow in and add movement to the trunk. Little tough to tell from your sketch, but where do you imagine the future trunk line?

I am hoping for more back budding as well to increase the options for more movment in the design. Maybe I can plant it on a slight angle? It looks to be growing a bit of a nibari as well so I think like you said maybe slip potting it into a net basket might be great. I could just pull it out without disturbing the roots and plant it in a net pot.
Thank you for some great advice

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I wouldn't touch this plant for at least a year.
The roots aren't going to grow much as there isn't enough foliage to force them to do so. So it'll be fine in this pot for at least another 5 years.

With hard prunes like these you can also count on a year or two of juvenile foliage.

I am part of the school of thought where initial reduction of junipers needs to be done, but this was maybe 60% too much for my taste. Not because the plant can't handle it, but because I've noticed it sets development back by a decent couple of years. Keep in mind that you can build branches and trunks, even if you keep the rest of the tree in place ;-)
I'd love to see how it turns out eventually.

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

I wouldn't touch this plant for at least a year.
The roots aren't going to grow much as there isn't enough foliage to force them to do so. So it'll be fine in this pot for at least another 5 years.

With hard prunes like these you can also count on a year or two of juvenile foliage.

I am part of the school of thought where initial reduction of junipers needs to be done, but this was maybe 60% too much for my taste. Not because the plant can't handle it, but because I've noticed it sets development back by a decent couple of years. Keep in mind that you can build branches and trunks, even if you keep the rest of the tree in place ;-)
I'd love to see how it turns out eventually.

Thank you so much for your advice and response. It's giving me plenty to think about for this project and future ones!

 

[Eckhoffw]

I have a couple Sea green junipers as well as they are very abundant at the big box stores.
I’m still trying to chase back foliage on the spreading growth habit. I may have to prune hard like this to see if I can get foliage closer to trunk.
Look forward to seeing how this plant responds in years to come.

 

[nuttiest]

I like the shape, but be careful of 'shrinkage' on some styling.
Shrinkage = when you buy a 1" caliper trunk and in a year it is 3/4"

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

I like the shape, but be careful of 'shrinkage' on some styling.
Shrinkage = when you buy a 1" caliper trunk and in a year it is 3/4"

How does this happen?

 

[Eckhoffw]

How does this happen?

It doesn’t. Unless your trunk is rotting.

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

It doesn’t. Unless your trunk is rotting.

I had a feeling he was messing with me lololol

 

[Eckhoffw]

When foliage is reduced, thickening of trunk is slowed way down. I feel like your happy with the trunk size. Just hope you have enough foliage left to power through.

 

[nuttiest]

lol just measure it, I swear it happens

 

[Crazy Diamond]

you went really really hard with the pruning for a juniper

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

you went really really hard with the pruning for a juniper

Good to know fingers crossed then

 

[Wulfskaar]

Watch this video. It may give you some good tips on this exact thing. He does one showing common rookie mistakes and one like he thinks should be done. His example of one he did his way 15 years ago is spectacularly cool, in my opinion.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Watch this video. It may give you some good tips on this exact thing. He does one showing common rookie mistakes and one like he thinks should be done. His example of one he did his way 15 years ago is spectacularly cool, in my opinion.

Great video.
Yep that’s how I went about it when I started. .
Always trying to make a big tree / trying to keep to much. I am still working on this.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Great video.
Yep that’s how I went about it when I started. .
Always trying to make a big tree / trying to keep to much. I am still working on this.

Me too. This video made me want to get a Juniper, which I don't have yet.

Most junipers I've seen as bonsai just don't do it for me very much, but the 15 year old one was really cool and I'd like to try to recreate it.